Switzerland has granted financing of one million Swiss francs (FCFA 600 million) to TV Broadcasting of Burkina Faso (RTB). After the declaration of intent signed on 15 June 2015, the actual agreement has been initialled on 20 August by the Burkinabe Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Director of Cooperation of the Swiss Bureau of Cooperation in Burkina Faso.

The funding of one million Swiss francs will be implemented over an 18-month period, until 31 December 2016. The objective is to allow RTB to deliver information tailored to the needs of the public. This will be achieved by capacity building of the public office, with equipment and Human Resources training. Evidently the presidential and legislative elections to be held this year are a focal point. It will be necessary to support full coverage of these elections by RTB. More generally, the Office will concentrate on electoral activities, in the country, as well as the production and broadcast of social issues.

The support programme goes beyond the scope of RTB, and will extend to the media sector in Burkina Faso. A seminar is planned not only to elaborate a common vision in the sector, but equally to define the future role and position of RTB in order to develop its status of State media towards that of a media of public service.