ANNEX 2 
BURKINA FASO  Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
 Page 171 
 
 
  CONTENTS 
 
  Page 
I. ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT 175 
(1) M AIN FEATURES  175 
(2) R ECENT ECONOMIC TRENDS  177 
(3) T RENDS IN TRADE AND INVESTMENT  179 
(i) Trade in goods and services 179 
(ii) Foreign direct investment 179 
(4) O UTLOOK  180 
II. TRADE AND INVESTMENT REGIMES 183 
(1) E XECUTIVE , LEGISLATURE AND JUDICIARY  183 
(2) T RADE POLICY FRAMEWORK  185 
(i) Institutional framework 185 
(ii) Broad outlines of trade policy 186 
(3) C ONSULTATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR  186 
(4) I NVESTMENT REGIME  187 
(i) The new legislative framework for investment 188 
(ii) Institutional framework 190 
III. TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY MEASURE 192 
(1) I NTRODUCTION  192 
(2) M EASURES DIRECTLY AFFECTING IMPORTS  192 
(i) Registration 192 
(ii) Customs procedures 193 (iii) Preshipment inspection and customs valuation 195 
(iv) Rules of origin 197 
(v) Customs levies 198 (vi) Duty and tax concessions 201 
(vii) Prohibitions, quantitative restrictions and licensing 201 
(viii) Standards, technical regulatio ns and accreditation procedures 202 
(ix) Sanitary and phytosanitary measures 203 
(x) Packaging, marking and labelling requirements 206 
(xi) Contingency measures 207 (xii) Other measures 207 
(3) M
EASURES DIRECTLY AFFECTING EXPORTS  207 
(i) Registration and customs procedures 207 (ii) Goods in transit 208 
(iii) Export prohibitions and controls 208 
(iv) Export subsidies and promotion 209 
(4) M
EASURES AFFECTING PRODUCTION AND TRADE  209 
(i) Incentives 209 (ii) Competition and price control regime 209 
(iii) State trading, State-owned enterprises and privatization 210 
(iv) Government procurement 211 WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
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    Page 
 
(v) Protection of intellectual property rights 213 
IV. TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY SECTOR 215 
(1) I NTRODUCTION  215 
(2) A GRICULTURE , LIVESTOCK , FORESTRY AND FISHERY PRODUCTION  215 
(i) Overview 215 (ii) Agricultural policy 218 
(iii) Principal trade measures 219 
(iv) Policies in various subsectors 219 
(3) M
INING , ENERGY AND WATER  225 
(i) Petroleum products 225 
(ii) Other mining products 226 (iii) Electricity 229 
(iv) Water 231 
(4) M
ANUFACTURING  232 
(5) S ERVICES  234 
(i) Telecommunications and postal services 234 
(ii) Postal services 236 
(iii) Transport 236 
(iv) Tourism 238 (v) Financial services 241 
(vi) Professional and business services 243 
V. AID FOR TRADE 244 
(1) I
NTRODUCTION  244 
(2) I NTEGRATION OF TRADE INTO THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY  244 
(i) Integrated Framework 244 (ii) National development strategy 245 
(iii) Supply-side constraints 246 
(iv) Needs in terms of Aid for Trade an d trade-related techni cal assistance 246 
(3) A
ID-FOR-TRADE ASSISTANCE TO BURKINA FASO 249 
(i) Overview of development aid flows in the economy 249 
(ii) Overview of Aid for Trade 249 (iii) Trade-related technical assistance 250 
(4) M
ATCHING NEEDS AND ASSISTANCE  251 
(i) National coordination mechanisms 251 (ii) Monitoring and evaluation 252 
(5) O
UTLOOK FOR AID FOR TRADE  252 
 
REFERENCES 253 
 APPENDIX TABLES 255 Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
 Page 173 
 
 
  CHARTS 
 
  Page 
 I. ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT 
 
I.1 Structure of merchandise trade, 2003-2006 181 I.2 Destination of merchandise trade, 2003-2007 182 
 
IV. TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY SECTOR  
IV.1 Tourists in Burkina Faso, 2003-2006 240 
 
TABLES 
 
I. ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT  
I.1 Basic economic indicators, 2003-2009 176 
I.2 Balance of payments, 2003-2008 178 
 
II. TRADE AND INVESTMENT REGIMES  
II.1 Balance of payments, 2003-2008 184 
 III. TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY MEASURE 
 
III.1 Authorizations to exercise the profession of trader, 2005-2009 193 III.2 Inspections at destination, 2008-2009 196 
III.3 Reference values, 2008 196 
III.4 Taxes on trade and international transactions, 2004-2009 198 III.5 Absolute prohibitions, 2009 201 
III.6 SPS regulatory  framework 203 
III.7 Products subject to SPS controls before being placed on the market 205 
III.8 Marking and labelling requirements 206 
III.9 Status of the privatization programme, 2002-2009 210 
III.10 Public contracts by award procedure, 2007-2009 212 III.11 Applications receive d by the DNPI and transmitted to the OAPI, 2005-2009 213 
 
IV. TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY SECTOR 
 
IV.1 Crop production, 2000/2001 to 2009/2010 216 IV.2 Imports of agrifood products, 2000 and 2007 216 
IV.3 Exports of agricultural products, 2000 and 2007 217 
IV.4 Cotton production, 1999-2009 220 IV.5 Activity indicators for SONABEL, 2005-2008 229 
IV.6 Current large scale investment in electrical infrastructure, 2010 230 
IV.7 Activity indicators for Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso airports, 2004-2009 236 IV.8 Recent legislation concerni ng tourism in Burkina Faso 240 
IV.9 Sectoral distribution of loans, 2005-2008 242 
IV.10 Main insurers, 2009 243 WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
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    Page 
 
V. AID FOR TRADE 
 V.1 Aid for Trade priorities, 2010 246 
V.2 Aid for Trade flows:  CRS auxiliary data 249 
V.3 Review of the activities of the principal donors in terms of Aid for Trade 250 
 
APPENDIX TABLES 
 
I. ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT 
 
AI.1 Structure of imports, 2001-2006 257 AI.2 Structure of exports, 2001-2006 258 
AI.3 Origin of imports, 2003-2007 259 
AI.4 Destination of exports, 2003-2007 260
 
 
 
 Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
 Page 175 
 
 
  I. ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT 
(1) MAIN FEATURES  
1. The economy of Burkina Faso continues to be largely based on agriculture (crop and 
livestock farming) and, overall, performance remain s heavily dependent on weather factors and the 
world price of cotton, still the main cash crop.  However, mining and quarryi ng have recently entered 
a phase of vigorous expansion (Table I.1).  At the same time, the systemic risks linked with the excessive exposure of the financial sector to the cotton market are by no means negligible.
1  T h e  
vulnerability of Burkina Faso's economy to exte rnal shocks is further exacerbated by its 
overdependence on hydrocarbons as its principal source of energy.  In fact, domestic electricity is 
mostly (80.5 per cent) thermally generated.  Mo reover, Burkina Faso remains a net importer of 
electricity from the neighbouring countries.2 
2. In 2009, the population of Burkina Faso was estim ated at nearly 15.4 million, of whom more 
than 75 per cent were living in rural areas.  Mi gration to urban centres (the capital Ouagadougou and 
Bobo-Dioulasso) continued during the period 2003- 2008, but without accelerating to any significant 
degree.  Crop and livestock farming and related ac tivities, which accounted for nearly 29 per cent of 
GDP in 2009, remain the principal source of employm ent and continue to have a multiplier effect on 
all of Burkina Faso's economic activity.  Business services made moderate but sustained progress in terms of their contribution to GDP (Table I.1), wh ereas the shares of manufacturing and construction 
declined during the period under review.  The da ta concerning the sectoral breakdown of GDP are 
only estimates because of the importance of the informal sector. 
3. The development of economic activity is still being impeded by the difficulties encountered 
by the financial sector in mobilizing long-term r esources, the donors remaining the principal source of 
this type of financing.  Since the last review of  Burkina Faso's trade policy, gross domestic savings 
have steadily declined, thereby accentuating the de pendence on current transfers from abroad.  As a 
"least developed country" (LDC), Burkina Faso has received external support in the form of debt 
cancellations, including under the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative, which have freed up substantial 
internal resources for financing public works and social programmes.  According to BCEAO data, 
total cancellations amounted to CFAF 832 billion in 2006
3;  thus, outstanding external debt as a ratio 
of GDP fell from 40.9 per cent in 2005 to 19.4 per cent in 2006. 
4. Despite an ambitious social programme, Burk ina Faso has made only modest progress in 
fighting poverty, and social services coverage is still  limited.  The National Institute of Statistics and 
Demography estimates that the poverty rate was 46.4 per cent in 2003;  more recent data are not 
available.  Although they have risen since 2003, th e literacy rates for children and adults remain at 
relatively low levels, the figures for 2007 being 39. 3 per cent and 28.7 per cent, respectively.  The 
HIV/AIDS prevalence rate fell from 1.9 per cent in 2003 to 1.6 per cent in 2007.4 
                                                      
1 African Economic Outlook, online information, "Burkina Faso, Macroeconomic Policy".  Viewed at:  
http://www.africaneconomicoutlook.org/en/ countries/west-africa/burkina-faso/. 
2 BCEAO (2007). 
3 Idem . 
4 World Bank Group, online information.  View ed at:  http://ddp-ext.worldbank.org/ext/DDPQQ/ 
member.do?method=getMemb ers&userid=1&queryId=6. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
Page 176 
 
 
  Table I.1 
Basic economic indicators, 2003-2009 
 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008a 2009b
M i s c e l l a n e o u s         
Population (million) 12.6 13. 0 13.3 14.0 14. 5 14.9 15.4 
 In rural areas (% of total population) 81.8 81.1 80.4 77.3 76.4 76.3 75.7 
Total public debt (% of GDP) 44.3 44.0 44.4 23.3 22.2 23.6 26.2 
Total external debt (% of GDP) 38.1 38.7 40.9 19.4 18.3 20.1 21.8 
Debt servicing (% of exports of goods and services) 29.4 13.3 12.7 10.6 6.4 5.4 4.3 
Gross official reserves (in im port months, goods and services, 
factor income excluded) 5.6 5.8 4.0 4.2 6.8 5.8 .. 
Real GDP (US$ million, at 1999 pri ces) 3,681 3,846 4,179 4,410 4,567 4,804 4,958 
GDP at market prices (US$ milli on) 4,206 4,839 5,463 6,069 6,785 8,239 8,328 
Sectoral distribution of GDP Percentage of GDP 
Agriculture, livestock, forestry, fishing and hunting 31.2 28.8 29.2 30.3 29.5 30.4 28.5 
 Agriculture 17.9 15.2 16.0 15.2 12.4 13.6 11.9 
 Food crops 13.9 11.7 11.7 12.0 10.8 11.7 10.1 
 Cash crops 3.9 3.6 4.2 3.2 1.6 2.0 1.8 
 Livestock 10.2 10.5 10.3 12.3 14.1 13.9 13.7 
 Forestry, fishing and hunting 3.1 3.0 2.9 2.9 3.0 2.9 3.0 
Mining and quarrying 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.7 1.0 2.3 4.3 
Manufacturing 13.2 12.8 12.1 12.8 12.0 10.9 10.7 
Energy 1.6 1.6 1.5 1.5 1.7 1.8 1.7 
Construction 5.8 5.6 5.4 4.5 4.6 4.1 4.0 
Services 40.7 42.7 42.4 42.1 42.5 41.5 41.2 
 Tradable services 21.0 22.7 22.8 23.7 24.2 24.2 24.3 
 Transport 1.8 1.3 0.8 0.9 0.7 0.7 0.7 
 Postal and telecommunications serv ices 2.1 3.3 3.6 3.5 4.7 4.8 5.0 
 Commerce 9.6 10.2 10.5 10.3 9.7 10.0 9.8 
 Financial services 1.8 1.7 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.4 2.5 
 Other tradable services 5.8 6.1 5.7 6.7 6.7 6.3 6.3 
 Non-tradable services 20.8 21.1 21.0 20.0 20.0 19.0 18.7 
 Government and NPI 9.0 10.2 10.3 7.5 6.6 6.5 7.8 
 Other non-tradable services 11.8 10.9 10.6 12.5 13.4 12.5 10.8 
 Financial intermediation services indirectly measured (FISIM) -1.1 -1.1 -1.4 -1.6 -1.7 -1.7 -1.8 
Taxes 7.0 7.9 8.9 8.1 8.7 9.0 9.5 
National accounts at current market prices Percentage of GDP 
Final consumption 92.0 92.8 92.0 92.2 96.1 90.9 92.3 
 Private 72.1 72.0 72.2 70.8 74.0 71.3 73.6 
 Public 19.9 20.8 19.8 21.4 22.1 19.6 18.7 
Gross fixed capital formation 18.2 19.4 19.7 21.5 24.1 23.0 22.5 
 Public 8.4 9.4 9.2 6.4 5.7 5.2 6.1 
 Private 9.8 10.0 10.5 15.1 18.4 17.8 16.4 
Variation in inventory 3.1 2.2 4.4 -0.4 -6.1 2.8 -1.7 
Exports of goods and services 8.7 11.3 9.7 11.0 10.5 9.1 10.9 
Imports of goods and services 22.0 25.8 25.8 24.2 24.7 25.7 24.0 
Gross national savings 12.5 10.7 14.7 4.9 1.9 6.4 5.3 
Gross domestic savings 16.9 14.3 18.6 .. 5.3 2.1 2.8 
Prices and interest rates   
Inflation (CPI, % change) 2.0 -0.4 6.4 2.4 -0.3 10.7 2.8 
Discount rate (end of period, annual pe rcentage) 4.5 4.0 4.0 4.3 4.3 4.8 .. 
Interest rate (12 months) 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
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   2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008a 2009b
Exchange rates   
CFAF/US dollar (annual average) 581.2 528.3 527.5 522.9 479.3 447.8 472.2 
Real effective exchange rate (end of period, % variation)c .. -0.5 2.9 0.2 -0.6 7.0 .. 
Public finances Percentage of GDP 
Revenue and grants 17.8 18.1 17.3 17.7 20.0 17.1 19.5 
 Current revenue 12.4 13.5 12.7 12.4 13.5 13.1 13.7 
 Tax revenue 11.1 12.5 11.7 11.4 12.5 12.1 12.6 
Total expenditure and net lendi ng 20.8 22.6 22.3 23.3 25.7 21.5 23.1 
 Total current expenditure 10.5 11.1 11.5 12.2 13.8 12.3 12.4 
 Capital expenditure 9.4 11.7 11.2 11.5 11.8 8.8 10.9 
 Net loans 1.0 -0.2 -0.5 -0.5 0.0 0.3 -0.1 
Overall fiscal balance (grants excluded) -8.5 -9.1 -9.6 -10.9 -12.1 -8.3 -9.4 
Overall fiscal balance (grants included) -3.0 -4.5 -5.0 -5.6 -5.7 -4.4 -3.7 
Balance, cash basis -3.6 -4.3 -4.1 -4.4 -5.2 -3.8 -2.5 
Financing 3.6 4.3 4.1 4.4 5.2 3.8 2.5 
 Domestic financing 0.2 -0.3 -0.6 -22.0 2.4 1.1 -0.3 
 External financing 3.4 4.6 4.7 26.4 2.9 2.8 2.8 
.. Not available. 
a Estimates. 
b Projections. 
c A minus sign (-) indicates depreciation. 
Source : Burkina Faso, Ministry of the Economy and Finance, National Institute of Statistics and Demography, national 
accounts, 1999 to 2005:  final accounts, 2009.  Viewed at:  http://www.insd.bf/;  Burkin a Faso, National Statistics 
Council.  Viewed at:  ht tp://www.cns.bf/;  WAEMU, Rapport de surveillance multilatérale , December 2009;  
BCEAO, Annual Report 2008.  Viewed at:  http://www.bceao. int;  and IMF, Country Reports, various editions.  
Viewed at:  http://www.imf.org. 
(2) RECENT ECONOMIC TRENDS  
5. Burkina Faso's economy has proved resistant to the external shocks which marked the period 
under review (soaring prices of oil and staple food pro ducts, global financial crisis, appreciation of the 
CFA franc as a result of its being pegged to the eu ro).  Real GDP managed to maintain, with some 
fluctuations, positive growth rates, while fiscal reve nue remained stable at 12 per cent of GDP (joint 
report, Table I.1), despite various tax concessions  designed to soften the impact of external 
turbulence.  However, the average fiscal burden s till falls short of the target set within WAEMU, 
namely, 17 per cent (at least). 
6. As regards the share of uses of GDP (Table I.1), the moderate trend in end consumption 
contrasts with that of investment.  The share of household consumption has fluctuated within a 
relatively narrow band, whereas that of public c onsumption has fallen back slightly since 2008, 
reflecting the government's efforts to control curre nt expenditure.  Total investment (public and 
private) rose from 18.2 per cent of GDP in 2003 to about 23 per cent in 2009.  The private component 
of Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF) was acc ounted for by investment in mining and quarrying, 
mobile telephony and financial services.  Despite a certain retreat from the levels recorded in 
2004-2005, public GFCF should maintain its dynami sm thanks to the continuation of large-scale 
construction and basic infrastructure improvement projects. 
7. Inflation has been generally moderate with  only two isolated surges in 2005 and 2008, 
associated mainly with poor harvest s and peaks in the price of oil.  Almost zero (-0.3 per cent) in 
2007, inflation reached 10.7 per cent in 2008, desp ite exceptional countermeasures, such as fiscal WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
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  concessions, the sale of cereals at subsidized prices and the freezing of hydrocarbons prices at their 
January 2008 level.  In fact, the Government su spended the collection of customs duties and VAT on 
certain mass market products, im ported and/or domestically produced, for a period of six months.5  
The loss of revenue occasioned by these exemptions is estimated at about CFAF 5.3 billion (0.14 per 
cent of GDP).6  Judged to be ineffective, these fiscal measures were replaced by measures to support 
agricultural production, including subsidies for the purchase of fertilizer and seed.  In marketing years 
2008/2009 and 2009/2010, the total cost of these subs idies amounted to CFAF 8.3 and 12.1 billion 
(0.22 per cent and 0.31 per cent of GDP), respectively.  Starting from the second half of 2009, the substantial increase in the supply of food products a nd the fall in the price of oil led to a reduction in 
the inflationary pressures on the domestic market.  Thus, Burkina Faso recorded an annual inflation 
rate of 2.8 per cent, which meets the WAEMU criteria. 
8. Burkina Faso posted only budget deficits (grants included) during the period 2003-2009.  The 
deficit steadily increased to reach 5.7 per cen t of GDP in 2007 before falling back in 2008.  
Development aid financed 48.2 per cent of public investment between 2003 and 2009, or 43.2 per cent 
of the State's total current expenditure.  Burkina F aso has kept the ratio of total public debt to GDP 
well below the WAEMU threshold of 70 per cent (joint report, Table I.1);  despite a considerable 
reduction due to cancellations, external debt accounted  for more than 80 per cent of total debt.  The 
ratio of external debt servicing to exports of goods and services maintained its downward trend, 
falling from 29.4 per cent to 4.3 per cent during the period 2003-2009. 
9. The current account deficit rose to 11.7 per cent of  GDP in 2005 before falling back to 9.4 per 
cent in 2008 (Table I.2).  This trend reflects the worsening of the trade deficit (goods and services), 
which was not wholly offset by current transfers, despite the increase in gold exports.  Total imports 
doubled in value between 2003 and 2008 in the f ace of a sustained demand for capital goods and the 
rise in world oil and food prices. 
Table I.2  
Balance of payments, 2003-2008 
(US$ million)  
 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008a 
Current balance -367.2 -531.0 -634.3 -553.3 -563.8 -763.5 
 Goods balance -364.8 -463.2 -556.3 -486.6 -603.0 -743.9 
 Exports (f.o.b) 320.5 486.9 468.4 588.4 617.8 687.1 
 Cotton 206.3 308.9 281.2 383.6 342.0 229.6 
 Gold 8.8 13.3 18.0 18.9 33.6 .. 
 Imports (f.o.b) 685.4 950.1 1,024.7 1,075.0 1,220.8 1,431.0 
 Services, net -187.4 -228.4 -292.1 -319.4 -362.8 -425.4 
 Income, net -25.7 -30.7 -20.6 -2.3 -2.3 -3.6 
 Current transfers, net 210.7 191.3 234.7 255.1 404.4 409.3 
 Private (net) 31.2 37.8 52.8 80.5 114.8 127.3 
 Public (net) 179.5 153.5 181.9 174.6 289.6 282.0 
Capital and financial operations account 406.9 420.3 440.8 645.3 958.8 673.5 
 Capital account (net) 205.7 201.5 209.8 1565.8 293.2 194.1 
 Financial operations account 201.2 218.7 231.0 -920.4 665.6 479.4 
 Direct investment 27.2 23.3 34.3 32.5 342.8 81.5 
 Portfolio investment 1.4 -0.2 -2.1 -1.0 7.5 9.2 
 Other investment 172.6 195.5 198.7 -952.0 315.3 388.8 
Errors and omissions -4.8 2.9 -3.2 2.7 -2.5 0.0 
                                                      
