ISEPC CONCLUDES 8TH INTERNATIONAL SESSION WITH A CALL FOR ANTICIPATION AND RESILIENCE

Ouagadougou, September 11, 2026 – After two weeks of proceedings, the Higher Institute of Civil Protection Studies (ISEPC) concluded the 8th session of the International Crisis and Disaster Management Course. The session focused on sharing experiences, fostering cooperation, and building the capacity of personnel required to respond to emergency situations.

This edition brought together participants from 17 African countries: Benin, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Comoros, Congo-Brazzaville, Gabon, Guinea (Conakry), Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Mali, Niger, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Chad, Togo, Tunisia, and Burkina Faso.

Over the course of two weeks, administrative officials, experts, and civil protection professionals addressed key challenges regarding crisis prevention, preparedness, and management. Discussions covered topics such as stakeholder coordination, decision-making, crisis communication, leadership, risk analysis, and the management of crisis units.

In his closing remarks, Lieutenant-Colonel Zouno Gérard Bambara, Director General of ISEPC, called for an evolution in practices, emphasizing the need to "gradually shift from a culture primarily based on reaction to a genuine culture of prevention, anticipation, and resilience."

The Acting Deputy Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Burkina Faso also highlighted the responsibility now resting on the trainees: to put the knowledge gained during the course into practice within their administrations, adapt it to their countries' specific realities, and share it for the benefit of their populations. Speaking on behalf of the participants, the trainees' representative—Comrade Thomas Yampa, Governor of the Yaadga Region—hailed an experience that not only consolidated knowledge but also strengthened team spirit, solidarity, and professional ties among stakeholders from diverse backgrounds.

The 8th session thus concludes with a renewed commitment to anticipation, resilience, and strengthened African cooperation in the face of crises and disasters.

ISEPC: Training to save lives.

DCRPP/ISEPC