Burkina Faso Honors 140 Justice Officials for Excellence and Public Service

Ouagadougou, December 17, 2025 - The Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, responsible for relations with institutions, presented honorary awards today to 140 officials across all categories within the justice sector.

The ceremony was presided over by Minister of Justice Edasso Rodrigue Bayala and attended by the President of the Constitutional Council, government members, senior judicial and administrative officials, former ministers of justice and human rights, and numerous colleagues and friends of the awardees.

Minister Bayala paid tribute to the Defense and Security Forces (FDS) and Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP) who fell in the line of duty in 2025, stating, “These medals are not mere decorations; they bear witness to the recognition of an entire nation for the integrity and excellence of public service.”

The honorary awards were distributed as follows:

Order of the Horse: 12 recipients (10 Knights and 2 Officers)

Order of Merit of Burkina Faso: 58 Knights

Medals of Honor for Prison Security: 35, including one posthumous award and one awarded to a legal entity

Minister Bayala also highlighted the Ministry’s achievements, particularly the FASO MEEBO initiative, which mobilized over 22.6 million CFA francs from judicial stakeholders and legal professionals, reflecting their commitment beyond the courts toward national development.

Closing the ceremony, Minister Bayala emphasized that these awards mark the beginning of a renewed drive to modernize Burkina Faso’s judicial system and ensure fair and effective access to justice for all citizens.