5 The locally manufactured products affected by th e temporary suspension of VAT were edible oils, 
pasta and soap. 
6 WAEMU (2009). Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
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   2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008a 
Overall balance 34.9 -107.9 -196.6 94.8 392.5 -90.0 
External assets and commitments -34.9 107.9 196.6 -94.8 -392.5  90.0 
 Monetary authorities -63.5 116.1 129.4 72.4 ..  .. 
 Banks 28.6 8.2 67.2 -22.4 ..  .. 
Memorandum (%)       
 Goods balance/GDP -8.4 -9.2 -10.3 -8.4 -8.9 -9.1 
 Current balance/GDP -8.5 -10.6 -11.7 -9.6 -8.3 -9.4 
 Overall balance/GDP 0.8 -2.1 -3.6 1.6 5.8 -1.1 
.. Not available. 
a Estimates. 
Source : BCEAO, Annual Report 2008.  Viewed at:  http://www.b ceao.int/;  Ministry of the Economy and Finance, 
National Institute of Statistics and Demography, Statistical Ye arbook 2008.  Viewed at:  http://www.insd.bf/#. 
(3) TRENDS IN TRADE AND INVESTMENT  
(i) Trade in goods and services 
10. The structure of Burkina Faso's trade has not  significantly changed since 2003 (Tables AI.1 
and AI.2 and Chart I.1).  The main imports are f ood products (particularly rice), fuel, materials and 
equipment, vehicles, cement, medicines, and fertilizer.  The surge in oil and food prices on the 
international markets between 2006 and 2008 appears to  have affected their respective contributions 
to the total value of imports.  Burkina Faso's impor ts have an important community dimension:  apart 
from a decline in 2006, imports from the other EC OWAS member States accounted for more than 
50 per cent of total value over the period 2003-2007,  while WAEMU's share amounted to more than 
42 per cent.  The European Union, and in particular  France, is still the main source of non-community 
merchandise imports, followed by China, India and th e United States (Table AI.3 and Chart I.2.). 
11. Cotton remains Burkina Faso's chief export, accounting for 73.6 per cent of the total in 2006 
as compared with 59.5 per cent in 2001.  Howeve r, income from cotton sales continues to depend 
heavily on fluctuations in the world price and weathe r factors, which largely determine the results of 
each harvest.  Exports of live animals, which accounted  for 7.5 per cent of total income in 2001, have 
steadily declined.  This trend appears to be due, in part, to the temporary fall in exports to the 
neighbouring country of Côte d'Ivoire due to the pol itical instability there.  Exports of manufactured 
products of Burkina Faso origin remain marginal.  According to the available statistics, Burkina Faso 
exports its goods mainly to Togo, Ghana and Cô te d'Ivoire.  Intra-WAEMU exports amounted to 
66.5 per cent of the total over the period 2003-2007;  the corresponding figure for ECOWAS was 
around 83.3 per cent.  France and Switzerland are still the main non-community destinations for 
products of Burkina Faso origin (Table AI.4 and Chart I.2). 
(ii) Foreign direct investment 
12. Burkina Faso has experienced an  increase in flows of foreign direct investment (FDI) since 
2003, with a sharp peak in 2007 due to the privatiz ation of Onatel and the end of its monopoly on 
certain communications services, in particular intern ational calls, telex and te legraphy (Table I.2).  
The opening up of the subsector to competition has attracted two private operators (Celtel and Telecel), which have invested substantial resources as well.  There has also been foreign investment in 
cotton and mining companies. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
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  13. In principle, FDI should continue to increase, d espite the global financial crisis, thanks to the 
opportunities currently available in Bu rkina Faso for investme nt in mining and privatization projects.  
However, their heavy concentration in a limited num ber of subsectors with a high potential for growth 
could signify the need for further im provements in the business environment. 
(4) OUTLOOK  
14. Notwithstanding the progress made with macro economic stabilization and structural reform, 
the economy is still in a fragile state.  Its perfo rmance mainly depends on cotton-growing, transfers 
from Burkina nationals abroad and aid from developm ent partners and remains at risk from climatic 
hazards and external shocks, especially fluctuations in the prices of raw materials on world markets.  
Moreover, the high cost of inputs and energy supply  problems, resulting in sudden power cuts, remain 
an obstacle to the country's industrialization. 
15. Despite the relaxation of inflationary pressu res observed in 2009, the recent decline in 
external demand could, if prolonged, exacerbate th e slowdown in real economic growth, in particular 
by weakening the state of the public finances.  Any sustained deterioration in the world price of cotton 
might force the State to intervene as the guarantor of last resort for the loans obtained by the subsector 
from domestic banks, as the amounts outstanding are still high.  In the absence of further cancellations 
of external debt or a substantial improvement in revenue through the expans ion of the tax base and 
privatizations, Burkina Faso may need to impose dras tic budgetary restrictions to prevent a return to 
unsustainable indebtedness. 
16. Burkina Faso's multiannual programme for 2010-2014, drawn up within the 
WAEMU multilateral supervision framework, envisages an average economic growth rate of 5.5 per 
cent over the period, together with improved tax coll ection and tight control of current expenditure.  
However, as a result of external borrowing, public debt may well increase substantially (by an average 
of 10.2 per cent per year, i.e. faster than the anticipated growth in GDP). Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
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  Chart I.1
Structure of merchandise trade, 2002-2006
2002 2006
(a)    Exports (f.o.b.)
Total:   US$245.1 million Total:  US$588.4 million
(b)    Imports (c.i.f.)
Total:   US$547.7 million Total:   US$1,075.0 millionPercentages
Manufactures
60.2Rice
6.2
Other food products
15.1
Fuel
16.9
Chemical products
15.7Other semi-
manufactures
10.2Non-electrical 
machinery
5.0Electrical 
machinery
7.7Transport 
equipment 10.4Textiles and clothing  
2.2Other
1.6
Iron and steel
4.1Other
2.6Food products
17.2
Cotton
73.1Manufactures
7.2Other
1.1
Food products
19.4
Cotton
61.2Manufactures
18.3
Source :   WTO Secretariat calculations, based on WAEMU data.Other consumer goods  
4.9
Manufactures
67.7Rice
5.8
Other food products
11.6
Fuel
23.5
Chemical products
16.2Other semi-
manufactures
9.4Non-electrical 
machinery
8.0Electrical 
machinery
5.9Transport 
equipment 8.4Textiles and clothing
2.1Other 1.4
Iron and steel
2.2Other consumer
goods  5.5
 WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
Page 182 
 
 
  Chart I.2
Destination of merchan dise trade, 2003-2007
2003 2007
(a)    Exports (f.o.b.)
Total:   US$320.5 million Total:  US$617.8 million
(b)    Imports (c.i.f.)
Total:  US$685.4 million Total:   US$1,220.8 millionPercentages
Africa
57.2Africa
61.5America
2.7France
17.6
Other
EU (27)
7.6
Togo
31.8Côte d'Ivoire
7.3Ghana  5.0Benin  8.4China  2.1Other Asian countries
5.2Other
3.1
EU (27)
29.7Belgium
4.5UE(27)
19.8Africa
95.1Other
0.8Europe
10.1
Togo
48.8Ghana
26.9Côte 
d'Ivoire
2.0Other African 
countries
11.4
Africa
89.1Other
0.6Europe
4.3
Togo
44.7
Ghana
22.5Côte 
d'Ivoire
18.1Other African 
countries
9.8
Other African 
countries 4.6America
4.4France
10.8
Other
EU (27)
6.1
Togo
23.5Côte d'Ivoire
17.6Ghana
9.1Benin
6.6China  4.5Other Asian 
countries
6.9Other
2.9
Belgium
3.0Other African 
countries 4.6
Source :   WTO Secretariat estimates based on data provided by the Burkina authorities.
 Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
 Page 183 
 
 
  II. TRADE AND INVESTMENT REGIMES 
17. Since the first review of its trade policy in 2004, Burkina Faso has improved its institutional 
and regulatory framework.  A reform of the Investme nt Code, due to take place in 2004, materialized 
in 2010.  Most government institutions have a re gularly updated website.  A framework for regular 
consultation with the private sector and civil society helps to facilitate trade. 
(1) EXECUTIVE , LEGISLATURE AND JUDICIARY  
18. Under the 1991 Constitution, as am ended in 1997, 2000 and 20027, the President of Burkina 
Faso is the Head of State;  he is elected by universal suffrage for a once-renewable five-year term 
(Article 37).  The current President has been in office since 1987 and the next presidential elections 
are due to take place on 21 November 2010.  Legislative texts are published in the Official Journal ;  
some are available on line at:  http://www.legiburkina.bf. 
19. The President of the Republic appoints the Prime Minister and the other members of the 
Government, at the Prime Minister's proposal.  The ministries and agencies involved in formulating trade policy, as of May 2010, are listed in Table II.1. 
20. Since the 2002 constitutional amendment, the Chamber of Representatives (which had a 
consultative role) has been abolished and Parliament  has consisted of a single chamber, the National 
Assembly with 111 deputies, which exercises legi slative power:  it examines and votes on draft laws 
introduced by the Government or deputies, including th e Finance Law.  The next legislative elections 
are scheduled for May 2012. 
21. The constitutional amendment adopted in the year 2000 split up the Supreme Court, which 
initially consisted of four Chambers  (Administrative, Constitutional, Judicial, and Audit).  Judicial 
power is entrusted to four entities:  the Court of Cassation, the Council of State, the Court of Audit 
and the Constitutional Council.  Judicial power is exercised by the judges;  the Constitution enshrines 
the principle of independence of the judiciary, although the Supreme Council of Justice is presided over by the Head of State. 
22. International trade agreements and treaties covered by Title XIII of the Constitution are 
signed by the President of the Republic (or by the competent ministers to whom he has delegated his 
authority) and ratified by the National Assembly.  Ratified treaties and agreements (for example, the 
WTO Agreement), once published in the Official Journal , take precedence over laws, "subject, in the 
case of each agreement or treaty, to its applicati on by the other party".  Such acts are immediately 
applicable as State law in Bu rkina Faso and enforceable ipso jure , but only the approval of the treaty 
or agreement is the subject of law, not the tran sposition of its provisions.  Thus, only the act of 
ratification of the WTO Agreement was published in the Official Journal , and not the text of the 
Agreement itself.  Under this monist regime, the WTO Agreement can be directly cited in judicial 
proceedings, although this has never yet been the case.
8 
                                                      
7 The Constitution was adopted by referendum on 2 June 1991 and promulgated by Kiti (Law) 
No. AN-VIII-330/FP/PRES of 11 June 1991.  This text has been amended three times by Law No. 002/97/ADP 
of 27 January 1997;  Law No. 003-2000/AN of 11 April 2000;  and Law No. 001-2002/AN of 22 January 2002.  
Viewed at:  http://www.presi dence.bf/page.php?sid=8. 
8 Ratification of the WTO Agreement was authorized  by Law No. 13/95/ADP of 3 May 1995.  Viewed 
at:  http://www.legiburkina.bf/jo/jo1996/no%5F06/loi%5Fadp%5F1995%5F00013.htm. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
Page 184 
 
