Burkina Faso: And the Burkinabé listen to Raouf Mazou, the Assistant High Commissioner for Operations of the UNHCR

The Assistant High Commissioner for Operations of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Raouf Mazou, held a press briefing on Wednesday, November 22, at the end of his visit, which allowed him to gain insight into the realities facing Burkina Faso in terms of security and humanitarian issues.

During his stay, the High Commissioner met with the country’s authorities, including the Prime Minister, to grasp the situation experienced by Burkinabé people over the past seven years.

“The time is no longer for indifference but for concerted, coordinated, and determined action,” Raouf Mazou suggested, summarizing somewhat what he observed during his journey in the northern part of the country, accompanied by the HCR’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Abdouraouf Gnon-Kondé.

«Today, despite the multitude of crises around the world, the situation in the Sahel and particularly in Burkina Faso requires urgent attention and immediate solidarity action from the international community to alleviate the suffering of populations affected by this unprecedented violence», added Raouf Mazou.

Reflecting on the tragedy of Zaongo, the Assistant High Commissioner offered sincere condolences from the UNHCR and expressed deep gratitude to the government, commending its efforts in combating terrorism, which inherently involves protecting the population.

If the time is no longer for indifference, then it is evidently a time for Burkinabé people to come together to form a united front to neutralize the enemies causing terror among the population. This unity is the only guarantee for reclaiming the territory.

Omar Traoré