DBS: Public procurement: simplified measures for security zones

2023-09-18 08:20:06

• Public procurement: simplified measures for safe zones

In areas with significant security challenges, the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (ARCOP) has readjusted itself, through the adoption of simplified procurement procedure measures instead of ordinary ones. These measures relate to the establishment of emergency programs linked to terrorism, the establishment of emergency regime linked to COVID-19 and texts of general scope. These main innovations were the subject of discussions with nearly forty journalists, during a workshop on the theme: “The award and execution of public contracts in a context of vulnerability “. The said workshop took place on September 6, 2023, in Loumbila (Central Plateau region). According to ARCOP, the security context which is severely testing the award and execution processes is manifested on the ground by the inaccessibility of certain areas, the abandonment and/or destruction of works, stoppages of construction sites, the impossibility of carrying out work inspections, of accepting works or of making payments and the reluctance of financing institutions to support companies, given the high risk, etc.

• Abortion: 2 women per 1,000 have already had it

In his 5^e demographic and health survey of Burkina Faso, the National Institute of Statistics and Demography (INSD) reveals the distribution of registered pregnancies. Thus, we note that 92% resulted in a live birth and 8% were unproductive pregnancies. 6% of pregnancies ended in miscarriage, 1% in voluntary termination of pregnancy and 1% in stillbirth.

The INSD thus determined the overall rate of recourse to voluntary termination of pregnancy (IVG) at 2‰. In other words, in Burkina Faso, there are 2 abortions per 1,000 women. This indicator varies from 1‰ in Ouagadougou to 2‰ in the rest of the country. The collection of data from the fifth Burkina Faso demographic and health survey (EDSBF-V) was carried out from July 30 to November 30, 2021. It comes after those carried out in 1993, 1998, 2003 and 2010.

• AIR France: suspension of flights extended until September 18

Air France has just announced a further extension of the suspension of its flights to Ouaga and Bamako. The resumption is planned for September 18, hoping for a good outcome of the discussions with the air navigation agencies of the two countries of Burkina and Mali. Flights to Niamey in Niger are still suspended until further notice, according to the company.

The Malian authorities had canceled Air France’s authorization. The company risked losing its flight slot for not having respected the procedures in this area. The National Civil Aviation Agency had also deplored this unilateral attitude of the French company to suspend its flights to Burkina, which suggested tight negotiations with a return to normal. On August 7, the French company suspended its flights to Bamako (7 flights per week), Ouagadougou (5 flights per week) and Niamey (4 flights per week), after the closure of Niger’s airspace. , scene of a coup d’état on July 26, 2023. Nigerien authorities reauthorized commercial flights last Monday.

• Cashew sector: the recommendations of the Estates General

The first edition of the Estates General on cashew nuts in Burkina Faso ended on September 2, 2023, in Bobo-Dioulasso, after 72 hours of work. These general meetings were held under the theme: “Cashew cashew sector in Burkina Faso: what reforms for inclusive and sustainable development?”

The 500 participants who took part resulted in the adoption of several recommendations, of which here are the main ones.

• Towards the State:

– make inputs and production equipment available on time;

– strengthen synergy of action with research structures in the development of the sector;

– support the national agricultural statistics system for the integration of the cashew tree into the permanent agricultural survey system (EPA), etc.

Towards the actors:

– strengthen the culture of good governance within organizations;

– promote group sales, etc.o