 
  Table II.1 
Principal ministries and institutions concern ed with trade and foreign investment, May 2010 
Ministries and other institutions Internet address 
Office of the Presidency of Burk ina Faso http://www.presidence.bf 
Prime Minister http://www.government.gov.bf/ 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Re gional Cooperation http://www.mae.gov.bf/ 
Ministry of Agriculture, Wa ter Resources and Fisheries http://www.agriculture.gov.bf 
Ministry of Trade, Enterprise Promotion and Crafts http://www.commerce.gov.bf/S iteCommerce/index.jsp 
Single Windows Centre/Business Centre  and Business Formalities Centre 
(CEFORE) http://www.me.bf/ 
Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Crafts of Burkina Faso http://www.ccia.bf/IMG/pdf/le ttre_dev_sector_prive.pdf 
Burkina Shippers' Council (CBC) http://www.cbfaso.bf/ 
National Foreign Trade Bureau (ONAC) http://www.tradepoint.bf/ 
Agency for the Promotion of Foreign Investment (API) Under construction 
Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Communication, Government 
spokesman http://www.culture.gov.bf/ 
Ministry of the Economy and Finance http://www.finances.gov.bf/ 
Directorate-General of Customs http://www.douanes.bf/ 
National Investment Promotion Agency (ANPI) Under construction 
Ministry of Justice http://www.justice.gov.bf/ 
Ministry of Mining, Quarrying and Energy http://www.mines.gov.bf/SiteMines/index.jsp 
Ministry of Postal Services and Information Communications Technology http://www.mptic.gov.bf/ 
Ministry of Animal Resources http://www.mra.gov.bf/SiteMra/index.jsp 
Ministry of Transport http:// www.mith.gov.bf/ (non-functional) 
Ministry of Health http://www.sa nte.gov.bf/SiteSa nte/index.jsp 
National Institute of Statistics and Demography http://www.insd.bf 
Economic and Social Council http://www.ces.gov.bf/SiteCes/index.jsp 
Source: Office of the President of Burkina Faso.  Viewed at:  http://www.presidence.bf. 
23. The Government may request the National Assemb ly for authorization to adopt, by ordinance 
and for a limited period, measures that are normally within the domain of the law.  Ordinances are 
issued by the Council of Ministers after consultin g the Constitutional Council;  they lapse unless 
subsequently ratified.  Decrees are issued under an existing law.  The President may also submit to a 
popular referendum any draft law concerning a matter of national interest.  The Economic and Social 
Council (CES) advises on the draft laws, ordinances and decrees submitted to it and on any problem 
of an economic or social nature.9 
24. The adoption by Burkina Faso of the seven  uniform acts of the Organization for the 
Harmonisation of Business Law in Africa (OHADA) has made possible the almost complete renewal 
of its commercial legislation since 1998.10  The first commercial court was established in 
Ouagadougou in December 2009, to deal with dis putes between traders, lending institutions and 
commercial companies under Articles 3 and 4 of  the OHADA Uniform Act relating to General 
Commercial Law.11 
                                                      
9 CES online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.ces. gov.bf/. 
10 OHADA online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.ohada.com. 
11 Law No. 022-2009/AN of 12 May 2009 on the establishment, organization and functioning of 
commercial courts in Burkina Faso. Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
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  (2) TRADE POLICY FRAMEWORK  
(i) Institutional framework 
25. The Ministry of Trade, Enterprise Promotion a nd Crafts is responsible for the formulation, 
evaluation and implementation of industrial, investment, crafts and trade policy.  It currently handles 
matters relating to the WTO and the trade chapter of ACP/EU relations.  The Directorate-General of 
Trade (DGC) has the task of implementing the Mini stry's policy on trade, prices and competition.  
The Directorate-General of Industrial Developm ent (DGDI) is in charge of implementing the 
Ministry's industrial and investment promotion pol icy, while the Inspectorate-General for Economic 
Affairs (IGAE) is responsible fo r compliance with the regulations on compulsory standards.  The 
Ministry responsible for trade also houses the National Competition and Consumption Commission 
(CNCC), an autonomous structure, the National Directorate of Industrial Property (DNPI), and the Directorate-General of Crafts.  The DGC interfaces w ith the technical and financial partners (TFPs), 
in particular in the context of Aid for Trade (Chapter V). 
26. Under the authority of the Minister responsible  for trade, the National Unit for Monitoring 
and Coordinating the Implementation of the WT O Agreements (CNS/OMC) is responsible for 
optimizing Burkina Faso's participation in the inte rnational trading system;  it combines in a single 
committee the public services responsible for trade matte rs, the private sector, civil society (producers 
associations, trade unions), and academic circles.  This body has also been used for negotiating 
economic partnership agreements (EPAs).  Where the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) is 
concerned (Chapter V), there is a Steering Committ ee, set up in January 2009 and chaired by the 
Minister responsible for trade.  A National Implementation Unit was in process of being set up in 
February 2010. 
27. The objective of the National Foreign Trade Bureau (ONAC), which is also under the 
administrative authority of the Ministry responsible for trade, is to promote Burkina Faso's trade, 
particularly its exports.  ONAC may also carry out specific foreign-trade market ing surveys;  prospect 
markets;  train professionals and others in the ru les and practices of international trade;  provide 
exporters and importers wi th technical assistance in carrying out  their commercial transactions;  and 
initiate or facilitate promotional commercial activities.
12  The National Export Promotion Strategy 
(SNE), in process of adoption, provides for the r estructuring of ONAC's institutional apparatus with a 
view to making it more effective by adapting its activities to the evolution of the local and international environment.  The Burkina Sh ippers' Council (CBC), an administrative public 
institution, is another body that provides support fo r importers and exporters in the area of freight 
transport by sea, land, rail or air (Chapter IV).
13 
28. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Bu rkina Faso (CCI-BF), a private body, is, 
together with the Business Centre, one of the main  organizations authorized to represent the private 
sector in trade matters.  It sells forms to trader s and issues activity certificates and certificates of 
origin.14  To facilitate trade, it also provides econo mic infrastructure such as reception and transit 
space, storage facilities in the ports of seaboard c ountries, bonded warehousing, etc.  The Business 
Centre was established in 2002 with the support of the World Bank to assist with enterprise creation 
and improve the business environment.  The Business Ce ntre brings together all the institutions that 
assist with enterprise creation, including the Business Formalities Centres (CEFOREs), which, 
according to the authorities, make it possible to co mplete the start-up formalities in, on average, 
                                                      
12 ONAC online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.tradepoint.bf. 
13 CBC online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.cbcfaso.bf. 
14 CCI-BF online information.  Viewed at:  www.http://www.ccia.bf. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
Page 186 
 
 
  five working days, as compared with  an average of 35 days before they were set up in 2002.  There 
were six CEFOREs in operation in March 2010.  The Business Centre also houses the Single 
Windows Centre (CGU), which specializes in intern ational trade and investment formalities (see 
below). 
29. The Ministry of the Economy and Finance also play s an important part in trade policy affairs.  
The Directorate-General of Customs comes under its authority and it administers public contracts.  Its representative participates in Franc Zone, WAMU a nd WAEMU ministerial meetings.  This Ministry 
is also responsible for the financial chapter of  ACP/EU relations and Aid for Trade programmes. 
30. In order to improve and secure the business envi ronment, various structures have been set up 
to combat corruption and fraud, including the Suprem e State Audit Authority.  In the private sector, 
the National Anti-Corruption Network (Ren-lac) ha s been working to improve business ethics and 
transparency since 1997 and conducts anti-corrupt ion awareness-raising campaigns, receives and 
investigates the complaints of victims of corrupti on, and ensures that the State takes measures to 
combat corruption in national and international commercial transactions.  Its activities are mainly 
financed by the donors.
15 
(ii) Broad outlines of trade policy 
31. Burkina Faso, which is also a founding member of the African Union, has firmly rooted its 
trade policy in the principles of regional integration set out in the texts of the West African Economic 
and Monetary Union (WAEMU) and the Economic Community of West A frican States (ECOWAS) 
(joint report, Chapter II).  Within their respec tive internal markets, both WAEMU and ECOWAS aim 
to establish the free movement of goods, although th is objective has not yet been achieved (joint 
report, Chapters III and IV).  With regard to th e multilateral negotiations under the Doha Agenda, the 
WAEMU member States have taken common positi ons on numerous issues, in particular on the 
cotton subsidies provided by certain WTO Members (joi nt report, Chapter IV).  Likewise, it is within 
ECOWAS and WAEMU that Burkina Faso participates in the ongoing negotiations for an EPA with the European Union. 
32. The overall objective of Burkina Faso's trade po licy is to create an environment conducive to 
the development of exports, imports and investment to enable it to achieve its economic growth and 
poverty reduction objectives.  One of its priorities is to secure its exports within the WAEMU subregion.  In sectoral terms, the priority  exports include cotton;  livestock, meat, and hides 
and skins;  shea nuts, sesame and mangoes;  arts and crafts;  and tourism. 
33. To define the measures that need to be taken to  develop its internationa l trade and ensure that 
they are effectively incorporated in its national de velopment plans, Burkina Faso participates in the 
Enhanced Integrated Framework process.
16  However, the implementation of these measures is being 
hindered by a lack of financial resources.  The Aid for Trade programme (Chapter V) could make a contribution to the funding. 
(3) C
ONSULTATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR  
34. A government-private sector meeting has been he ld at Bobo-Dioulasso every year since 2001.  
Chaired by the Prime Minister, this meeting brings together all the parties involved in the promotion 
                                                      
15 Ren-lac online information.  Vi ewed at:  http://w ww.renlac.org. 
16 Integrated Framework, online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.integratedframework. 
org/countries/burkinafaso.htm. Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
 Page 187 
 
 
  and development of the private sector.  The Join t Technical Committee established within this 
framework in 2002 is responsible for studying an d integrating the recommendations made at the 
meetings and prepares a report on their implem entation.  This Committee is composed of 
representatives of six key ministries, the Chamber of Commerce and four other trade organizations.  
The Supervisory Committee, also established in 2002,  is composed of the Minister responsible for 
trade, who takes the chair, the Ministers respons ible for finance and labour, the President of the 
Chamber of Commerce and the President of the Manufacturers' Trade Association.  It monitors the activities of the Joint Technical Committee and decides on the action to be taken. 
35. Between the first meeting held in May 2001 and the ninth on 28 September 2009, several 
topics were discussed.  In 2006, for example, the topi c was "the balance between the need to increase 
government revenue and the need to encourage inv estment through taxation";  the topic for 2009 was 
"What strategy for the promotion of the private sector  in the current context of economic crisis?".  The 
main results and initiatives arising out of this dialogue include the establishment of the Business 
Centre and the CEFOREs;  the setting up of a la bour dispute settlement fund;  a reduction in the 
number of security services checkpoints and patrols on the main highways;  and the creation of the 
Presidential Investment Council and the commercial courts. 
36. It appears that these reforms, listed in a recent  Note from the Ministry responsible for trade
17, 
have helped to bring about significant changes in  the business climate.  According to the World 
Bank's Doing Business Better programme, which m easures the effect of the legislative and 
institutional reforms implemented by countries to improve the framework for doing business18, the 
rankings for 2009 and 2010 reveal a distinct improvement in the efficiency of the procedures for 
issuing building permits and registering property rights.  These improvements enabled Burkina Faso 
to come sixth among the reforming countries in Doing Business 2009  and to gain ground in the 
2010 report, where it is ranked 147th out of 183 countries (163rd in 2007).  It even managed to come 
first among the reforming countries in WAEMU.  Over all, however, much still remains to be done.  In 
particular, Burkina Faso still trails the rest of the wo rld in cross-border trade, with a particularly large 
number of documents required for both exports and imports, times mo re than 22 per cent above the 
average for sub-Saharan Africa, and import and expo rt costs 16 per cent higher than the sub-Saharan 
average. 
(4) INVESTMENT REGIME  
37. As noted by UNCTAD in 2009 in its review of Burkina Faso's investment policy, the sharp 
increase in FDI in the mining sector reflects not only the country's mineral potential but also the 
introduction of a regulatory framework that favours the development of FDI in the sector.19  FDI has 
also made it possible to develop high-quality and regionally competitive mobile telephony and 
internet services, largely thanks to a new inv estment-friendly legislative framework.  However, 
outside these two sectors, private investment is still very modest.  According to the figures provided 
by the authorities, a total of 291 investment pr ojects were approved unde r the Investment Code 
between 2004 and 2009 (six years), for a total investme nt of CFAF 1,589 billion (€2.42 billion) and 
12,570 jobs were created, mainly in the region of the capital Ouagadougou. 
38. In order to curb abuse of the incentives provi ded under the Code, the Government recently 
revised the legislative and institutional framework  concerning private investment, by means of a 
                                                      
17 Ministry of Trade, Enterprise Promotion and Crafts (2008). 
18 Doing Business, online information.  Viewed at:  
http://francais.doingbusiness.org/exploreeconomies/default.aspx?economyid=31. 
19 UNCTAD (2009). WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
Page 188 
 
 
  2010 amendment that replaces the tax exemptions with a system of tax credits in the form of a 50 per 
cent deduction of the investment from the taxable profit, or about 15 per cent of tax credit. 
39. In general, a large proportion of the large-scal e infrastructure investment, which the country 
badly needs to stimulate long-term economic grow th and raise the standard of living of the 
population, is financed by external official aid.  The challenge for the new Aid for Trade programme 
is to ensure that this aid is effectively channelled into public investment projects that actually help to 
promote trade (Chapter V). 
(i) The new legislative framework for investment 
40. The 1995 Investment Code provides for an ordi nary law regime and approval regimes with 
preferential tax treatment.20  The 2010 amendment to the Code is  mainly concerned with the approval 
regimes:  it aims to improve the raising of fiscal revenue and establish an incentive system conducive to increased investment.
21  The Code makes no distinction betw een domestic and foreign investors.  
The guarantees offered to investors include:  the right to transfer capital and earnings therefrom;  the 
right to dispose freely of their property and to or ganize their business as they think fit;  freedom to 
hire and fire;  free choice of suppliers and service providers;  commercial freedom;  free access to 
sources of raw materials;  and the free movement with in Burkina Faso of raw materials, consumables, 
finished and semi-finished products and spare parts.   Foreign investors have the right to purchase 
agricultural and forest land (Article 9). 
(a) Excluded sectors 
41. The approval regime as amended covers all sectors apart from commercial and trading 
activities;  exploring for and exploiting minerals subject to the mining code;  banking and financial 
services;  and telecommunications activities other than approved telephone companies (the latter are therefore eligible).  The amendment does not affect  Article 22, which restricts the services sectors 
eligible for preferential tax treatment to the followi ng:  health:  hospitals, clinics and polyclinics;  
medical testing laboratories, veterinary clinics;  technical education and vocational training;  hotels 
and tourism;  communication and cinema;  sanitation;  industrial maintenance;  transport;  and expert 
studies and services of an intellectual and/or technica l nature.  This "positive" approach could tend to 
discourage investment in non-included activities (for  example, agriculture-r elated services).  An 
alternative would be to define the excluded sectors clearly and precisely, the other sectors being eligible by default (so-ca lled "negative" approach). 
(b) Access to preferential treatment 
42. The notions of "new enterprise" and "extension of  an enterprise" are clarified in order better 
to define the scope of the enterprises eligible  and thereby avoid certain abuses due to a broad 
interpretation of the provisions of the Code.  Thus , the extension of an enterprise requires a 30 per 
cent increase in the means of produc tion, or the additional investment  of at least one hundred million 
CFA francs, or the manufacturing of new products.  In general, the concessions granted continue to 
                                                     
