Ouagadougou: The International Center for Irenagie (CII), dedicated to the prevention and peaceful management of conflicts, officially commenced its operations in Ouagadougou. The launch event was held during a press conference chaired by Dr. Rasmane Daniel Sawadogo, the Chairman of the Board of Directors.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the CII was created in 2024 with the aim of promoting peace, social cohesion, and sustainable development in Burkina Faso and across Africa. As stated by Dr. Roland Badiel, the center’s executive secretary, the CII integrates scientific research, training, mediation, and technical expertise to address the challenges of contemporary society.
The center’s approach, termed “Irenagia” from the Greek word eirene meaning peace, focuses on the art of building peace through dialogue, negotiation, and arbitration. Dr. Rasmane Daniel Sawadogo emphasized that the CII seeks to complement the justice system by enabling parties to resolve disputes peacefully while maintaining their relationships.
CII’s interventions include family mediation, community disputes, economic conflicts, and professional environment disputes. It also offers specialized training in conflict management, business law, the environment, and human rights, aligning with the 2013 Burkinabe law on mediation and the 2018 OHADA uniform act.
Professor Vincent Zakane, former Minister of the Civil Service and consultant to the CII, highlighted the center’s accessibility to all, particularly vulnerable people who lack the means for formal legal action. The CII plans to collaborate with Burkinabe universities to provide diploma courses in diplomacy and peaceful conflict resolution.
The center boasts modern mediation and training facilities available for seminars, workshops, or negotiation sessions. Dr. Rasmane Daniel Sawadogo underscored the importance of knowledge and dialogue in building a sustainable future, reaffirming the CII’s commitment to reconciliation, social ties reconstruction, and crisis prevention.
The CII aims to work in synergy with public authorities, local entities, civil society, and the private sector to establish lasting peace rooted in justice and solidarity.