Burkina Faso: A new era for VDPs, as the state consolidates and promotes patriotic engagement
In a security context demanding total commitment, the Burkinabe government has taken a decisive step during its latest Council of Ministers. The adoption of an ordinance introducing special and complementary measures for the Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP) marks much more than a legal adjustment. It constitutes an official and structural recognition of their indispensable role in national defense, while laying the foundations for more effective, better protected, and sustainably valued service.
Confronted with the persistent terrorist threat, the National Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces are on the front lines.
However, for the response to be victorious, it must be collective and rooted in communities.
It is in this spirit that the VDP have emerged as an essential pillar of national resilience.
Their intimate knowledge of the terrain, their deep ties with the population, and their dedication have greatly contributed to strengthening territorial vigilance and the protection of civilians.
The new ordinance does not replace the foundational 2022 law but enriches and adapts it to operational realities, demonstrating attentive listening to needs on the ground.
The introduced innovations are both practical and symbolic. On the organizational level, the creation of a regional framework for recruitment and deployment, facilitated mobility, and more flexible service terms are direct responses to tactical imperatives.
These will enable more flexible and responsive mobilization, ensuring continuity of action where it is most needed.
However, the most significant measure lies in the will to secure and honor the individual behind the volunteer’s uniform.
Legal safeguards in cases of disappearance or captivity, along with provisions for dependents, are acts of justice and deep responsibility toward those who risk their lives.
In parallel, recognizing their service through additional credited service time, quotas in public service exams, and exceptional recruitment opportunities opens concrete prospects for the future of VDP.
The state thus transforms circumstantial service into a valued civic pathway, sending a clear message: sacrifice for the nation is not forgotten; it is honored and supported.
This ordinance is therefore a strategic signal. It consolidates the army-nation bond, professionalizes civic engagement, and provides a framework for lasting recognition.
By further securing, motivating, and structuring the VDP, Burkina Faso significantly strengthens the effectiveness of its overall defense system.
This represents a long-term vision that, while combating the immediacy of the threat, builds the foundations for a citizen mobilization that is confident, proud, and integrated into the national project of restored sovereignty and peace.