 
20 Law No. 62/95 ADP of 14 December 1995, last am ended by Law No. 027/99/AN of 17 April 1997.  
Viewed at:  http://www.douan es.bf/investisseurs/invest/code_des_invest ments_bf.pdf, and implementing Decree 
No. 2000/099/PRES/PM/MCIA/MEF of 23 March 2000.  Viewed at:  
http://www.douanes.bf/investisseurs/invest/present.htm. 
21 Law No. 007-2010/AN of 29 January 2010 amending Law No. 62-95/ADP of 4 December 1995 on 
the Investment Code;  all amending provisions were promulgated by Decree No. 2010-111/PRES of 
18 March 2010. Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
 Page 189 
 
 
  depend on the amount invested, the number of j obs created for Burkina nationals, and the export 
volume.  A minimum value added of 25 per cent of turnover is still required to qualify for approval 
regimes.22 
(c) Changes in tax incentives 
43. The concessions granted continue to differ ac cording to whether the promoter is in the 
investment or the operational phase.  In the invest ment phase, the incentives have been simplified;  
they now concern only VAT (instead of all internal taxes) and customs duties.  They give entitlement 
to exemptions from VAT, internal and at entry, an d from customs duties at the single rate of 5 per 
cent on purchases of production equipm ent, including the first set of spare parts.  Enterprises are no 
longer obliged to use at least 50 per cent of local raw materials (former Article 28).  The reduced duty 
rate still does not extend to office equipment, co mputer equipment, air-conditioning appliances or 
fuel. 
44. In the operational phase, the incentives are divided up among four regimes depending on the 
amount invested and the number of jobs created.  Regime A requires an investment of between 
CFAF 100 and 500 million and the creation of 30 jobs.  The concessions granted must make it 
possible to realize a return on the investment but without blocking out the contribution to fiscal 
revenue.  Where profits tax is concerned (normal rate in 2010:  27.5 per cent), net losses may be 
carried over, successively up to the second year afte r the end of the carry-overs for which ordinary 
law provides;  and part of the investment may be  deducted over five years from the amount of taxable 
profit, up to a maximum of 50 per cent of the taxa ble profit.  The concessions also include exemption 
from the proportional charge of the business tax and total exemption for five years from the 
Employers' and Apprenticeship Tax (TPA, at  3 per cent of the value of the wages). 
45. Regimes B and C are essentially the same, but require greater investment and recruitment, in 
exchange for longer periods of exemption.  Fo r agriculture, livestock breeding and fishing, the 
minimum investment sum and the number of jobs are each reduced by 75 per cent, the duration of the concessions is increased by three years and exemption from transfer duties is granted, in the same way 
as for enterprises that invest anywhere outside a radius of 50 kilometres around Ouagadougou or 
Bobo-Dioulasso. 
46. There has been a reduction in the duration and exte nt of the exemptions granted to enterprises 
at least 80 per cent of whose output is exported.  According to new Article 6, Regime D applies to 
enterprises whose investment is equal to at least  CFAF 1 billion (exclusive of taxes and working 
capital) and involves the creation of at least 30 permanent jobs and whose output is at least 80 per cent 
for export.  It permits (like regime C, but with  a smaller investment) losses to be carried over 
successively up to the fourth year beyond the term specified by ordinary law, and deduction of the investment from the taxable profit for seven years,  up to a maximum of 50 per cent of the taxable 
profit.  The exemptions from business tax and the TPA are also for seven years.  Moreover, these 
enterprises are still authorized to sell up to 20 pe r cent of their production on the domestic market, 
subject to the payment of import duties. 
(d) Prior authorization procedure 
47. The procedure for authorization prior to inv estment remains the same (Article 8).  In 
May 2010, the formalities for obtaining authorizati on to engage in activities and approval under the 
                                                     
 
22 Implementing Decree No. 2000/099/PRES/PM/MCIA/MEF of 23 March 2000.  Viewed at:  
http://www.douanes.bf/investisseurs/invest/present.htm. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
Page 190 
 
 
  Code had not yet been amended, following upon th e creation of the National Investment Promotion 
Agency (ANPI).  According to the provisions of the Code, any industrial investment requires prior authorization from the National Investment Commi ssion (CNI), which decides on eligibility for the 
concessions in the Investment Code;  there is  no appeals procedure if approval is refused.
23 
(ii) Institutional framework 
48. By 2009, the reform of investment announced in  2004 was still not being fully implemented;  
the bodies responsible for promoting investment we re little known and there wa s no website dedicated 
to investment in Burkina Faso.  Since 2009, the country has had a National Investment Promotion 
Agency (ANPI) and a Presiden tial Investment Council (CPI).24  The role of the CPI is to organize the 
discussion of issues relating to the promotion and development of private, public, domestic and 
foreign investment and the improvement of the bu siness climate and to make recommendations.  It 
has 30 members appointed by the President of Burk ina Faso for a renewable two-year term.  The 
CPI held its first meeting in November 2009. 
49. The ANPI began operating in 2009, replaci ng the Support Programme for Small and 
Medium-Sized Enterprises (PAPME) and taking over some of its personnel, t ogether with its fixed 
assets, its portfolio, freed of bad and doubtful debts, and its liquid resources.25  The mission of the 
ANPI is to promote small and medium-sized ente rprises through innovative financial products, the 
provision of management consultancy services, a nd the promotion and facilitation of FDI.  The 
ANPI coordinates the promotion activities of the existing entities, such as BUMIGEB, the CCI, the 
Business Centre and ONAC. 
50. The ANPI is a public institution with legal pers onality and autonomy of management.  It is 
intended that the ANPI should also have a single wi ndow function that brings together and merges the 
functions currently performed by CEFORE and th e CGU;  the single window would be accessible to 
both domestic and foreign investors.  Moreover, there is now a single window for issuing urban 
property titles. 
51. The Code includes a procedure for arbitrating dis putes between investors;  the parties can also 
appeal to the domestic courts.  Since 1966 Burkin a Faso has been a contracting party to the 
International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).26  Burkina Faso has concluded a 
dozen bilateral agreements relating to inv estment, seven of which are listed by ICSID.27  Burkina Faso 
signed a double taxation agreement with France in June 1971. 
52. Burkina Faso has been a member of the Treaty establishing the Multilateral Investment 
Guarantee Agency (MIGA) since 1996.28  Four projects in Burkina Faso are listed in the 
MIGA database.  For example, MIGA has issued  guarantees worth US$6.1 million to the French 
company Agro-industries Sud DAGRIS in Burkina Faso (C hapter IV), to cover it with local financial 
companies.  The guarantees cover the risks of cont ract termination and expropriation and the risks 
                                                      
23 Implementing Decree No. 2000/099/PRES/PM/MCIA/MEF of 23 March 2000.  Viewed at:  
http://www.douanes.bf/investisseurs/invest/present.htm. 
24 Decree No. 2007-739/PRES establishing  a Presidential Investment Council. 
25 Decree No. 2008-856/PRES/PM/MEF of 30 Decembe r 2008 establishing the National Investment 
Promotion Agency. 
26 ICSID online information.  Viewed at:  http://icsid.worldbank.org/ICSID/ FrontServlet. 
27 With Belgium, Germany, Ghana, Malaysia, Neth erlands, Switzerland and Tunisia.  Those with 
Netherlands, Germany and Sw itzerland are in force. 
28 MIGA online information.  Vi ewed at:  http://www.miga.org. Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
 Page 191 
 
 
  relating to potential disputes over a four-year peri od.  The company Orezone, in the mining sector 
(Chapter IV), has asked MIGA for a guarantee wort h about US$190 million for a period of ten years, 
to cover the risk of restrictions on transfers of capital, as well as the risks of contract termination, 
expropriation and disputes. 
 WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
Page 192 
 
 
  III. TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY MEASURE 
(1) INTRODUCTION  
53. Burkina Faso has fully applied the WAEMU CE T since 1 January 2000, together with the 
other duties and taxes introduced by WAEMU and ECOWAS.  Some products are still subject to 
reference values, in accordance with the releva nt WAEMU regulations.  A harmonizing framework 
for tariff bindings at community level is still in the preparatory phase.  On 27.6 per cent of the bound tariff lines the customs duty rates applied by Burkin a Faso exceed the bound levels, in some cases by 
as much as 20 percentage points. 
54. Burkina Faso continues to require a national conformity certificate (CNC) for certain imports;  
products of WAEMU origin are exempt.  Th ere is still a monopoly on the importation of 
hydrocarbons.  A revision of the internal taxation of tobacco products, introduced in 2009, led to an 
increase in the rates applicable  to "high quality" tobacco. 
55. All merchandise exports are zero-rated for VAT.  Goods in transit must be escorted to the 
point of departure from the national customs territory;  the approval and guarantee mechanisms applied under the road and air transit procedures are not the same. 
56. Following the entry into force of a community regulation, the powers of the National 
Competition and Consumption Commission at legislativ e and procedural level are understood to have 
been refocused essentially on consumer protection.  The national regulatory framework remains to be 
adjusted accordingly.  Administrative control of pricing continues to apply to hydrocarbons, essential 
generic medicines and medical consumables, the producer price of seed cotton, school supplies, water, 
electricity, and fixed and mobile telephony. 
57. Burkina Faso revised its national regulations  on government procurement in 2008 so as to 
enhance transparency and equity.  The new regul atory framework covers public service concessions 
and incorporates the relevant WAEMU rules;  the regulation and control functions are now performed 
by two separate bodies.  In general, the system still uses open invitations to tender when awarding 
contracts and maintains a policy of preference for community enterprises. 
58. Burkina Faso has ratified the revised Bangui Agreement (1999), which ensures convergence 
between the intellectual property protection regime of its members and their WTO commitments under the TRIPS Agreement. 
(2) M
EASURES DIRECTLY AFFECTING IMPORTS  
(i) Registration 
59. Natural persons wishing to engage in a co mmercial activity in Burkina Faso, including 
foreign trade, must obtain a Carte professionnelle de commerçant  (CPC) (trader's permit);  legal 
persons have been exempt from this  requirement since 2005.  The permit is valid for three years and is 
renewable.29  Moreover, the importation of pesticides, as well as of pharmaceutical products and 
tobacco, is subject to the prior approval of the Ministry responsible for trade.30  The CPC application 
                                                      
29 The Ministry responsible for trade charges CFAF 19,890 for issuing a CPC and CFAF 14,890 on 
renewal;  a CFAF 200 stamp is also required in each case. 
30 Directorate-General of Customs (undated). Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
 Page 193 
 
 
  file, consisting of vari ous supporting documents31, can be lodged with the CEFOREs or with the 
services of the Regional Economic Affairs Inspectorat es.  Foreign natural and legal persons must 
submit a request for authorization to engage in a commercial activity to the Minister responsible for 
trade.32 
60. The number of authorizations to exercise the profession of trader increased considerably 
during the period 2005-2009 (Table III.1) .  This trend appears to reflect, in part, the combined effect 
of the various measures taken by the Burkin a authorities to improve the business climate. 
Table III.1 
Authorizations to exercise the profession of trader, 2005-2009 
 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 
Trader's permits 834 2,728 2,800 3,264 3,414 
Authorizations for foreigners to exerci se the profession of trader 139 198 214 241 172 
Source : Burkina authorities. 
 
61. Detailed import declarations must be lodged by approved customs clearing agents, except in 
the case of non-commercial operations or those with a total value of less than CFAF 250,000.  The 
Customs Code also provides for detailed declarations  to be lodged by the importer if there is no 
customs clearing agent established at the place of cl earance.  Customs clearing agents are approved, 
without discrimination between Burkina nationals a nd foreigners, for types of operations or for a 
specific customs office;  the fees charged for the se rvices are not regulated.  The compulsory use of 
these intermediaries, justified, according to the authorities, by the complexity of the customs 
regulations, imposes an additional cost on the econo mic operator that is not always commensurate 
with the services rendered.  According to Burkina Faso's diagnostic trade integration study (DTIS), 
approval for types of operations or for a specific office restricts competition and contributes to the relatively high level of this cost. 
(ii) Customs procedures 
62. A prior import declaration (DPI), issued by  the Ministry responsible for trade (Single 
Windows Centre), is required for any import transac tion with an f.o.b. value of CFAF 500,000 or 
more.
33  This mandatory document enables the au thorities to determine the eligibility for 
pre-inspection and to compile external trade statistics.  For goods subject to special import authorization (section (v)), the DPI is one of th e required supporting documents.  In both cases, the 
DPI application must also be accompanied by a pro forma invoice bearing the supplier's stamp and 
signature, together, where appropriate, with the results of the analysis of the imported product 
(section ix). 
                                                     
 
31 A certified photocopy of the national identity card or  passport;  a certified photocopy of registration 
in the Trade and Personal Credit Register  or professional licence for the liberal professions;  a copy of the single 
tax identification number;  a copy of the employer's National Social Security Fund notification;  and 
three identity photos of the trader when the CPC is fi rst issued or two photos when it is being renewed.  
Renewal is subject to the production of a criminal clearance record not more than three months old. 
32 The file to be lodged with the Single Windows Centre consists of the following items:  an application 
(bearing a CFAF 1,000 stamp);  a crimin al clearance record less than three mont hs old;  a residence certificate;  
a certified identity document;  and a fact sheet (costi ng CFAF 1,210 and bearing a CFAF 10,000 stamp for 
natural persons and a CFAF 20,000 stamp for legal persons). 
33 In the case of split import consignments, it is the tota l value of the order that is taken into account.  
The DPI remains legally valid for 6 months;  this period can be extended once only, for a further six months.  
However, rectifications are not permitted.   WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
Page 194 
 
 
  63. Burkina Faso has had an import inspection progra mme (PVI), preshipment or at destination, 
in place since 1992 (section (iii)).34  If the results are satisfactory, inspection leads to the issuing of an 
inspection certificate, which must accompany the customs declaration.  A WAEMU/ECOWAS 
uniform model detailed declaration is in use in Burk ina Faso;  the other documents to be attached are 
the import certificate bearing the stamp of the ba nk with which the transaction is domiciled (if the 
transaction is for CFAF 500,000 or more), the commercial invoice, the transport documents35 and, 
where applicable, the national conformity certifi cate (CNC), the certificate of origin, and the 
phytosanitary or sanitary certificate. 
64. The detailed declaration, which is mandatory even for goods admitted with total exemption 
from duties and taxes, must be either made in writing or electronically.36  In accordance with the 
WAEMU provisions (joint report, Chapter III(2)(i)),  declarants may opt for the deferred payment 
procedure (clearance credit option), under whic h the actual payment of duties and taxes may be 
postponed;  in this case, the amount owed is increased by 0.1 per cent.37  In some cases, for example 
imports of perishable foodstuffs, the goods may be released before the detailed declaration has been 
lodged and the duties and taxes paid. 
65. Clearance procedures are automated on the basis of the ASYCUDA++ system, operational 
since 2003 in the main customs offices, which ha ndle about 95 per cent of customs transactions.38  
However, the detailed declaration must be lodged in  six paper copies by not later than the working 
day following that on which it was initially el ectronically recorded.  In 2009, the Customs 
Administration optimized the operation of its IT sy stem by extending the network (seven new border 
offices) and establishing important interconnections  with the import inspection company (Cotecna)39 
and the Mali Customs system.40  Networking should facilitate cross-border trade and reduce the 
opportunities for fraud. 
66. The automated clearance system incorporates a f our-channel risk management system:  green 
(immediate release), blue (examination at a later date), yellow (documentary check) and red (physical examination).  According to the authorities, th e processing of customs declarations takes 24 to 
72 hours after registration of the detailed declaration
41;  the World Bank's Doing Business 2010  report 
estimates the time at four days.42 
                                                      
34 Decree No. 92-332/PRES/PM/MFP/MICM of 19 November 1992.  Burkina Faso has notified the 
WTO of the relevant laws and regulations (WTO document G/PSI/N/1/Add.5, 3 February 1997). 
35 Since 1 March 2006, all cargoes shipped from or to Burkina Faso must be covered by an electronic 
cargo tracking form validated by the CBC.  Viewed at:  http://www.cbcbesc.com/Docs/Notedinstruction.pdf. 
36 In this latter case an IT charge is payable (CFAF 5,000 per detailed declaration for one article and 
CFAF 1,000 per additional article). 
37 Directorate-General of Customs (undated). 
38 An office responsible exclusively for the clear ance of motor vehicles was established in 
Ouagadougou by Order No. 2005-536 of 7 September 2005.  Directorate-General of Customs (undated). 
39 WAEMU (2009). 
40 Primature, the official portal of th e Government of Mali.  Viewed at:  
http://www.primature.gov.ml/index.php?option= com_content&task=view&id=3067&Itemid=5. 
41 Online information from the Directorat e-General of Customs.  Viewed at:  
http://www.douanes.bf/dedouan_informatise/pr esent_sydonia/delais_ dedouanement.htm. 
42 The data used in Doing Business 2010 date from 1 June 2009.  Viewed at:  
http://www.doingbusiness.org/Docum ents/CountryProfiles/BFA.pdf. Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
 Page 195 
 
