Comoe: The High Commissioner gives a voice to the Fighting Forces in Ouo. As part of efforts to strengthen social cohesion between the Defense and Security Forces (FDS) and the local population, the High Commissioner of Comoe, Mathieu Tingueri, visited Ouo, a rural commune located 125 km from Banfora, the provincial capital, on October 22, 2025. The purpose of this visit was to commend and encourage the FDS who work daily to ensure the security of the area, as well as to engage directly with the local population.

According to Burkina Information Agency, upon his arrival in Ouo, Mathieu Tingueri successively visited the territorial gendarmerie brigade, the headquarters of the red berets, and the departmental Water and Forestry service, before concluding with a meeting of exchanges with the key stakeholders. The top official of the province congratulated and encouraged the fighting forces for the sacrifices made, their sense of patriotism, and their resilience, which contributed to the pacification of the province in general, and of the commune of Ouo in particular.

The High Commissioner also urged the fighting forces not to lower their guard and to remain united in order to consolidate the gains and victories already achieved. After the security forces, a large crowd, jubilant and happy to return to their homeland, welcomed the High Commissioner to the Youth Center. At the request of the provincial authorities, a minute of silence was observed in memory of the combatants and civilians who fell in defense of the nation.

"The very strong mobilization of the population testifies to the return of peace and security to Ouo," declared Mathieu Tingueri. He added, "I express my gratitude to the population, the technical services, and the security forces for their constant efforts in favor of security, peace, and social cohesion. I give special mention to the combat forces."

Addressing his interlocutors, the High Commissioner stated: "I have come to congratulate and encourage you for your patriotism and resilience, but also to get a feel for your daily realities." The population made its voice heard through its representative, Tiemoko Ouattara. He expressed the joy of the people of the Ouo commune, invigorated by the visit of the state representative to the province. He also presented a long list of concerns and grievances.

Among the main concerns are those related to education, including the shortage of teachers in provincial high schools and in the Basic Education District (CEB). In the area of health, Mr. Ouattara mentioned the outdated infrastructure, the lack of medical equipment, and the shortage of healthcare personnel. He also highlighted the need for an additional ambulance, as the only existing one is insufficient given the distance to Banfora. The population also desires the upgrading of the Health and Social Promotion Center (CSPS) to a full medical center.

Regarding access to drinking water, the spokesperson advocated for the rehabilitation and construction of new water infrastructure, including boreholes and simplified drinking water supply systems, as well as the rehabilitation of the Ouo dam. He also requested the creation of water reservoirs in certain localities to provide meaningful employment for young people during the dry season. Furthermore, concerns were raised in the areas of land, road infrastructure, the local economy, and telecommunications networks.

While reassuring his constituents that many of their concerns would be addressed "in the short, medium, and long term," the High Commissioner, accompanied by several provincial directors, promised to forward their grievances to the appropriate authorities. Regarding the road paving project, he confirmed that the project is underway and making significant progress. In this regard, the provincial director of Infrastructure and Rural Development specified that the validation of the environmental impact report has been carried out and that the validation of the report updating the studies is planned for 2025.

The meeting, dominated by messages of social cohesion, living together, and collaboration between the population and the armed forces, was greatly appreciated. "We warmly welcomed this visit and thank the High Commissioner very much for this beneficial initiative, which galvanizes us to work towards meeting the development challenges of our community," said Tiemoko Ouattara.