Burkina Faso creates ARCOD regulator and adopts stricter migration entry law

Burkina Faso’s legislature approved the creation of the Authority for the Regulation of Communication and Personal Data (ARCOD), merging the former Council of Superior Communication (CSC) and the Commission on Informatics and Liberties (CIL). The organic law defining ARCOD’s name, powers, composition and operation was adopted unanimously by the 71 deputies present, as part of the constitutional reforms aimed at modernising the country’s digital governance and personal‑data protection framework.

In a separate legislative move, a new law on entry, stay and exit from Burkina Faso’s territory was enacted in February 2024. The law tightens border controls, requiring foreign travelers to present valid travel documents, visas where required, health certificates and proof of a return ticket or repatriation guarantee. It also obliges foreigners staying longer than 30 days to register their residence with police, mandates a residence permit after 90 days, and introduces stricter rules for minors leaving the country, including parental authorisation. The reforms are intended to enhance national security, improve migration management and align the country’s legal framework with regional and international standards.