 
  (iii) Preshipment inspection and customs valuation 
(a) Preshipment inspection 
67. Whatever the customs procedure, the PVI provid es for two types of compulsory inspection.  
Depending on their total f.o.b. value, imports are su bject to checking either at destination (triggering 
threshold CFAF 250,000) or before shipment (trigge ring threshold CFAF 3 million).  In some cases, 
the Customs Administration may authorize the inspecti on at destination of consignments that did not 
undergo inspection before shipment, the importer be ing liable to a penalty of 20 per cent of the 
f.o.b. value.  Imports from the WAEMU/EC OWAS area are not excluded from the PVI. 
68. Since 2004, exclusive powers of inspection have  been granted to th e company Cotecna, 
whose net remuneration is calculated as follows:  0. 65 per cent of the certified f.o.b. value of the 
goods inspected (0.40 per cent in the case of sugar), plus a lump sum of CFAF 50 million per month for the inspection at destination of imports  with a value of less than CFAF 3 million.
43  The terms of 
the contract provide for an inspection certificate to be issued within two working days for preshipment 
inspections and three working days for inspections at destination.  The checks concern the eligibility 
for importation and the quality and quantity of th e goods.  Moreover, Cotecna determines the basic 
data required for tax assessment purposes (tariff descrip tion, customs value and or igin);  however, its 
opinion is used only as a guide and is in no way binding on the Customs Administration.44  Apart  
from imports whose value falls below the minimum th reshold, the regulatory framework establishes a 
long list of goods exempt from preshipment inspection in view of their nature or use.45  T h e  
exemption of some of these goods, such as fertilizer , hydrocarbons, cereals, wheat flour and edible 
oils, appears to contradict the objectives of the PVI. 
69. According to the statistics on inspections at d estination provided by Cotecna (Table III.2), the 
difference between the "certified value" and the "d eclared value" represented 173.4 per cent of the 
latter in 2009, as against 91.1 per cent in 2008.  The average difference suggests an important margin 
of protection at the customs cordon in those cases in which the certified value was accepted by the 
Customs Administration.  Moreover, expressed as a pe rcentage of the certified value, the lump sum 
that Cotecna is paid for inspections at destinati on corresponds to a rate of commission of about 1.5 per 
cent, as compared with 0.65 per cent for preshipment inspections. 
                                                      
43 Agreement 2008-001/MEF/SG/DGMP of 16 June 2008. 
44 A committee has been set up in Burkina Faso to  settle disputes concerning opinions issued by 
Cotecna;  it deals with appeals from importers, as well as with objections by the Customs Administration.  
According to the Burkina authorities, in most cases, the disputes concern the classification of the goods 
imported. 
45 The following are exempt from insp ection:  precious stones and meta ls;  works of art;  arms and 
ammunition, other than for hunting or sport;  explosives and pyrotechnic articles;  live animals;  perishable consumer goods, fresh or chilled (meat, fish, vegetables  and fruit);  scrap metal;  plants and floricultural 
products;  cinematographic films, printed and developed;  current newspapers and periodicals, postal and tax 
stamps, stamped paper, banknotes, chequebooks;  personal effects and used domestic articles, including a used vehicle;  personal gifts;  parcels;  commercial samples;  gifts in kind intended for the Government as aid;  
supplies for diplomatic and consular missions or for agencies of the United Nations Organization, imported for 
their own needs;  condoms imported by PROMACO;  free-shop imports intended to be sold for export;  fertilizer;  cereals;  iron for industr y (raw materials);  bitumen, hydrocarbons;  hydraulic cement;  wheat or 
meslin flour;  and edible oils. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
Page 196 
 
 
  Table III.2 
Inspections at destination, 2008-2009 
(CFAF) 
Value, f.o.b. Costa Year  Number  
Declared Certified Average Certified value (%) 
2008 7,981 20,507,020,628 39,190,217,137 75,178.5 1.53 
2009 9,770 14,453,262,669 39,518,382,439 61,412.5 1.52 
a The lump sum for inspections at destination am ounts to CFAF 600 million (i.e. CFAF 50 million x 12). 
Source : Cotecna inspection S.A. 
70. A computerized risk analysis system, who se parameters are defined by the Customs 
Administration, gives rise to two levels of in tervention:  physical inspection and documentary 
inspection.  The latter applies to low-risk impor ts and partial deliveries and consists only of a 
documentary check and a price analysis.46  The PVI is financed by th e importers, who are required to 
pay the customs service a contribution equivalent  to 1 per cent of the certified f.o.b. value, 
irrespective of the level of intervention;  th e amounts collected are passed on to the Treasury.47  Since 
1 January 2009, hydrocarbons imports have no long er been subject to the contribution to the PVI.48 
(b) Customs valuation 
71. The WAEMU regulations on customs valuation, including the community system of 
reference values, came into eff ect in Burkina Faso on 1 June 20 00 (joint report, Chapter III(2)(i)).49  
Burkina Faso has notified its regulatory framewo rk to the WTO Committee on Customs Valuation, 
but has still not regularized the situation with respect to minimum values.50  The list of reference 
values used as a basis for the assessment of duties and taxes, in force since 19 June 200851 
(Table III.3), comprises 39 tariff lines, whereas that  notified in December 2003 consisted of 33.  The 
products added to the list when it was updated include  edible pasta, mineral waters, soap, certain 
packing (boxes, cases, sacks, bags) and plastic seats;   sugar is no longer subject to reference values. 
Table III.3 
Reference values, 2008 
Nomenclature Description Reference 
value 
(CFAF) Unit 
11-01-00-00-00 Wheat or meslin flour 275 1 kg. 
15-07-90-00-00 Other soya-bean oil 350 1 litre 
15-08-90-10-00 Gr ound-nut oil and its fractions, whether or not re fined, but not chemically modified 350 1 litre 
15-08-90-90-00 Other gr ound-nut oil 350 1 litre 
15-11-90-10-00 Palm oil and its fractions, whether or  not refined, but not chemically modified, put 
up for retail sale in immediate packing of a net capacity of 5 litres or less 350 1 litre 
15-11-90-90-00 Other palm oil 350 1 litre 
15-12-19-00-00 Other sunflower-seed or safflower oil and their fractions, whether or not refined, but 
not chemically modified 350 1 litre 
                                                      
46 Physical inspection is mandatory for the following products when imported:  medicines, salt, primary 
cells (batteries), cigarettes, boxes of matches, used go ods, and all products with a storage life (in particular, 
foodstuffs). 
47 Service Note No. 98-773/MEF/SG/DGD of 28 September 1998.  In the event of preshipment 
inspection, all handling, presentation, testing, etc. costs associated with the inspectio n of the goods are borne by 
the seller. 
48 Decree No. 2008-946/PRES/PM/MEF of 31 December 2008. 
49 Order No. 02-049/MCPEA/MEF of 3 June 2002. 
50 G/VAL/N/1/BFA/1/Rev.1 of 21 January 2004. 
51 Order No. 08-116/MCPEA/MEF of 19 June 2008. Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
 Page 197 
 
 
  Nomenclature Description Reference 
value 
(CFAF) Unit 
15-12-29-00-00 Other cotton-seed oil and its fractions , whether or not refined, but not chemically 
modified 350 1 litre 
15-13-19-00-00 Other coconut (copra ) oil and its fractions 350 1 litre 
15-13-29-00-00 Other palm kernel or  babassu oil and their fractions, not chemically modified 350 1 litre 
15-14-19-00-00 Other rape oil or oil with a low erucic acid cont ent and their fractions 350 1 litre 
15-15-29-00-00 Other maiz e (corn) oil and its fractions 350 1 litre 
19-02-19-00-00 Other pasta, not cooked or stuffed or otherwise prepared 400 1 kg. 
22-01-10-11-10 Mineral wate rs (1.5 1.) 250 1 bottle 
22-01-10-11-10 Mineral wate rs (0.5 l.) 125 1 bottle 
24-02-20-00-00 Cigarettes c ontaining tobacco (high qu ality) 12,000 1,000 cigarettes
24-02-20-00-00 Cigarettes c ontaining tobacco (low qua lity) 10,000 1,000 cigarettes
34-01-19-10-00 Ordinary soap 400 1 kg. 
34-01-19-20-00 Surface-activ e products and prep arations 1,000 1 kg. 
34-02-20-00-00 Prepara tions put up for retail sale 500 1 litre 
35-06-91-00-00 Adhesives based on polymers of headings 39.01 to 39.13 or rubber 67 1 item 
36-05-00-00-00 Matches, other than the py rotechnic articles of heading 36.04 6 1 box 
39-23-10-00-00 Boxes, cases, crates and similar articles 1,800 1 kg. 
39-23-21-00-00 Sacks and bags (including cones), of polymer s of ethylene 1,000 1 kg. 
39-23-29-00-00 Sacks and bags (including cones), of other plastics 1,000 1 kg. 
40-11-40-00-00 New pneumatic tyres, of rubber, of a kind used on motorcycles 3,500 1 tyre 
40-11-40-00-00 New pneumatic tyres, of rubber,  of a kind used on mopeds 2,100 1 tyre 
40-11-50-00-00 New pneumatic tyres, of rubber,  of a kind used on bicycles 1,300 1 tyre 
40-13-20-00-00 Inner tubes, of rubber, of a kind used on bicycles 350 1 tube 
40-13-90-00-10 Inner tubes, of rubber, of a kind us ed on mopeds (of a cylinder capacity of not more 
than 50 cc.) 600 1 tube 
40-13-90-00-90 Inner tubes, of rubber, of  a kind used on motorcycles 850 1 tube 
63-05-33-00-00 Other sacks and bags, of a kind used for packing, of polyethylene or polypropylene 
strip or the like 1,000 1 kg. 
85-06-10-11-00 R20 primary cells 85 1cell 
85-06-10-19-00 R06 primary cells 40 1 cell 
87-11-10-90-00 Motorcycles (i ncluding mopeds), of a cylinder capacity not exceeding 50 cc. 200,000 1 motorcycle 
87-11-20-90-10 Other motorcycles, of a cylinder capacity ex ceeding 50 cc. but not exceedi ng 80 cc. 225,000 1 motorcycle 
87-11-20-90-90 Other motorcycles, of a cylinder capacity  exceeding 80 cc. but not exceeding 250 cc. 225,000 1 motorcycle 
87-12-00-00-00 Bicycles and other cycles (including delivery tricycles), not motorized 15,000 1 bicycle 
94-01-80-00-00 Seats, of plastic 2,500 1 seat 
Source : Order No. 08-116/MCPEA/MEF of 19 June 2008. 
(iv) Rules of origin 
72. The WAEMU rules of origin, adopted almost  in their entirety by ECOWAS, apply to 
Burkina Faso at national level (joint report, Chap ter III(2)(iii)).  Burkina Faso's only notification to 
the WTO in this respect dates from 1998.52  The approval processes for the two preferential schemes 
are managed by the National Approval Committee;  certif icates of origin are issued by the Ministry 
responsible for trade, on the advice of the Cust oms Administration.  In 2009, the number of 
Burkina enterprises approved for the WAEMU tariff preference regime stood at 59, for a total of 
311 products;  the approvals for the corresponding  ECOWAS scheme involved three enterprises and 
seven products. 
                                                      
52 WTO document G/RO/N/19 of 23 January 1998. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
Page 198 
 
 
  (v) Customs levies 
(a) Overview 
73. At the customs cordon, Burkina Faso appli es the WAEMU CET and other community duties 
and taxes (joint report, Chapter III(2)(ii)(a) and (b));  the Burkina authorities say that they have never 
used the special import tax (TCI).  Importers contri bute 1 per cent of the f.o.b. value to the PVI (see 
section (iii)(a) above).  Moreover, goods being carried by road to Burkina Faso or in transit must pay 
a contribution (at the rate of 0.25 per cent of the d eclared value) to the guara ntee fund managed by the 
Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Burkina Fa so (CCI-BF).  A tax of CFAF 200 (CFAF 100 in 
the case of samples accompanying goods) is levied for each seal affixed on the packages, with the 
exception of postal parcels and vehicles. 
74. The Burkina copyright protection regime provid es for certain levies at the customs cordon on 
behalf of the Burkina Copyright Bureau (BBDA) .  These are royalties for the reproduction of works 
fixed on a graphic or analogue medium (0.25 per cent of the c.i.f. value of the appliance that allows 
this to be done53);  and royalties for private copies (10 per cent of the c.i.f. value of the blank 
recording medium).54  Literary and artistic works on an audio or audiovisual medium are subject to 
affixation of a hologram by the importer before they enter into free circulation in the national 
territory.  The costs involved are CFAF 100 per audio cassette and CFAF 200 per video cassette/CD 
or DVD.  Holograms are available from the BBDA.55 
75. Overall, despite the reform of the tax regime, duties and taxes collected at the customs cordon 
(including VAT) still make a fairly substantial contribution to State fiscal revenue (grants excluded) 
(Table III.4).  Moreover, this contribution has rema ined relatively stable since the last review of 
Burkina Faso's trade policy in 2004. 
Table III.4 
Taxes on trade and international transactions, 2004-2009 
 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 
Fiscal revenue, excluding grants (CFA F billion) 318.5 336.8 362.3 405.2 444.7 494.6 
 As a percentage of fiscal revenue 
Taxes on trade and international transactions 39.9 39.0 41.1 40.2 41.0 39.2 
 Import duties and taxes 14.3 15.6 16.0 15.6 16.2 16.0 
 Customs duties 12.6 13.7 14.1 13.7 14.2 14.2 
 Statistical import tax 1.3 1.5 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.6 
 Degressive protection tax 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 
 Customs fines 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.2 
 Export duties and taxes 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 
 Contribution to the livestock sector 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 
 Community levies 1.5 1.7 1.7 1.9 2.0 1.9 
 Other income from foreign trade 1.9 0.0 1.8 1.7 0.1 0.1 
 VAT (customs cordon) 22.0 21.6 21.4 20.9 22.6 21.1 
Source : Burkina authorities. 
                                                      
53 Photocopier, scanner, CD burner, for example.  Order No. 2003-078/MCAT/MFB of 3 January 2003. 
54 Orders Nos 2003-076/MCAT/MFB and 2003-077/MCAT/MFB of 3 January 2003. 
55 Order No. 01-50/MAC/SG/BBDA of 19 March 2001. Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
 Page 199 
 
 
  (b) Bindings 
76. Burkina Faso's bindings, the result of two separ ate processes, concern 40.2 per cent of its 
tariff lines (joint report, Table III.1).  Burkina Faso  inherited the tariff bindings made by France when 
it was a French colony.  Moreover, during the Uruguay Round, it bound at the ceiling rate of 100 per 
cent the tariffs applicable to all agricultural prod ucts (with the exception of those already covered by 
the bindings previously made by France on its beha lf) and to the products of Chapters 45, 46, 47 and 
49 of the Harmonized System.  The other duties a nd taxes on imports of these same products were 
bound at 50 per cent.  At present, around 27 per cen t of bound tariff lines carry applied rates higher 
than the bound levels. 
(c) Domestic taxes 
77. Introduced in Burkina Faso in 1993, VAT has been applied at a single rate of 18 per cent 
since 1996.56  The Burkina framework provid es for several exemptions, some of which, in particular 
those granted under the Investment Code, have s till to be brought into conformity with the 
WAEMU regulations (joint report, Chapter III(2)(ii )(e)).  Depending on the tu rnover, taxpayers are 
subject either to the normal tax regime (thresholds  fixed at CFAF 50 million for the supply of goods 
and CFAF 25 million for service providers) or to a simplified regime (thresholds fixed at CFAF 
30 million for sales and CFAF 15 million for the provision of services).57  VAT levied at the customs 
cordon is calculated on the basis of the c.i.f. valu e plus import duties and, where appropriate, other 
domestic taxes. 
78. A "deduction at source" system, introduced in 19 99, is still in place for the VAT chargeable to 
certain State-owned or semi-public companies.  Th ese companies are required to pay directly to the 
tax authority a portion of the VAT relating to their purchases of goods and/or services and to issue their suppliers with an individual certificate for the corresponding amount.  In 2007, a revision of the 
way in which the tax is assessed reduced the rate from 80 per cent to 20 per cent and amended the list 
of enterprises concerned.
58  Despite these changes, the number of authorities involved in the 
implementation of this mechanism has not been reduced and the companies continue to bear 
additional management costs. 
79. In Burkina Faso the consumption of some produc ts, imported or locally produced, is subject 
to excise duty.  This is 10 per cent on coffee, tea, cola and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as on 
perfumery and cosmetic products59;  alcoholic beverages are taxed at the rate of 25 per cent.  A 
readjustment of the tax on tobacco, cigars and ci garettes divided in two the product group previously 
designated "high-quality" (taxed at 22 per cent).  Thus, since 1 January 2009 the rates have been 
17 per cent for "low-quality" products, 25 per cent for those classified as "standard" and 30 per cent 
                                                      
56 Law No. 26/96/ADP of 16 July 1996. 
57 Optimization of the yield on VAT.  20th International Seminar, written contributions.  Viewed at:  
http://www.credaf.org/Ufic hiers/Niger/ Contributions_complementaires.pdf. 
58 Law No. 030-2006 of 14 December 2006.  The obligation applies to State-owned or semi-public 
enterprises active in the following sectors:  water and electricity supply;  gambling;  dealing in precious metals;  
sale of hydrocarbons;  postal and telecommunications se rvices;  banking and financial services;  development 
and sale of land;  and cotton production and marketing.  It also applies to certain public establishments, 
designated by order of the Minister of Finance. 
59 Cosmetic products and perfumery (with the exception of odoriferous preparations for religious 
ceremonies and baby powders) have been subject to excise duty since 1 January 2009.  Law No. 062-2008/AN 
of 3 December 2008. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
Page 200 
 
 
  for "high-quality" products.60  In accordance with the WAEMU regulations, the tax base is the 
customs value plus import duties;  VAT is excluded. 
80. Burkina Faso also maintain s specific taxes (excise duti es) on some hydrocarbons, in 
conformity with the corresponding community provis ions.  The number of petroleum products taxed 
has decreased since the last trade policy review;  at present, only diesel fuel (CFAF 50/litre) and 
premium-grade petrol (CFAF 125/litre) are affected.61  However, the community requirements 
concerning the elimination of the disparities in excise duty between individual products before 31 December 2007 have not been met (joint report, Chapter III(2)(ii)(d)). 
81. A "source levy" system remains in place in Burk ina Faso as an advance on profits tax (AIB).  
This is imposed on purchases of goods made by natura l or legal persons established in Burkina Faso, 
including imports under any customs procedure.
62  Since 1 January 2006, this advance has been set at 
a rate of 5 per cent for imports;  in the case of imports  by registered taxpayers the rate is 1 per cent.  
Sales on the local market incur a levy of 2 per cen t, with reduced rates for some products:  hydraulic 
cement, sugar, wheat flour, and cola nuts (1 per cent);  and hydrocarbons (0.2 per cent).  Since 
1 January 2009, imports and purchases by taxpayers c overed by the Large Enterprise Directorate have 
been exempt from the levy at source.63  The Burkina regime respect s the maximum rates established 
by the WAEMU regulations on the AIB, but does not  appear to conform with its principle of 
neutrality (joint report, Chapter III(2 )(ii)(e)).  Moreover, the incorporation of VAT in the tax base, in 
accordance with the principles of the community framework, is in contradiction with the tax base for 
the profits tax, with respect to  which the advance is levied. 
82. A non-deductable levy, called "deduction at s ource", is imposed on service providers not 
professionally established in Burkina Faso;  those established in the WAEMU area have been exempt 
since 2009.  The deduction at source is applied, at  a rate of 20 per cent, to services of all kinds 
provided or used in the national territory.  The ta x base is the amount, all taxes included, of the sum 
paid in remuneration.  On the other hand, the deduction at source on payments made to Burkina 
residents is chargeable, without any time limit, against the taxes assessed on industrial, commercial 
and agricultural profits, on the profits of non-co mmercial professions or the minimum flat-rate tax.64  
In this case, the rate applied is 5 per cent;  a re duced rate (1 per cent) was introduced in 2001 for 
building and public works.65  These levies, outside the scope of  the community framework (which is 
exclusively concerned with deliveries of goods),  make the tax regime more complex and impose 
additional management costs on economic operators, which are responsible for their assessment and 
collection. 
                                                      
60 Law No. 062-2008/AN of 3 Decembe r 2008.  According to the Burkin a authorities, the classification 
of tobacco products is based solely on their quality.  Th e authorities have not so far provided a reference value 
update reflecting the separation into three quality ranges. 
61 Ordinance No. 2005-001/PRES of 17 February 2005. 
62 Law No. 027/99/AN of 25 November 1999.  Viewed at:  http://lankcharl2008.unblog.fr/2008/ 
04/30/loi-de-finances-gestion-2000. 
63 Law No. 062-2008/AN of 3 December 2008.  Th is exemption does not release them from the 
obligation to apply the levy to the purchases of their customers who are not exempt from payment of the 
advance.  Viewed at:  http://www.me.bf/index.php?o ption=com_remository&Itemid=27&func=select&id=10. 
64 Law No. 027/99/AN of 25 November 1999.  The deduction applies to service providers resident in 
Burkina Faso if the amount of their remuneration is not less than CFAF 500,000, but this threshold was reduced 
to CFAF 50,000 in 2006.  Under the residents regime, property rental transactio ns are not treated as the 
provision of services.  Viewed at:  http://lankcharl 2008.unblog.fr/2008/04/30/loi-de-finances-gestion-2000. 
65 Online information from "Investir en zone franc" , "La fiscalité des entreprises".  Viewed at:  
http://www.izf.net/pages/burkina-faso/4684. Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
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  (vi) Duty and tax concessions 
83. Burkina Faso grants exemptions from custom s duties and taxes to enterprises approved under 
the Investment Code (Chapter II(3)(e)), and Mining C ode (Chapter IV(3)).  Se veral concessions have 
emerged since the previous trade policy review .  In 2008, the importation and sale of unprocessed 
food products, fresh or frozen, intended for consump tion, including meat and fish, were exempted 
from VAT.66  A programme for the importation of microcomputers free of duties and taxes has been 
introduced on behalf of secondary and higher technical education estab lishments.  This programme, in 
force in 2009 and carried over into 2010 for all educational establishments, provides for imports under 
the exemption regime to be approved by the Minister  responsible for educati on.  Since 2010, imported 
mobile phones have been exempt from VAT and custom s duties.  Since 2009, rail transport operations 
have been subject to VAT. 
(vii) Prohibitions, quantitative restrictions and licensing 
84. Burkina Faso's foreign trade is subject to the rules laid down by WAEMU, in particular with 
respect to prohibitions on importation and transi t for reasons of public safety, environmental 
protection, morality and human health.  The prohib itions currently in force are listed in Table III.5.67 
85. The Ministry responsible for trade administers the authorization/approval regimes giving 
entitlement to import pesticides (on the advice of  the Ministry of Agriculture), pharmaceutical 
products (on the advice of the Ministry of Health), and tobacco.  It is also responsible for approving 
distributors of petroleum products, a monopoly on the importation of which is held by a State-owned 
company (SONABHY).  Explosives, arms, civilian ammunition and military effects can only be 
imported under a special import authorization (ASI) si gned by the Minister responsible for trade.  An 
ASI is also required for imports of sugar and equipment that uses freon;  approved WAEMU and 
ECOWAS originating products are not subject to this requirement.68  According to the Burkina 
authorities, the objective of the ASI regime is to control imports of "highl y sensitive" goods and to 
fulfil the government's international commitments. 
Table III.5 
Absolute prohibitions, 2009 
Product Origin Entry into force 
Bovine meat, products derive d therefrom and any foodstuff 
containing them Belgium, France, Ireland, Netherlands, Portugal, 
Switzerland, United Kingdom .. 
Poultry, pigs, farmed fish and any foodstuff containing 
them Belgium .. 
Poultry, poultry products, products derived therefrom and 
any foodstuff containing them Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Chinese 
Taipei, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Pakistan, Thailand, 
Viet Nam 2006 
Semen, embryos and breeding st ock Countries listed above 2006 
Milk and milk products Chinaa November 2008 
Asbestos All origins .. 
Ivory All origins .. 
                                                      
66 The fiscal implications of the 2008 Finance Law.  Viewed at:  
http://www.me.bf/index.php?option=com_remo sitory&Itemid=27&func=fileinfo&id=22. 
67 Directorate-General of Customs (undated). 
68 According to information dati ng from 2005 and still available on th e website of the Directorate 
General of Customs, the ASI was accompanied by minimum import thresholds for wheat flour (1,000 tonnes) and sugar (2,000 tonnes).  These thresholds are no longer applied.  Viewed at:  
http://www.douan es.bf/import_export/qual_acces_forma lites/presentation.htm#encad1. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
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  Product Origin Entry into force 
Firecrackers for entertainment and the like All origins .. 
Additives for making bread, containi ng potassium bromate All origins .. 
Additives for making bread, containing ammonium 
persulphate All origins .. 
Cattle feed containing meat or bone meal All origins .. 
.. Not available. 
a Online information from Fasosante.net.  Viewed at:  http://www.fasosante.net/actualite -sante/burkina/178-burkina-le-
government-suspend-limportati on-de-lait-chinois-.html. 
Source: Directorate-General of Customs. 
86. Since 1999, in accordance with the regime for the protection of literary and artistic property 
(section (4)(i)), an import visa has been required fo r any declaration of release for consumption of 
literary and artistic works and for blank media (fo r example, cassette tapes, CD-ROMs, DVDs) and 
this may be obtained from the BBDA against pa yment of an administrative fee (CFAF 1,000).69 
(viii) Standards, technical regulations and accreditation procedures 
87. In 2007, Burkina Faso acquired a new regulat ory framework governing standardization, 
certification, accreditation and quality promotion.70  However, the relevant implementing texts 
(five decrees and three orders) are still in process of adoption.  The new framework for 
standardization should define the categories of st andards, together with the procedures for their 
preparation, approval and application.  With rega rd to certification, the implementing texts should 
establish the conditions of issuance of the nationa l mark of conformity with standards and the 
procedures governing the intervention of the certi fying bodies in Burkina Faso, including their 
approval and the monitoring of their activities.  Th e national policy on quality is in the process of 
being developed;  its implementa tion is expected to be accompanied by the establishment of a 
Supreme Quality Council and a Burkina prize for quality. 
88. Burkina Faso has had a Standardization and Quality Promotion Bureau (FASONORM) since 
1998.71  This service is responsible for coordinating studies and work on standardization and quality;  
raising the awareness of economic operators and providing them with training;  and certifying 
products and enterprises.  FASONORM is involved in the preparation of national standards from 
identification of the needs through to approval;  th e protection of the public interest is ensured by 
establishing technical committees composed of various  relevant stakeholders and by holding public 
consultations (lasting a maximum of  two months).  The draft standards approved form the subject of 
an approval order, which specifies whether the standard is mandatory (technical regulation).72  The 
standards in force are reviewed every five years in order to ensure consistency with the evolution of 
their conditions of application.  FASONORM hou ses the national enquiry point on standards and 
                                                      
69 Article 113 of Law No. 032-99/AN of 22 December 1999. 
70 Law No. 011-2007/AN of 24 May 2007, promulgated by Decree No. 2007-387/PRES of 
15 June 2007. 
71 Decree No. 98-296/PRES/PM/MCIA/MEF of 15 July  1998 amending the statutes of the National 
Foreign Trade Board (ONAC) and entrusting it with the responsibilities of the national standardization service. 
72 The first nine standards drawn up by FASONORM were approved by Order 
No. 2006-053/MCPEA/SG/ONAC of 11 May 2006 and their application became mandatory in April 2007.  
Order No. 09-065/MCPEA/SG of 30 June 2009 approved 245 Burkina mandatory standards (technical 
regulations) which entered into force on 5 May 2010.  The standards approved concern the following categories:  fruit and vegetables, fishery products, oilseed products, animal products, cereals and pulses, chemical products, 
and building and civil engineering products. Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
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  technical barriers to trade (PNI/OTC), whic h supplies information not only on the technical 
regulations in effect but also on those of countries of exportation that are Members of the WTO. 
89. The Quality and Metrology Inspectorate (IQM),  a service of the IGAE in the Ministry 
responsible for trade, participates in the implem entation of national policy on metrology and quality 
promotion.  In addition to conserving the national measurement standards, the IQM is in charge of 
overseeing the application of technical regulati ons on quality and metrology;  checking measuring 
instruments (legal metrology);  and organizi ng awareness-raising among economic operators and 
providing them with training in quality and metrology.  Within the framework of the WAEMU "Quality" programme (joint report, Chap ter III(2)(v)), Burkina Faso hosts the Regional 
Temperature Calibration Laboratory (LER),  which is in process of accreditation. 
(ix) Sanitary and phytosanitary measures 
90. Burkina Faso has not notified the WTO of an y sanitary or phytosanitary measures.  The 
principal legislative texts are listed in Table III.6.  In general, the regulatory framework appears to be 
out-of-date and ill adapted to the current circumstan ces;  a formal mechanism for consulting economic 
operators could give fresh impetus to the reform process. 
91. In Burkina Faso, phytosanitary safety is th e responsibility of the Directorate of Plant 
Protection and Market Preparation (DPVC) within the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and 
Fisheries (MAHRH)
73, which operates a network of 18 cont rol posts on the land borders and at 
Ouagadougou Airport.  The DPVC is the national enquiry point for the SPS Agreement and the focal 
point for the Codex Alimentarius and the Interna tional Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), of which 
Burkina Faso has been a member since 1995.  Phytosanitary risks ar e managed by a multidisciplinary 
team set up in 2006.74  Within the context of its activities, the team may seek advice from any natural 
or legal person whose professional, technical or  scientific expertise is deemed necessary. 
Table III.6 
SPS regulatory framework 
Legislative text Description / source 
Order No. 12 AGRI-CCOP of 14 September 1960 On the reorganizati on and functioning of the Agricultural Services Directorate 
(DSA) of Upper Volta, anti-acridian a nd crop and food protection section. 
Decree No. 348-PRES-ECNA of 16 August 1961 Establishing phytosan itary controls and regulating the conditions of importation 
and exportation of plants, parts of plants, products of plant or animal origin and 
other materials entering or leaving the te rritory of the Repub lic of Upper Volta 
(http://www.aec.msu.edu/fs2/mali_pasi dma/report01/Burkina_regulatory_ 
framework.pdf). 
Order No. 1 ECNA/DSA of 2 February 1962 Re stricting imports and exports of plants, plant products, parts of plants, products 
of plant or animal origin and various materials that could contain parasites. 
Order No. 000005/CNR/AGRI-EL/SG/DGA of 
28 January 1985 On the taxation of products subject to quality control. 
Kiti No. AN VII-0114/FP/AGRI-EL of 
22 November 1989 Establishing sanitary inspection for an imals and products and by-products of 
animal origin intended for human consumption. 
Kiti No. AN VII 113/FP/AGRI-EL of 22 November 1989 (Animal Health Code) Regulating the zoosanitary police.  In pa rticular see Title IV on general animal 
protection measures and Article 65. 
Decree No. 92-332/PRES/PM/MFP/MICM of 
19 November 1992 On the import inspection programme (with a list of the products exempt from 
preshipment inspection currently carried out by the SGS). 
                                                      
73 Order No. 2006-035/MAHRH/SG/DGPV.  Viewed at:  
https://www.ippc.int/index.php?id=nppoBFA&L=2. 
74 Order No. 2006/014/MAHRH/MESSRS/MECV.  Viewed at:  
https://www.ippc.int/index.php?id=nppoBFA&L=2. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
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  Legislative text Description / source 
Decree No. 94-014/PRES/PM/MICM/ MFPL of 
6 January 1994 Establishing the list of products subject to the CNC 
(http://faolex.fao.org/doc s/texts/bkf18154.doc). 
Order No. °95-027/MICM/MEFP of 5 April 1995 Establishing the procedures for the inspection of products intended for 
consumption in Burkina Faso. 
Law No. 041/96/ADP of 8 November 1996 (and 
amendment Law No. 006/98/AN of 26 March 1998) Establishing pesticide cont rols in Burkina Faso. 
Decree No. 98-472/PRES/PM/MCIA/AGRI of 
2 December 1998 On the functions, composition and rules of operation of the National Pesticide 
Control Commission (CNCP). 
Decree No. 98-481/PRES/PM/MCIA/AGRI of 9 December 1998 Establishing the conditions of issuance of the permit for the importation, sale, 
stocking and free distribution of pesticides  and the provision of pesticide-related 
services. 
Order No. 106/MEF/MA/MCIA/MEF of 5 July1999 On the taxation of products subject to quality control. 
Order No. 99-0041/MA/MEF of 13 October 1999 Establishing the rate of the fixed duty applicable in connection with pesticide 
control. 
Order No. 00-026/MCIA/MEF of 17 May 2000 Establishing the list of products subject to the CNC. 
Joint Order No. 2003-007/MS/MFB/MAHRH/ MCPEA Establishing the procedures for controlling the sanitary quality of food products 
and allied products. 
Joint Order No. 2007-226/MCPEA/MFB/MS Establishing the list of  products subject to the CNC and the sanitary quality 
certificate. 
Source : Government of Burkina Faso. 
92. Burkina Faso has four different independent mi nisterial bodies vested with control powers to 
inspect certain local or imported products before they are placed on the domestic market.  The 
products concerned and the documen ts required are shown in Table III.7;  apart from the various 
certification procedures, some of them are also subject to a reference value at importation (section (2)(iii)(b)).  The DPVC inspects the packag ing, presentation and quality  of agricultural and 
food products intended for consumption in Burkina Faso ;  their conformity with the standards in force 
is certified by an inspection note (BV).  A phytosan itary inspection report (PV) is also issued for 
imports once the declaration made on the foreign phytosanitary certificate h as been checked;  the 
certificate does not, however, exempt the imports from inspection by the DPVC.
75  The IGAE in the 
Ministry responsible for trade is in charge of examining the goods on their arrival at the customs 
cordon and, where appropriate, issuing the CNC.76  The National Public Health Laboratory (LNSP) of 
the Ministry of Health carries out sanitary controls, as confirmed by a sanitary quality certificate 
(CQS).77  Animal health controls are the responsibilit y of the Directorate-General of Veterinary 
Services (DGSV) of the Ministry of Animal Reso urces.  Where live animals are concerned, a prior 
import authorization (API) must be issued by the veterinary authority before any importation takes 
                                                      
75 The DPVC also issues the following technical doc uments:  import permits (specifically for seeds and 
seedlings);  quality control certificates (specifically fo r pesticides);  and, at exportation, phytosanitary 
certificates.  Moreover, the DPVC collaborates with th e Ministry responsible for trade in the process of 
approving pesticide importers;  the cost of obtaining ap proval varies with the activ ity (wholesaler, manufacturer, 
retailer) and once obtained it is valid for three years (Decree No. 2008-679/PRES/PM/MAHRH/MCPEA of 
27 October 2008). 
76 The CNC was introduced by Decree No. 94-014/PRES/PM/MICM/MFPL of 6 January 1994.  The 
list of products concerned was established by Order No. 00-26/MCIA/MEF of 17 May 2000, notified in 
WTO document G/LIC/N/3/BFA/ 1/Add.1 of 18 December 2000.  The WT O was not notified of its updating by 
Joint Order No. 2007-226/ MCPEA/MFB/MS of 13 July 200 7.  According to the Burkina authorities, imports of 
products originating in other WAEMU member countries are no longer subject to the CNC. 
77 According to the parliamentary commission of enquiry  into fast-moving consumer goods, "the battle 
for legitimacy between the Inspectorate-General of Economic Affairs and the National Public Health Laboratory is leading importers to turn to one or other of these agencies depending on their interests, which raises the 
problem of the reliability of the certificates issued".  Viewed at:  http://www.an.bf/voixparlement/lvpn82-83.pdf. Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
 Page 205 
 
 
  place.  Where an inspection gives rise to doubt, the measures provided for in the Animal Health Code 
apply to:  placement under observation (seizure);  quarantine (Articles 67-68);  and partial or total 
destruction. 
93. At present, whenever food products are imported,  up to three samples can be taken, with 
payment of the various taxes applicable.  Moreover,  in some cases, the IGAE carries out a preliminary 
analysis of samples of products requiring a CNC with a view to issuing an import authorization;  a similar document is also issued by the DPVC (for seed s and seedlings).  The results of the analysis (if 
found to be in conformity) must be attached to th e preliminary import declaration when it is sent to 
the inspection company (Cotecna).  When the consi gnment arrives at the cu stoms cordon, the IGAE 
takes a fresh sample with a view to issuing a CNC.   Aware of a certain overlap in the responsibilities 
of the various control agencies and the malfunctioning of the single window for the formalities relating to the issuance of conf ormity certificates set up in 2007
78, the Burkina authorities are in the 
process of evaluating the procedures in for ce and the possibilities of rationalizing them. 
Table III.7 
Products subject to SPS controls before being placed on the market 
Tariff nomenclature Description of product IGAE 
(CNC) LNSP 
(CQS) DPVC 
(BV) DGSV 
(veterinary) 
Chapter 03 Fishery products other than crustaceans and 
molluscs (fresh fish, smoked fish, etc.)  ●  ● 
04-01 to 04-06;  19-01-90 Dairy produce ● ●  ● 
04-05-1;  15-17-10;  21-03-30;  
21-03-90-90 Butter;  margarine;  mayonnaise;  mustard ● ●  ● 
04-09-00-00-00;  17-02-19-00-00 Natural and artificial honey  ●  ● 
07-01 to 07-11;  08-01 to 08-11 Fruit and vegetables  ●   
07-14 Tubers  ●   
08-10-90-00-00 Crustaceans,  molluscs, etc.  ●   
09-01;  09-02 Tea and coffee ● ●   
09-10 Spices  ●  ● 
10-01-10-00-00 Wheat  ● ●  
10-05;  10-07;  10-08 Cereals, unworked  ● ●  
10-06-30 to 10-06-40 Rice ● ● ●  
11-01-00-00-00 Wheat flour ● ●   
12-07-10 to 12-07-99 Oilseeds  ●   
15-01 to 15-16 Edible fats  ●  ● 
15-07-90;  15-08-90;15-09-90;  
15-11-90-10-00;  1 5-11-90-90-90 Edible vegetable oils ● ●   
16-02;  16-04;  16-05;  20-01 to 20-05;  
20-08 Preserved food of animal, fish or vegetable 
origin ● ●  ● 
17-01-91 to 17-01-99 Sugar, granulated, powdered or in lumps ● ●   
17-02-90-00-00;  21-06-90-10-00 Syrups  ●   
17-04;  18-06-90-10;  19-05-31 Bi scuits and confectionery ● ●  ● 
19-01-10-00-00 Flour for infant use  ●  ● 
19-02 Pasta and couscous ● ●  ● 
19-05-90-00-00 Pastrycooks' products  ●  ● 
20-02-90-10 to 20-02-90-20 Tomato concentrate ● ●  ● 
21-02 Yeasts and additives for breadmaking ● ●  ● 
21-04-10-10-00 Cubes and aromas for seasoning ● ●  ● 
21-06-90-90-90 Ready meals  ●  ● 
21-06-90-90-90 Food colours  ●  ● 
22-01 Mineral waters and aerated waters, 
unsweetened ● ●  ● 
                                                      
78 Joint Order No. 2007-218/MCPEA/MEF/MS of 26 June 2007. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
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  Tariff nomenclature Description of product IGAE 
(CNC) LNSP 
(CQS) DPVC 
(BV) DGSV 
(veterinary) 
22-02-10 Aerated waters, sweetened ● ●  ● 
22-03;  22-06-00-10 Beer ● ●   
22-04;  22-05 Wine ● ●   
22-07-10-10 Pharmaceutical alcohol ● ●   
22-08 Liqueurs and spirits ● ●   
22-09 Vinegar ● ●   
23-09 Animal feed  ●  ● 
24-02 and 24-03 Cigarettes a nd tobacco of all kinds ● ●   
25-01-00-20-00 Cooking salt ● ●   
28-09 Carbide ●    
28-28-90-10 Bleach ● ●   
Chapter 31 Fertilizers  ●   
33-03 to 33-05;  34-01 Soaps, perfumery and cosmetic products ● ●   
33-06-10-00-00 Toothpastes  ●   
35-06-10 and 35-06-91 Cold-vul canizing glues (solutions) ●    
38-08-90-10-99 Insecticides, in aerosols and coils ● ● ●  
38-08-99-00-90 Pesticides, other than aerosol insecticides ● ● ● ● 
39-23-21;  39-23-29 Polyethyle ne and polypropylene bags ● ●   
40-11-40-00-00;  40-11-50 Pneumatic tyres for bicycles, mopeds and 
motorcycles of a cylinder capacity of less than 
125 cc. ●    
40-13-20 to 40-13-90 Inner tube s for bicycles, mopeds and 
motorcycles of a cylinder capacity of less than 
125 cc. ●    
72-08 to 72-12;  72-19;  72-20;  72-25;  
72-26;  73-08-90-90-90;  74-09;  75-06;  
76-06;  79-05 Metal plates and sheets ●    
73-11-00-00-00;  76-13-00-00-00 Gas cylinders ●    
85-06-10 to 85-06-80 Primary cells ●    
Source:  Ministry of Animal Resources and Joint Order No. 2007-226/MCPEA/MFB/MS. 
(x) Packaging, marking and labelling requirements 
94. Burkina Faso has had rules on marking and labelling since 1987.79  Specific provisions 
govern the release for consumption of certain prod ucts, such as electrical batteries, rice, boxes of 
matches, and cigarettes (Table III.8).80 
Table III.8 
Marking and labelling requirements 
Item Specific marking 
Cigarettes On the carton and packet:  Vente au Burkina Faso  (Sale in Burkina Faso). 
Batteries Indelibly inscribed, in Fr ench, on the surface of the battery:  Vente au Burkina Faso ;  name and 
address of manufacturer;  voltage;  type de signation;  polarity signs;  sell-by date. 
Matches In the upper part of  the face of the box:  Vente au Burkina Faso . 
Rice On each jute or polypropylene sack:  Burkina Faso ;  percentage broken;  brand and sales 
description;  net weight;  country of origin;  name and address of importer. 
Source:  Burkina authorities. 
                                                      
79 Kiti (Law) AN-IV 458 bis/CNR/CAPRD of 31 July 1987 establishes the control procedures for 
certain pre-packaging. 
80 Cotecna online information, "Bur kina Datasheet".  Viewed at:  
http://www.cotecna.com.ph/COM/Im ages/burkina_datasheet.pdf. Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
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  95. Additional requirements were introduced with  the adoption of new regulatory frameworks 
concerning biotechnological risk prevention, plant seeds, and fertilizer controls.81 
96. Genetically modified organisms and products deri ved therefrom, distributed or marketed on 
the national territory, must be labelled in such a wa y that the labelling cannot be effaced or falsified 
and must bear the words "Products based on genetically modified orga nisms" or "Contains genetically 
modified organisms".  They may only be placed on the market if the labelling indicates the name of 
the genetically modified organism, the name and address of the distributor, and warnings, in French, concerning use. 
97. Any packaging containing fertilizer must bear an appropriate label showing, in readable form, 
the name and address of the manufacturer, the form ula, the nutrient content and the net weight.  
Where fertilizer is shipped in bulk, a label must accompany each shipment. 
98. Packaging containing seeds must include, on the in side and the outside, accurate information 
for the purpose of ensuring the traceability of the seed (name of species, category of forestry 
reproductive material, name of variety, country of production, cycle, date of harvesting, lot number, 
use-by date, weight, and treatment product used).   The name, address and business name of the 
distributor must also be legibly indicated. 
(xi) Contingency measures 
99. Burkina Faso has no domestic legislation on anti-dumping, countervailing or safeguard 
measures.  There are, however, provisions at community level (joint report, Chapter III(2)). 
(xii) Other measures 
100. In Burkina Faso, buffer stocks are maintained  by the National Security Stock Management 
Company (SONAGESS) and the Burkina Nationa l Hydrocarbons Company (SONABHY).  Burkina 
Faso applies the sanctions decided upon within th e framework of the United Nations Organization or 
the regional organizations to which it belongs. 
(3) M
EASURES DIRECTLY AFFECTING EXPORTS  
(i) Registration and customs procedures 
101. The registration formalities applicable to imports of goods for commercial purposes also 
apply to exports (section (2)(i)).  All exports are s ubject to the submission of a detailed declaration to 
Customs;  the conditions relating to the use of appr oved customs clearing agents are identical to those 
at importation.  Sesame is subject to a specia l export authorization regime;  depending on market 
conditions, this regime may also be applied to cereals.  The community provisions concerning the 
repatriation of earnings and their conversion into CFAF are in force (joint report, Chapter III(3)(i)). 
102. Exports and re-exports are zero-rated for VAT and exempt from the application of other 
domestic taxes.82  Exports of services are not eligible for the zero-rated VAT regime, which tends to 
                                                      
81 Law No. 005-2006/AN of 17 March 2006 on the biotechnological safety regime in Burkina Faso.  
Law No. 026-2007/AN of 20 November 2007 instituting fertilizer controls in Burkina Faso.  Law 
No. 010-2006/AN of 31 March 2006 on the regulation of plant seeds in Burkina Faso. 
82 The right of deduction is conferred on certain operatio ns treated as exports, in cluding the part of land 
transport operations that takes place abroad;  international air transport operations;  the provisioning of aircraft WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
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  disadvantage the development of the sector in Burk ina Faso and could deter some foreign investors.83  
The shipment of some live animals and raw hides ab road is subject to the levying of the following 
taxes:  bovine animals (CFAF 3,000 per animal);  sheep and goats (CFAF 250 per animal);  poultry 
(CFAF 50 per bird);  and raw hides (CFAF 100 per kilo).84  Burkina Faso also imposes a levy of 
CFAF 500 per export certificate for works of art, wh ich goes to the National Cultural Promotion Fund 
(FNPC).85 
(ii) Goods in transit 
103. Transit operations can be processed only in certain customs offices, whose powers are defined 
by regulation.86  Goods in transit must be escorted to the point of departure from Burkina customs 
territory;  goods re-exported by land are also subject to this rule.87 
104. International transit operations by rail are ca rried out by the International African Rail 
Transport Company (SITARAIL) and exempt from payment of a deposit.  International transit by air is open to airlines flying international routes;  th ese must be approved by the Customs Administration 
and make an annual deposit.  Where international ro ad transit is concerned, the mandatory approval 
applies to the means of transport and not to the comp anies, which means higher costs for road carriers.  
Burkina Faso has been implementing the ECOWAS international road transit carnet (TRIE) since 
1 January 2004.
88  In principle, this instrument allows for goods to be transported without breaking 
bulk within the ECOWAS area, under cover of a sing le document and with the suspension of duties, 
taxes and prohibitions.  Transit under the TRIE carnet  requires approval of the means of transport and 
must be guaranteed by the CCI-BF. 
(iii) Export prohibitions and controls 
105. According to the Burkina authorities, ivor y and gold are subject to a special export 
authorization (ASE);  the export of objects belonging to the cultural heritage is subject to authorization by the Ministry of Tourism.  Th e export of young animals (donors and females) is 
prohibited, and the export of charcoal is suspended.
89  The export of cereals for marketing was also 
suspended for six months in 2008, within the cont ext of emergency measures taken in response to the 
surge in food prices.90  Exports of plant products must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate 
and an inspection note.91  A sanitary certificate is required for exports of meat, live animals and game. 
                                                                                                                                                                     
bound for a foreign destination;  aircraft maintenance for airline companies serving foreign destinations on at 
least 50 per cent of the routes operated;  services provided by the State, territorial authorities and public 
establishments of a non-industrial and non-commercial natu re;  and State contracts, fo r the part financed from 
external grants. 
83 UNCTAD (2009). 
84 The livestock sector's contribution is channelled into the Livestock Development Fund (FODEL), 
whose main missions are to provide loans and finance support measures in the form of subsidies.  However, 
because of administrative problem s, FODEL has so far merely served as an equipment fund. 
85 Decree No. 85-493/CNR/PRES/INFO/ of 29 August 1985, whose implementing regulations are set 
out in Raabo No. AN IV/54 CN R/CAB/DPCAB of 2 April 1987. 
86 Order No. 2003/00198/MFB/SG/DGD of 26 May 2003. 
87 Order No. 00/09 of 10 January 2000. 
88 Circular No. 2003/627/MFB /SG/DGD of 23 December 2003. 
89 Directorate-General of Customs (undated). 
90 Online information from the Centre for Budget Information, Training and Research.  Viewed at:  
http://cifoeb.org/spip.php?article33. 
91 Decree No. 348-PRES-ECNA. Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
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  (iv) Export subsidies and promotion 
106. In 1997, the Burkina authorities formally no tified the WTO that there were no subsidy 
programmes;  they reaffirmed the non-existence of subsidies, including any form of income or price 
support, in December 2009.92  Tax concessions are granted to enterprises eligible for the export 
enterprise regime (enterprises that export at least 80 per cent of their total production) under the 
Investment Code (Chapter II(3)(iii)). 
(4) MEASURES AFFECTING PRODUCTION AND TRADE  
(i) Incentives 
107. Burkina Faso grants certain tax concessions under the Investment Code (Chapter II(3)(iii)) 
and the Mining Code (Chapter IV(3)).  Various su pport measures are also available to agricultural 
producers within the context of the rural developmen t policy and food security (Chapter IV (2)(i)).  In 
2008, faced with the global food crisis, the Burkin a authorities temporarily suspended the levying of 
customs duties and/or VAT on certain imported or  locally produced fast-moving consumer products;  
hydrocarbons prices were subsidized (Chapter I(2)). 
(ii) Competition and price control regime 
108. The regulatory framework for competition policy has not changed since 200193;  Burkina 
Faso did not adapt its legislation following the entry into force of the relevant community regulations 
(joint report, Chapter III(3)(ii)).  However, the la tter would modify the functions of the CNCC, given 
the exclusive powers of the WAEMU Commission in the areas of anticompetitive understandings, 
abuse of a dominant position and State aid.  Since th e entry into force of th e community regime, apart 
from cooperation within the framework of the WAEMU Advisory Committee on Competition, the 
responsibilities of the CNCC have been largely c onfined to consumer protection and combating 
competition-restrictive practices, which, under the national legislation, are defined as unjustified 
discrimination against an economic partner;  mislead ing advertising;  fraud;  and counterfeiting.  The 
sanctions arising out of these restrictive practices are also defined at national level. 
109. The Minister responsible for trade is empower ed to take exceptional measures, including 
price regulation, when competition on the domestic ma rket is limited by a monopoly situation, crisis 
conditions or supply problems.94  The law on competition provides for four regimes:  monitored free 
pricing (observation without any particular constrai nts);  controlled pricing (ceiling prices);  fixed 
prices;  and frozen prices or margins.  In the case of  imports, the fixed price regime may apply either 
to the price itself or to the profit margin (expressed in absolute or relative terms).  According to the 
Burkina authorities, the fixed price regime app lies to only five groups of products:  hydrocarbons95, 
adjusted each month according to global price tre nds;  school textbooks;  essential generic medicines 
and medical consumables96;  public water and electricity tariffs;  and tobacco products.  The IGAE in 
                                                      
