Burkina Faso is under a growing terrorist threat since 2015.  To effectively respond to these attacks in the country, the government has turned to digital technologies, which offer a range of tools to counter insecurity.

The National Gendarmerie of Burkina Faso, on Tuesday, May 16, inaugurated its Digital Brigade for Alert and Assistance (BNVAA).

The brigade is accessible via its web platform and a mobile application  “Ma Gendarmerie BF”, available on Playstore and Appstore.  It aims to provide citizens with a direct and accessible communication channel with the national gendarmerie.

According to Lieutenant-Colonel Evrard Somda, Chief of Staff of the National Gendarmerie, the digital brigade "is a practical and quick way for the gendarmes to interact and respond to users’ concerns every hour of the day, monitor social networks to analyze the feelings of people on particular topics or detect subversive messages and comments, publish safety tips and alerts in case of incidents or disasters, and give recommendations to guard against burglary or online scams.” 

The BNVAA is part of the Burkina Faso government's drive to leverage digital technologies to bring government services closer to the population. It was set up to support the national gendarmerie in its fight against growing insecurity.

The brigade will be managed by trained personnel grouped under two teams. The first team will oversee the collection and analysis of digital data and evidence and handle interactions with the population, through a chatbot assisted by a security agent. The second team will take care of the creation of awareness materials and produce intelligence reports on the security situation.  

According to the executive, the objective is to optimize the performance of the gendarmerie by strengthening and consolidating its connection with citizens. The BNVAA also aims to ensure the physical presence of territorial brigades and intervention units, as well as reduce waiting times when citizens request their services.

Samira Njoya