Burkina Faso’s Ministry of Digital Transition, Postal and Electronic Communications is advancing its national digital strategy by prioritizing the integration of local languages into artificial intelligence development, in a move aimed at making emerging technologies more inclusive and accessible.
Led by the department of Aminata Zerbo/Sabane and implemented through the Permanent Secretariat of Innovation and the Awakening of Digital Emerging Technologies, the initiative launched a dedicated workshop March 24 in Ouagadougou, bringing together experts from academia, linguistics, journalism and the AI field.
The workshop focuses on developing structured linguistic resources for four national languages — Moore, Dioula, Fulfuldé and Gulmancema. These resources are essential for building AI applications such as speech recognition, machine translation and voice synthesis.
The initiative is being carried out in collaboration with national institutions including the RTB national broadcaster and various research organizations, with the goal of creating technology solutions that reflect Burkina Faso’s linguistic and cultural realities.
The effort forms part of the country’s broader digital transformation agenda and its national development vision through 2030. Key objectives include developing local AI expertise, strengthening digital sovereignty and expanding the use of AI across critical sectors of the economy.
