On Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Ouagadougou, the National Police, National Gendarmerie, and National Fire Brigade hosted the inaugural feedback workshop (RETEX). The session, led by Inspector General of Police Jean-Alexandre Darga, Director General of the National Police, focused on the theme “What synergy of actions in the face of security challenges?”
To improve field operations, the internal security forces paused to exchange experiences. This feedback meeting (RETEX) will be an ongoing initiative. Commander Kouagri Natama, Chief of Staff of the National Gendarmerie, praised the initiative and emphasized the value of sharing experiences in combating insecurity.
“These individual experiences become valuable when combined. They often remain isolated within the unit that acted. In a military context, experiences can be preserved or compartmentalized, and even within the same unit, some experiences may not be shared, which hampers our efforts,” he remarked.
He encouraged the gendarmes to speak openly. “Knowledge that isn’t shared is ineffective. It’s a crucial part of the ongoing battle we are engaged in,” he stated.
Additionally, Commander Daba Naon of the National Fire Brigade (BNSP) endorsed the initiative. He highlighted that the goal of the feedback is to enhance operational practices and better prepare units during operational training sessions.
“The thorough examination of both our successes and challenges in operational commitments will surely enable us to leverage these experiences. The feedback should have two key impacts: corrective and educational,” he emphasized. He expressed hope that the lessons learned would be utilized to decisively turn the fight in their favor.
The inaugural feedback workshop (RETEX) was led by Inspector General of Police Jean-Alexandre Darga, Director General of the National Police.
“The aim is to examine the operational methods used by terrorist groups, analyze both successful and failed experiences of combat units in the field, and draw lessons to implement corrective measures,” he explained.
“We must leverage and share all these experiences to enhance our collective knowledge and achieve better results on the ground,” he added. He also emphasized that this meeting demonstrates the unity of the internal security forces and will be an ongoing initiative.