• Government approves plan to recruit over 100,000 reservists by end-2026

• Reserve will combine former soldiers and newly trained civilians

• Initiative aims to strengthen response to ongoing militant attacks

Burkina Faso’s government has approved a draft law to establish a national military reserve, with plans to recruit more than 100,000 personnel by the end of 2026. The move comes as the country continues to face persistent attacks from armed Islamist groups and shifting regional security dynamics.

Meeting in cabinet on April 24, officials said the proposal outlines a legal framework built around two components. The first will consist of former soldiers who can be deployed immediately. The second will include civilians who will undergo progressive training before joining the reserve.

Defense Minister Célestin Simporé, who also serves as minister of state for national defense and the patriotic war, outlined the goals of the initiative. These include strengthening operational defense capacity, building a pool of readily deployable reservists, reinforcing ties between the nation and its armed and internal security forces, adapting defense systems to current threats, and promoting national sovereignty through the mobilization of domestic resources.

A member of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), Burkina Faso remains under pressure from ongoing militant violence targeting civilian populations. In 2024, the country recorded 111 terrorist attacks, according to the Institute for Economics and Peace.

Amnesty International reported that by early 2026, the conflict had spread across several regions, disrupting economic activity and forcing large numbers of people to flee their homes.

Faced with a persistent threat, the government says the fight against terrorism requires broader national mobilization. Following the creation of the Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP), the new reserve force is presented as a structured and long-term addition to existing security efforts.

Lydie Mobio