Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Overview:

A poor country even by West African standards, landlocked Burkina Faso has suffered from recurring droughts and military coups.  Burkina Faso, which means "land of honest men", has significant reserves of gold, but the country has faced domestic and external concern over the state of its economy and human rights.  A former French colony, it gained independence as Upper Volta in 1960.  In 1983 Captain Thomas Sankara seized power and adopted radical left-wing policies but was ousted by Blaise Compaore, who went on to rule for 27 years before being ousted in a popular uprising in 2014.  Marc Kabore, who served as prime minister and speaker of parliament under veteran President Blaise Compaore, won presidential elections in 2015 and 2020, easily beating his main rival.  A French-educated banker, Mr Kabore saw himself as a social democrat, and pledged to reduce youth unemployment, and improve education and healthcare.  

Source:  BBC Country Profile

American Embassy Ouagadougou:

I ended up being the only management inspector on this inspection and had my first experience inspecting facilities and general services.  In fact, construction of the new embassy compound was near completion and there was a lot of planning going on for relocation.  The embassy was in the capable hands of Ambassador Jeanine Jackson who was a management cone officer who had also served as DCM in Afghanistan and Management Counselor in Baghdad.  She went on to Malawi as Ambassador after Ouagadougou.  She was also a U.S. Army reserve colonel.  Her husband Mark was a retired Foreign Service management officer.  I learned afterward that Ambassador Jackson had written to the OIG, Harry Geisel, complementing the team on its professionalism and support.  Our team leader Ambassador Mike Senko supported the embassy's request for a co-location waiver for the USIS American Center.  The GSO was Barnaby Walsh who later became the Management Division Manager for OIG/ISP and my boss.  Barnaby converted from Foreign Service to Civil Service and was working in Consular Affairs getting the GS-15 job with OIG in 2016.  Again, the Foreign Service is such a small world.     

The New Embassy Compound in Ouagadougou is the 69th facility constructed by the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations since the 1999 enactment of the Secure Embassy Construction and Counterterrorism Act. It was my third experience being able to do a walk-through of a newly constructed embassy and was very impressed.  In the last 11 years, OBO had completed 72 new diplomatic facilities and has moved more than 21,000 people into safe, secure and functional facilities. The multi-building complex occupies a 12-acre site and provides approximately 300 embassy U.S. direct hire and locally employed staff with over 9,200 net square meters of working space. The construction contract was awarded to B.L. Harbert International, LLC on September 25, 2007 and a ground breaking ceremony was held on April 1, 2008. The facility was completed on September 25, 2009  ahead of schedule and under budget.

On a personal note I got word that my Mom passed away on November 13.  My work was almost done and I left immediately catching a flight through Paris to San Francisco.  I remember working at the Charles de Gaulle airport finishing up my recommendations for the inspection report.  I do regret not being in the U.S. at the time and not being able to arrange for a proper burial.     

Findings:           

• Besides the colocation waiver and the need to plan for the move to the new embassy compound there was an issue with the embassy leasing the site for the American Association Recreation Center property including gym equipment with USG funds without OBO approval.  The property which included a pool, gym, tennis court and snack bar and was used by more than just embassy personnel.  With relocating to the new embassy compound the embassy needed to terminate its lease and resolve the status of the embassy-owned property gym equipment.

• Recommendations in the area of Human Resources included filling the vacant Public Affairs Officer position.  An increase in local employee staff salaries should be authorized in accordance with the decree of the Government of Burkina Faso.  Requiring supervisors to complete the several overdue performance evaluations for embassy Local Employee staff members.  The L E staff handbook, dated 2005 and the post recruitment and hiring policy needs to be updated.

• In terms of General Services, the embassy should institute use of the purchase card in the general services section for small purchases at its earliest convenience.   Also, institute a contract for an E-Travel Service.  The procurement office should use blanket purchase agreements for recurring purchases such as packing and freight forwarding services.  A sprinkler system should be installed in its warehouse and increase the number and improve the location of fire extinguishers in the warehouse.  Motor Pool vehicle mileage usage should be recorded in the WebPASS system motor pool module.

• In the area of Financial Management travel advances over thirty days should be cleared.   Bank account information should be obtained from vendors to facilitate more electronic payments.  Vouchers for payments of telephone charges should include a certification that long-distance calls are necessary and in the interests of the U.S. Government as required by regulations.  Authorized "occasional money holders" should be designated in writing to receive interim cash advances.

Highlights:

This was an election year in the U.S. and most of the team was able to attend an election night event at the USIS cultural center that night with local Burkinabe's.  I ended staying up all night to see the results of Barack Obama's victory. 

Monument of National Heroes

Busy street traffic

   

Ouagadougou Mosque