Ouagadougou: A government delegation led by the Minister of Justice, Edasso Rodrigue Bayala, visited the Mogho Naaba palace in Ouagadougou on Friday to request the support of the traditional leadership in the implementation of the traditional conflict resolution bodies, called "Faso Bukaore".
According to Burkina Information Agency, the delegation also included the Minister of State, Minister of Territorial Administration and Mobility, Emile Zerbo. This visit is part of the awareness-raising and exchange tour undertaken by the government to operationalize the law establishing traditional dispute resolution mechanisms.
The Minister of Justice explained that this approach stems from the political will expressed by the President of Faso during the constitutional revision of December 30, 2023, which enshrined the use of endogenous mechanisms for conflict management. 'We came this morning to His Majesty's palace to take stock of the implementation of the law relating to Bukaore, that is to say the traditional bodies for the settlement of conflicts,' explained Mr. Bayala.
He noted that many conflicts within Burkinab¨ communities are already resolved according to local rules and customs. A study conducted by his department also showed that these mechanisms contribute to the pacification of society and the strengthening of social cohesion.
Adopted on January 14th, the law on Bukaore is closely linked to the law on traditional chieftaincy, with customary chiefs called upon to play a central role in the implementation of this local justice system. The minister clarified that this law does not create new structures but rather aims to recognize and regulate existing practices.
"The law does not create anything new. It starts from the observation of the existing situation in order to give enforceable force to the decisions made at the level of traditional bodies," he indicated. Thus, decisions from these bodies will now have the same legal value as those made by traditional courts, in order to prevent certain disputes already settled at the customary level from being brought again before modern courts.
The tour, which began in Ouagadougou, will cover several regions of the country as part of a pilot phase. It will allow the government to present the implementing regulations of the law to traditional authorities, gather their feedback, and obtain their blessings for the successful implementation of the system.
This initiative is part of the Burkinabe authorities' desire to promote endogenous values and strengthen local mechanisms for social cohesion and peaceful conflict resolution.