Burkina Faso’s Parliament has approved two bills authorizing the government to ratify agreements with Mali and Niger for the creation of a confederal radio station, Daandè Liptako, and a television channel, Tafouk TV.
The agreements were unanimously adopted by the 59 lawmakers present, with the government saying the new media outlets are intended to strengthen the informational sovereignty of the Confederation of Sahel States and support regional security, economic cooperation and integration.
The authorities said the radio and television platforms will also promote the languages, cultures, heritage and shared values of the three member states while providing what they described as credible and responsible information to counter disinformation campaigns.
During parliamentary debates, lawmakers sought clarification on the funding, governance, staffing, and broadcasting languages of the two media outlets.
The Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Communication said those details would be finalized during the implementation phase of the projects.
