The 10th Annual Ouagadougou Development Day (Journée ouagalaise du développement) aimed to localise and operationalise the issue that brought all world leaders around the table last December in Paris. The annual event, organised by the Delegation of the European Union to Burkina Faso, was held on 26 January under the theme "The COP21 climate change agreement: What prospects for Burkina Faso?". Under the COP21 climate agreement nearly every country in the world committed to work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming.  “The creation of the new ministry in charge of environment, green economy and climate change, is an expression of Burkina Faso’s commitment to implementing the COP21 agreement”, said newly appointed Minister Nestor Batio Bassière. He also informed the public that a dedicated policy is currently under preparation, aimed at facilitating co-operation with technical and financial partners on climate change related issues. Roundtable discussions addressed next steps following the Paris Agreement and the challenges of climate change in Burkina Faso and in the West Africa region. Among others, Maguette Kaïré, a researcher at the CILSS Agrhymet Regional Centre, presented the work of CILSS in combatting and mitigating the effects of climate change. The 2016 Ouagadougou Development Day was held at the French Institute of Ouagadougou under the auspices of Ambassador Jean Lamy, head of the EU Delegation, Nestor Batio Bassière, Burkina Faso Minister of the Environment, Green Economy and Climate Change, and the Embassy of France.

 

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