• Burkina Faso minister meets Russian diplomacy official in Bobo-Dioulasso

• Talks focus on cybersecurity, AI training for youth

• Programmes aim to build local skills, reduce foreign reliance

Burkina Faso’s minister of digital transition, Aminata Zerbo/Sabane, met on Thursday with Natalia Krasovskaia, executive director of Russia’s Centre for Public Diplomacy, in Bobo-Dioulasso.
 The meeting, held during the 22nd National Culture Week, aimed to explore training projects in areas including cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.

They discussed plans to create training programmes for Burkinabe youth. According to the ministry, an initial programme is already under way in Ouagadougou, where courses are being taught at a regional high school in partnership with a university in Novosibirsk. The aim is to train work-ready professionals as demand for digital skills grows with the digitisation of services and businesses.

Other areas of cooperation are being considered, including with a private polytechnic institute, to strengthen management training. The government aims to build local expertise to support the country’s digital transformation and reduce reliance on foreign skills.

The move is part of Burkina Faso’s broader strategy to diversify partnerships, with increasing focus on technology sectors. Authorities aim to lay the groundwork for a self-sustaining digital ecosystem better aligned with market needs.

The initiative comes amid shortages of qualified workers in Africa’s technology sector. According to the Brookings Institution’s Foresight Africa 2025-2030 report, nearly 230 million jobs in sub-Saharan Africa will require digital skills by 2030. The report also projects up to 650 million training opportunities, representing a market worth about $130 billion.

Samira Njoya