National Burkina Faso training

The ISS and the Interpol Bureau for West Africa ran a counter-terrorism training course to enhance the capacity of the government of Burkina Faso.

Date: 2014-05-05 to 2014-05-16

Time: 09:36 to 09:36

Venue: Ecole Nationale de Police, Ouagadougou

Burkina Faso has not been confronted with a major terrorist attack to date. However, it is situated in a sub-region in which terrorist and Islamist groups have drastically intensified their activities. With groups such as Boko Haram, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Ansar-Dine, the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO) and Ansaru operating in West Africa, the threat of terrorism to Burkina Faso is a reality. Porous borders across the sub-region ease the passage of terrorists and their operations across state lines and mean that no country in West Africa is free from the menace of terrorism. In the light of these concerns, Burkina Faso has sought to increase its capacity to respond to potential threats.

Aims of the training course

In May 2014, the ISS and the Interpol Bureau for West Africa ran a two-week counter-terrorism training course in Ouagadougou. The course aimed to enhance the capacity of the government of Burkina Faso by developing expertise to respond effectively to the threat of terrorism. The course was targeted at improving awareness on generic counter-terrorism issues, and responding to terror incidents. It also intended to strengthen the technical skills of law enforcement agencies. The course also promoted awareness about the practical implementation of the ECOWAS Political Declaration and Common Position Against Terrorism, and the ECOWAS Counter-Terrorism Strategy and Implementation Plan, adopted at the ECOWAS summit held in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, in February 2013. Inter-agency relations necessary for cooperation in counter-terrorism efforts were also strengthened.

Participants

36 mid-to-senior level law enforcement officials from the police, gendarmerie, immigration, intelligence, prosecution, judiciary and customs departments participated in the training course.

Contents and outcomes

The curriculum was based on the ECOWAS Counter-Terrorism Training Manual, which was developed in close collaboration with the ISS. The training manual comprises eight main modules, namely:

1. A general introduction and overview of terrorism
2. Legal aspects of counter-terrorism
3. Intelligence and counter-intelligence
4. Border control and surveillance
5. Operational response
6. Explosives and weapons of mass destruction
7. Investigation of terrorist incidents
8. The role of the media

As part of the training, participants were given the tools to:

• Understand general terrorism trends at national, regional, continental and international levels.
• Comprehend the legal obligations of their country according to national, regional, continental and international legal instruments, and ensure their effective application.
• Strengthen the international cooperation needed for preventing and countering terrorism.
• Carry out effective border control, particularly with regard to cross-border cooperation and the identification and management of terrorist threats.
• Understand the various options and strategies available to deal with different terrorism situations, including bombs and explosives.
• Appreciate the value of intelligence in counter-terrorism

Participants that completed the course were awarded certificates of participation. Post-training assessments showed that officials found the training useful and were willing to use the skills acquired in their future work. A key immediate outcome is that participants acquired inter-institutional networks vital for investigating crimes such as terrorism. Participants also obtained practical exposure to the security planning involved in preparing for major events.

Speakers:

• Willem Els, Senior Research and Training Coordinator, ISS Pretoria
• Chefou Abdou, Head of Investigation Unit, National Coordinating Agency for the Fight Against Terrorism, Niamey, Niger
• Yves Kouassi Abadinan, expert on Counter-Terrorism, Interpol Regional Bureau for West Africa
• Benoit Konan, customs expert, Intergovernmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa