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PRESS/TPRB/231 
30 June 2004 
 
(04-2790) 
TRADE POLICY REVIEW: BURKINA FASO 
Trade liberalization and reforms have improved the economic 
performance but they must continue 
The liberalization of foreign trade, structural re form, and macroeconomic stabilization efforts have 
helped to enhance the economic environment in Burk ina Faso and have led to higher growth in the 
last six years, according to a report on the trade policies and practices of Burkina Faso released on 
June 30 by the WTO Secretariat. 
 Burkina Faso remains among the poorest of the least developed countries (LDCs). The report notes 
that the authorities have prioritized the completion of the ongoing structural reforms to open the 
economy to competition. Burkina Faso has fully implemented the WAEMU’s (West African Economic 
and Monetary Union) Common Ex ternal Tariff since 1 January 2000 and the authorities attach 
great importance to regional economic integration.  
 The work on cotton under the Doha Development Agenda could make a major contribution to the 
efforts of cotton-producing LDCs like Burkina Faso , for which cotton is the leading export and the 
principal cash crop for farmers. Nevertheless, Burk ina Faso will not be able to benefit fully from 
access to markets at both the regional and multilateral level until its economy is able to respond 
competitively to external demand. 
 Burkina Faso is a recipient of trade-related technical assistance (TRTA) from the WTO, which 
focuses on development of human resources, building of institutional capacity, support for the 
implementation of WTO Agreements and for participation in the Doha Development Agenda. Burkina Faso has also received TRTA under the JITAP (Joint Integrated Technical Assistance 
Programme). 
 The WTO report, along with a policy statement by  the Government of Burkina Faso, will be the 
basis for the second Trade Policy Review (TPR) of Burkina Faso by the Trade Policy Review Body of 
the WTO on 28 and 30 June 2004, which will take place at the same time as the review of Mali and Benin. 
 
The following documents are available in MS Wo rd format on the WTO web-site. They can be 
downloaded at http://www.wto.org/ english/tratop_e/tpr_e/tp231.htm PRESS/TPRB/231 
Page 2 of 2 
 
 • Secretariat report 
> Contents and summary observations  
> Economic environment  > Trade and investment regimes  
> Trade policies and practices by measure  
> Trade policies by sector  > Appendix tables  
• Government report  
• Chairperson’s concluding remarks  
• Minutes of the meeting (available appr oximately six weeks after the meeting). 
Note 
Trade Policy Reviews are an exercise, mandated in the WTO agreements, in which member 
countries’ trade and related policies are examined and evaluated at regular intervals. Significant 
developments that may have an impact on the global trading system are also monitored. For each 
review, two documents are prepared: a policy stat ement by the government of the member under 
review, and a detailed report written independently by the WTO Secretariat. These two documents 
are then discussed by the WTO’s full membership in  the Trade Policy Review Body (TPRB). These 
documents and the proceedings of the TPRB’s meetings are published shortly afterwards.  
 
Print copies of the TPR publications are available for sale from the WTO Secretariat, Centre William 
Rappard, 154 rue de Lausanne, 1211 Genève 21 and through the on-line bookshop at https://secure.vtx.ch/shop/boutiques/wto_index_boutique.html  or follow this path :  
www.wto.org >resources > publications > trade policy reviews  
 The TPR publications are also available from our co-publisher Bernan Press , 4611-F Assembly 
Drive, Lanham, MD 20706-4391, United States 
Next reviews: 
Belize/Suriname : 12 and 14 July 2004 
European Union : 21 and 23 July 2004 
Republic of Korea  : 15 and 17 September 2004 
 
For a full list of previous trade policy reviews and the full programme of future reviews go to 
http://www.wto.org/english/trat op_e/tpr_e/tpr_ e.htm#reviews 
or follow this path : www.wto.org > trade topics > trade policy reviews 
 
  
END