Global Voices Online

Ramata Sore

Stories

December 28th, 2007

Burkina Faso Soon a Biofuel Producer

Ramata Sore · 18:46 · Sub-Saharan Africa

lingua → pt · es · jp · zht · zhs

Last month, the Ministry of Agriculture, Hydropower, and Marine Resources and the French company AgroEd signed a framework agreement for developing a biofuels industry in Burkina Faso.

All entire process will take place in Burkina, from the cultivation of plants (cotton, Jatropha, etc.) to the production of fuel.

This idea has been greeted with enthusiasm by more than one person. Biofuel experts believe that, “Africa has a real chance to enter this industry, which is profitable now especially with the price of oil, rising day by day,” [FR] writes journalist Alban Kini.

However, many netizens have expressed skepticism about whether Burkina Faso can become a competitive producer of biofuels, and whether ordinary people, in particular the farmers, will benefit.

(more…)

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October 30th, 2007

Burkina Faso: Blogs Help Burkinabe Skirt Censorship

Ramata Sore · 16:31 · Sub-Saharan Africa

lingua → mg · pt · bn · zhs · zht · es

In Burkina Faso, blogging is more than a pastime. It is the eyes and ears of thousands of net users.

That's why from October 11th to the 17th, during the 20th anniversary of the assassination of Thomas Sankara, Burkina Faso's internet connection was cut in order to prevent those commemorating the assassination from making their voices heard.

In a country where there is still so much secrecy, blogs free minds. In a country where censorship reigns and traditional media live in the shadow of power, bloggers are often the only real journalists. They are the only ones who can publish information offensive to the government. (more…)

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About Ramata Sore

I'm Ramata Soré from West Africa. I'm a Burkinabe journalist, who lives and works in Burkina Faso. In 2001 I got a masters in information and communication sciences and techniques at the University of Ouagadougou where I continued studying and, in 2002, completed a DESS in environmental sciences and specialised in multimedia. This explains my interest in ICTs and the reason I joined Yam Pukri, a Burkina ICT Association, and APC-Women (Association for Progressive Communications). All these organisations strive to help Africans understand the new technologies. I try to convey my interest in ICTs to other journalists by teaching. I have received awards in various subjects related to these technologies, and edit a page on this issue periodically in my journal called L’Événement. I have a personal blog: http://ramses1.blog4ever.com