FRANCE 24 English published this video item, entitled “Dakar Security Forum: Threat of jihadists high on agenda • FRANCE 24 English” – below is their description.
Groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State have expanded their reach in the central #Sahel since 2017, staging regular attacks that have killed thousands of people and displaced millions across #Mali, #Niger and Burkina Faso. FRANCE 24’s Senior Reporter Cyril Payen tells us more.
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FRANCE 24 English YouTube Channel
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In This Story: Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa that covers an area of around 274,200 square kilometres (105,900 sq mi) and is bordered by Mali, Niger, Benin, Togo, Ghana, and Ivory Coast.
The July 2019 population estimate by the United Nations was 20,321,378. Previously called Republic of Upper Volta (1958–1984), it was renamed “Burkina Faso” on 4 August 1984 by President Thomas Sankara. Its citizens are known as Burkinabé, and its capital is Ouagadougou.
Due to French colonialism, the country’s official language of government and business is French, but this language is spoken by approximately only 10-15% of the population. There are 59 native languages spoken in Burkina, with the most common language, Moore, spoken by roughly 50% of Burkinabé.
The Republic of Upper Volta was established on 11 December 1958 as a self-governing colony within the French Community and on 5 August 1960 it gained full independence.