The Burkina Faso Student Mining Association (Amical des Etudiants Miniers du Burkina Faso or AEM/BF) organised a symposium on Friday 12 May 2023 in Ouagadougou. Focusing on the themes of “security context in Burkina Faso: role and responsibility of mining students” and “internship and employment opportunities in mines and quarries”, the main objective of this symposium is to make students aware of the contribution they can make in the mining sector in a context of insecurity.
More than fifty internship opportunities were lost by students and more than 600 jobs were lost in the research companies; in addition, the state budget lost 13 billion FCFA in revenue. This assessment does not take into account the loss of many investors due to the closure of certain mining sites, according to business analyst Cyril Zongo.
Faced with this alarming situation, he explains how mining students can contribute in this context of insecurity. For him, they can contribute by getting informed. This means “going to the sites of the mining companies to see the different results recorded, to follow the news,” he says. He also adds that students should participate in workshops and conferences, join associations related to the mining sector and visit websites and newspapers specialising in mining. This will enable them to better understand the field and to be the relays for transmitting good information to the general public.
Panelist Cyril Zongo added that mining students can contribute in this context of insecurity by training themselves. “You need to train better because it is often said that periods of crisis prepare new opportunities,” he said. According to him, this period of insecurity should not be a reason for students to give up. On the contrary, it is during this period that they should train well to be more resilient and competent when the crisis ends.
Regarding training, the vice-president of AEM/BF, Razack Zougmoré, explains that this must be done through membership of their association because the latter, in collaboration with the various mining institutions, offers training opportunities to student members. He also explained that in view of the insecurity, the AEM/BF has set up a mining crafts project to enable students to become more involved and formalise this sub-sector. According to the latter, this will allow students to bring their knowledge to this sector and to professionalise it. Thus, these students will be more resilient in the face of the closure of mining sites.
In addition, students can contribute through advocacy. As Cyril Zongo explains: “Students can play the role of spokesperson for the mining companies (…). If the mining companies are affected, it is the students who lose (internship and job opportunities).” This consists of bringing the concerns of students or mining companies to institutions such as the Ministry of Energy Transition, Mines and Quarries, etc. “This will make it possible to have, for example, specialists to train students in fields adapted to the profiles in demand at the time,” the vice-president of the AEM/BF said.
The Burkina Faso Student Mining Association (Amical des Etudiants Miniers du Burkina Faso or AEM/BF) was created on 14 February 2021. The organisation of this symposium is part of the organisation of the national forum of mining students which will be held from 11 to 13 May 2023.
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