Two delegations led respectively by the High Commissioner of the Province, Madeleine Traoré/Bicaba and the Coordinator of the Support Programme Agreement Parks (IPO) Lamoussa Hébié, have visited the works carried out by the IPO in the parks of W and Arly.
Organized by the Provincial Directorate of Environment Tapoa, with the financial blessing of the IPO, the purpose of the visit was to allow all administrative authorities of Tapoa to discover, first, the potential of huge classified areas of the province that are W. Park and Arly and, secondly, to see firsthand the achievements made by the IPO. The opportunity was thus given to the participants to discover the water points, upgraded rural roads, and buildings used for housing and offices of the Water and Forestry agents, construction of dams and boreholes equipped with solar panels—all for a budget of 1,047,958,460 FCFA released during the two phases of the IPO.
In W. Park, the first stage of the visit, three sites have attracted the attention of visitors. Life Basic Kabougou, the ponds of quarries Soanda and Tamale, and boreholes equipped with solar panels that have fought hard against wildlife mortality during the dry season. The tour continued on May 7, 2016, in the Arly Park. Here too, an interview with the Conservatives presented a snapshot of the park and advocated for its preservation. For the High Commissioner Tapoa Madeleine Traoré/Bicaba, the presence of the administrative authorities in both parks demonstrates the commitment of the administration to the activities of the IPO to safeguard wildlife and its habitat. The park of W, for instance, with its 235.000 hectares, has 460 kinds of birds and 62 kinds of mammals. However, these are much threatened by the poaching of elephants, the illegal parking of animals, and the discontinuity of funding to which must be added the lack of water and movable equipment.
The IPO, which opened in 2012, is expected to be completed in September 2016. Madam High Commissioner welcomed the achievements that show the strength of relationships between Burkina Faso and the European Union and especially the consent of local residents who derive much benefit from these achievements. After making a special mention to the coordinator of the IPO Lamoussa Hébié, she vowed to seize all opportunities to ensure the sustainability of the infrastructure and equipment made by the IPO. Guided visits allowed guests to discover the wildlife potential of the two classified areas.