Ziniar©: The Strengthening Climate Resilience in Burkina Faso (HYDROMET) project organized a meeting from June 23 to 25, 2025, in Ziniar© to share experiences and analyze the strengths and limitations of flood management in H¨r¨dougou. The aim was to develop more effective responses to future disasters.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the workshop focused on enhancing the operational and technical capacities of national structures involved in flood forecasting and management. This included entities such as the General Directorate of Water Resources (DGRE), the General Directorate of Civil Protection (DGPC), the National Council for Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation (CONASUR), and the National Meteorological Agency (ANAM).
Vincent Ou©draogo, head of hydrological services at the DGRE, highlighted two significant changes resulting from the training. He noted that moving forward, hydrometeorological services would issue warnings instead of alerts in cases of flooding or heavy rain. "It's the civil protection and CONASUR services that issue alerts, as they handle arrangements for managing floods, particularly concerning shelter and food," said Ou©draogo.
The workshop facilitated a better understanding of the DGRE's role in producing hydrological and meteorological analyses, which are then provided to technical services for issuing appropriate alerts. CONASUR representative Youorb¨borr¨ M©laine Somda noted that the meeting improved coordination among the actors, allowing CONASUR to formulate appropriate alerts based on vigilance notices issued by others.
Consultant Dr. Pierre Diello explained that two modules were developed during the workshop. The first involved assessing the management of the H¨r¨dougou case and analyzing existing models for necessary adjustments. The second module entailed a simulation based on a fictitious flood scenario in a critical area, with participants assigned roles to effectively manage the crisis.
The HYDROMET-BF project, implemented in partnership with the World Meteorological Organization, aims to improve hydrometeorological, climate, and early warning services. It focuses on making these services more accessible to vulnerable sectors and communities, with the organization providing support for designing, developing, and implementing a Flood Early Warning System (SAPCI) and enhancing related services.