Burkina Faso: The army is focusing on training to develop its future officers
Wars are not won by weapons alone. Burkina Faso has recognised this, and its military command has decided to act on it: to train better, to train more, and to train at home.
In a country where the terrorist threat demands soldiers who are not only brave but also technically proficient, the number of training hours for future military officers has been increased to 1,126.
This represents a considerable investment in education, reflecting a clear ambition: to no longer rely on external sources to build an army capable of meeting the challenges of the Sahel.
This shift towards self-reliance is significant. It forms part of a broader drive to reclaim sovereignty, in which control over military training has become a strategic priority on a par with armaments and intelligence.
At the heart of this system lie three core values: rigour, discipline and leadership. These are qualities that the command intends to instil from the very first hours of training, to produce officers capable of making the right decisions under pressure and leading their men to victory.
In a theatre of operations as unpredictable as that of Burkina Faso, where the enemy strikes swiftly and blends into the population, it is often the quality of the field commander that makes the difference. Ouagadougou has chosen not to leave this factor to chance any longer.
Hadja Kourouma
