• Platform links local, diaspora talent with manufacturing support
• Aims to boost industrial self-reliance, reduce import dependence

Burkinabe President Ibrahim Traoré announced Friday, October 17, the launch of "Faso Andubè," a new digital platform dedicated to promoting Burkinabe talent in the scientific, technical, and technological fields. The initiative aims to enable inventors and innovators, both within Burkina Faso and in the diaspora, to present their projects and access support for the local manufacturing of "Made in Burkina" machinery.

"We are going to launch a digital platform that must allow anyone with talents, scientific, technical, technological diplomas, to register, and we will guide them toward an incubator that is currently under construction to enable Burkina to manufacture its own machines," the Head of State stated.

Faso Andubè will showcase national expertise and innovation. It will enable Burkinabe nationals to register and promote their skills within a structured framework. Users will benefit from personalized project monitoring, connect with other talented individuals, and participate in concrete industrial and technological initiatives.

The move is part of President Traoré’s effort to value local expertise and mobilize skills to enhance national sovereignty. It comes as the country seeks to consolidate its industrial base and reduce its reliance on imports. World Bank data shows that the industry’s value added accounted for 29.6% of GDP in 2024, while the manufacturing sector represented only 9.9%.

The implementation of Faso Andubè is expected to act as a catalyst for the Burkinabe technological innovation ecosystem. By providing a digital space for visibility and interconnection, the platform seeks to identify, support, and unify talent from scientific and technical backgrounds, whether at home or abroad. This could stimulate the creation of locally designed prototypes, smart agricultural tools, and industrial equipment.

Through this mechanism, the government intends to lay the foundations for a genuine innovation economy, capable of strengthening Burkina Faso's technological sovereignty while fostering the creation of skilled jobs and upskilling young engineers and technicians.

Samira Njoya