92 WTO documents G/SCM/N/3/BFA, G/SCM/N/16/BFA, G/SCM/N/25/BFA of 2 September 1997 
and G/SCM/N/186/BFA of 14 December 2009. 
93 Law No. 33-2001/AN of 4 December 2001, amending Law No. 15/94/ADP of 5 May 1994. 
94 Law No. 15/94/ADP of 5 May 1994 and Decree No. 2003-615/PRES/PM/MCPEA/MFB of 
26 November 2003. 
95 Orders Nos 96-28/MCIA/SG/IGAE, 96-29/MCIA/SG/IGAE and 96-30/MCIA/SG/IGAE of 
20 May 1996. 
96 Orders Nos 97-134/MS/MCIA and 97-135/MS/MCIA of 19 May 1997. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
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  the Ministry responsible for trade has the task of  overseeing the effective implementation of pricing 
policy. 
(iii) State trading, State-owned enterprises and privatization 
110. Burkina Faso has not made any notification to the WTO concerning state trading enterprises.  
Although ambitious, its privatization programme has experienced some delays.  Some sectors of the 
economy, including electricity and water, hydrocarbons supplies97, rail transport and certain postal 
services (letters and postcards of a weight not exceed ing 2,000 grams), have still not been liberalized.  
As regards telecommunications, Onatel held exclusiv e rights to the fixed telephony network, telex and 
telegraphy up to 31 December 2005.  This monopoly was abolished with the sale of 51 per cent of the 
shares to the Maroc Telecom group in 2006.  The State holds a monopoly on the importation of 
tobacco products whose selling prices are fixed by the Ministry responsible for trade.  It exercises this 
monopoly through a private operator authorization regi me;  nine approved impor ters operate in free 
competition, without restrictions on the quantities imported. 
111. The Privatization Commission within the Ministry  responsible for trade is the technical body 
in charge of implementing the State withdrawal policy first introduced in 1991.98  According to the 
Burkina authorities, 28 enterprises ha ve been transferred to the private sector using six methods of 
privatization, namely:  the sale of shares;  the sale of assets;  increase of capital;  operating 
concession;  lease-purchase;  and lease-management.  A total of 21 enterprises have been liquidated or 
are in process of liquidation.  In 2010, the residual portfolio of the privatization programme contained 
six enterprises (Table III.9).  The severe deteriorat ion of the internationa l economic and financial 
environment since the end of 2008 has been reflected in a certain slowing down of the State 
withdrawal programme.  The Burkina National El ectricity Company (Sonabel) and the National 
Water and Sanitation Board (ONEA) have been w ithdrawn from the list of enterprises to be 
privatized. 
Table III.9 
Status of the privatization programme, 2002-2009 
Company Principal activity Initial State share 
(%) Final State share 
(%) 
2002    
ONBAH Dams 100 Liquidated 
SBF Brickworks 100 Liquidated 
2003    
SONACIB Cinema 82 Liquidated 
CNEA Agricultural equipment 100 Liquidated 
CGP Rice 100 Liquidated 
ONPF Well and boreholes 100 Liquidated 
MEDIFA Medicines 100 Liquidated 
2004    
Hôtel Indépendance Hotel trade 100 Lease-management 
2005    
CENATRIN Information technology 100 Liquidated 
                                                      
97 SONABHY holds a monopoly on the importation and storage of petroleum products.  The 
distribution of these products is open to competition, but the economic operators must be approved by the 
Ministry responsible for trade. 
98 For the sake of transparency, its work is monitored by observers representing the general 
management of the enterprise concerned, the staff and the Ministry responsible for technical supervision.  The 
main Burkina trade union bodi es are also represented. Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
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  Company Principal activity Initial State share 
(%) Final State share 
(%) 
CBMP Precious metals 100 Liquidated 
2006    
ONATEL Telecommunications 100 49 
2007-Present    
AÉROPORTS Airport services 100 Concession/ Affermage  
ONATEL Telecommunications 49 26a 
SONABHY Petroleum products 100 In progress 
BUMIGEB Surveys and geology 100 In progress 
Hôtel Silmandé Hotel trade  90.94 In progress 
CCVA Vehicle inspection 100 49b 
a It is intended to continue State withdrawal by se lling 6 per cent of the capital to the employees. 
b It is intended to continue State withdr awal by selling 4 per cent of the capital to  the employees and 20 per cent by public o ffering.  
Source:  Burkina authorities. 
(iv) Government procurement 
112. The process of reform of the Burkina gove rnment procurement management system 
culminated in the drafting of new regulati ons, which entered into force on 1 July 2008.99  The aim of 
the innovations introduced was to increase the tran sparency and efficiency of the public contract 
mechanism.  The regulatory framework now encompasses public service concessions and 
incorporates the corresponding WAEMU rules (joint report, Chapter III(4)(ii)).  Discrimination based 
on the nationality of the candidates and distortions  of free competition between public and private 
bidders are prohibited.  In accordance with co mmunity requirements, the regulatory and control 
functions are performed by two different bodies.100  The Directorate-General of Government 
Procurement (DGMP) maintains a database, acc essible on-line to any economic operator, on the 
awarding of Burkina public contracts.101 
113. The methods of awarding public contracts vary, among other things, with the purchase sum.  
An open invitation to tender is mandatory when  the cost estimate, all taxes included, is 
CFAF 20 million or more;  the invitation is publishe d in the Government Procurement Review and in 
at least one mass-circulation gene ral newspaper.  The invitation to tender may be open (with or 
without pre-selection).  Exceptionally, the contracting authority may opt for selective tendering or direct negotiation (private agreement).
102  A price request procedure, which requires publication in the 
Government Procurement Review onl y and ends in a letter of purchase, may be used when the amount 
is equal to or greater than CFAF 1 million but less than CFAF 20 million.  Publ ic contracts that do not 
                                                      
99 Decree No. 2008-173/PRES/PM/MEF of 16 April 2008 on the general regulation of government 
procurement and public service concessions. 
100 As of 1 July 2008, the Public  Contracts Regulatory Authority (ARMP) became the national entity 
responsible for regulation, dispute settlement and the evaluation of the system for awarding public contracts and 
public service concessions.  The Directorate-General of Government Procurement (DGMP) has exclusive 
authority over the awarding and perfor mance of public contracts and the monitoring of compliance with the 
relevant legislation.  Viewed at:  http://www.finances.gov.bf/. 
101 DGMP online information.  Viewed at:  
http://www.dcmp.bf/SiteDcmp/sta tistiques-marches-publics/statistiques-des-marches.jsp. 
102 To ensure a certain level of competition, the number of candidates invited to submit bids under the 
selective invitation to tender procedure cannot be less than three.  Private agreements may only be reached with 
contractors, suppliers or service providers who agree to  submit themselves to a price check.  They must not 
appear on the list of unreliable suppliers or those who have had difficulty in performing public contracts. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
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  exceed the threshold of CFAF 1 million are executed in  the form of a "purchase order" after a request 
for quotes, a simplified procedure which does not take written form.103 
114. Depending on the nature and term of the contract , the contractor may be required to provide a 
performance guarantee;  this may not exceed 5 per cent of the basic contract price plus or minus 
amendments, where appropriate.  Intellectual services contracts are awarded after a request for 
proposals, followed by competitive bidding by th e pre-selected consultants;  in this case no 
performance guarantee is required.  The regulator y framework provides for the appointment of 
someone to take charge of the contract, with responsibility for implementin g the award procedures 
and monitoring performance. 
115. Bids submitted by community enterprises that sa tisfy the specifications in the tender dossier 
benefit from a margin of preference of 10 per cent;  this increases to 15 per cent for local enterprises, 
in the case of invitations issued by local author ities.  A 15 per cent prefer ence is also granted to 
enterprises established in the WAEMU area that su pply worked or manufactured goods with a value 
added of at least 20 per cent.  In conformity w ith the community provisions, candidates undertaking to 
subcontract at least 30 per cent of the global value of the contract to a national enterprise may be 
entitled to an additional margin of 5 per cent, conc urrently with the previously mentioned preference 
rates. 
116. In 2009, the total value of the contracts approved by the Minister of the Economy and Finance 
was CFAF 269,720.9 million, as compared with CFAF 81,231.8 million in 2005.  Expressed as a percentage of GDP, government procurement rose from  2.8 per cent in 2005 to 6.9 per cent in 2009.  
Detailed statistics concerning the different proce dures for awarding contracts, available since 2007, 
are reproduced in Table III.10.  Despite the relativel y short time span, the data suggest an encouraging 
trend.  Thus, the percentages of the total value of  public contracts corresponding to awards based on 
selective invitations to tender and private agreemen t declined in favour of open invitation to tender 
procedures.  However, the breakdown by number of c ontracts reveals that in relative terms the use of 
open invitations to tender diminished between 2007 and 2009. 
Table III.10 
Public contracts by award procedure, 2007-2009104 
 2007 2008 2009 
 Number Amount 
(CFAF million) Number Amount 
(CFAF million) Number Amount 
(CFAF million) 
Total 624  114,916.2  760  118,094.4  646  269,720.9 
Award procedure (as a percentage of the total) 
  Open invitation to tender 70.35  40.24  69.61  67.26  54.18  68.91 
  Selective invitation to tender 9.94  39.93  8.68  16.90  13.62  12.54 
  Request for prices ..  ..  ..  ..  5.11  0.86 
  Request for proposals 6.41  6.00  12.76  7.78  10.68  7.87 
  Private agreement 13.30  13.82  8.95  8.06  16.41  9.82 
.. Not available. 
Source:  Directorate-General of Government Procurement. 
                                                      
103 The value of contracts divided into several lots is estimated on the basis of all the lots;  the award 
procedure adopted is applied to each lot. 
104 The table does not reflect the contracts awarde d by State public establishments, State-owned 
companies and communes, or contracts for less than CFAF 50 million (all taxes included) approved outside the Ministry of the Economy and Finance.  Awards of public service concessions, totalling CFAF 15,481.9 million 
in 2009, are also not taken into account.   Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
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  (v) Protection of intellectual property rights 
117. Like the other WAEMU countries, Burkina Faso is a member of the African Intellectual 
Property Organization (OAPI), which was establis hed by the Bangui Agreement (joint report, 
Chapter III(4)(iii)).  The revised Bangui Agreement (1999) was ratified by the Burkina authorities on 
8 June 2001.105  Under the 1991 Constitution, this agreement is applicable in Burkina Faso as State 
law and enforceable ipso jure ;  there is no national implementing legislation. 
118. The DNPI in the Ministry responsible for trade acts as the national liaison office in 
Burkina Faso.106  It is the main source of information and awareness-raising in the field of industrial 
property;  the establishment of an intellectual propert y advisory agency in 200 6 has helped to increase 
the number of filings.107  The steady increase in applications filed with the OAPI, particularly where 
trademarks and trade names are concerned (Table  III.11), contrasts with the DNPI's shortages of 
equipment and human resources. 
119. The protection of copyright and related rights is entrusted to the BBDA, whose role was 
strengthened in 2000108 by extending its sphere of action to  include the rights of performers, 
phonogram and videogram producers and broadcasti ng organizations.  The BBDA administers the 
income raised from the application of various taxes, in particular at the customs cordon 
(section (2)(iv)), as well as the royalties derived from copyright.  In addition to collecting income 
(including from abroad) and distributing it among those entitled to it, the BBDA is charged with 
combating piracy and raising awareness among artist s and the public.  Within the framework of its 
collaboration with the customs services, the BBDA issues the visas required for importing 
phonograms and videograms into Burkina Faso. 
Table III.11 
Applications received by the DNPI  and transmitted to the OAPI, 2005-2009 
 2005 2006 2007  2008 2009 
Patents 1 2 .. 2 4 
Trademarks 22 9 20 15 28 
Industrial designs 3 1 .. 1 .. 
Trade names 22 13 68 54 29 
Utility models 3 3 3 2 .. 
Renewal of trademarks .. .. .. 3 .. 
Renewal of industrial designs .. .. .. .. .. 
Registration in the special trademarks register .. .. .. .. .. 
Research into prior art  2 2 1 4 .. 
Trademark extension  .. .. .. .. .. 
.. Not available. 
Source:  Burkina authorities. 
120. The National Committee to Combat Piracy of Literary and Artistic Works (CNLPOLA) was 
set up in 2001 but is not yet operational.109  It will have the following responsibilities:  to implement 
national policy on combating the piracy of literary and artistic works;  to inform the public and 
promote awareness regarding respect for the legislation on literary and artistic property;  and to carry 
                                                      
105 Law No. 004-2001/AN of 15 May 2001. 
106 Order No. 01-117 /MCPEA/SG/DNPI of  24 December 2001. 
107 Ministry of Trade, Enterprise Promotion and Crafts (undated). 
108 Decree No. 2000-149/PRES/PM/MCA of 20 April 2000. 
109 Decree No. 2001-259/PRES/PM/MCA of 6 June 2001. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
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  out checks and bring proceedings before the courts against infringers of the law on the protection of 
literary and artistic property. 
 Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
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  IV. TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY SECTOR 
(1) INTRODUCTION  
121. Since the last review of Burkin a Faso's trade policy in 2004, the country's agricultural policy 
has been modified, in particular by a return to be tter guidance for producers with a view to improving 
their productivity.  New mining legislation has helped to attract foreign investment, and the 
Government has maintained a liberal trade policy on  foreign investment in most services sectors, with 
new measures for the liberalization of telecomm unications, accounting and air transport services 
aimed at transposing WAEMU community law.  Howe ver, road transport services continue to be 
organized by means of sharing agreements, whic h are delaying reform, and the energy import and 
distribution sectors have experienced crises and s hortages, due to lack of investment and poor 
management of some public enterprises. 
(2) AGRICULTURE , LIVESTOCK , FORESTRY AND FISHERY PRODUCTION  
(i) Overview 
122. More than 92 per cent of Burkina Faso's ac tive population works in agriculture.  Cotton and 
livestock-raising are the two main activities, fo llowed by cereal (sorghum, millet, maize), groundnut 
and pea growing.  Of the three climatic zones, th e Sahel and Sudan-type zones in the centre are the 
worst exposed to drought and are used for growin g cereals and for sesame, which can tolerate low 
rainfall.  Sorghum is the crop that occupies the la rgest proportion of the arable area, closely followed 
by millet, the rest being mainly taken up by maiz e.  The areas reserved for rice and fonio are fairly 
limited.  In value terms, the two main products ar e meat of bovine animals and cotton lint, followed 
by cowpeas, which are playing a st eadily increasing part in the diet. 
123. Poverty continues to predominate in rural ar eas and living conditions remain precarious.  
According to a report published in 2003 by the Nati onal Institute of Statistics and Demography of 
Burkina Faso (INSD), nearly a quarter of the popul ation lives in a state of chronic food insecurity.  
However, according to the FAO, the proportion of the population that is undernourished fell from 
14 per cent in 1992 to 13 per cent in 2000-2002, and then to 9 per cent in 2002-2004.110  The value 
added per agricultural worker is increasing steadily, by about 2.4 per cent per year in real terms, but 
remains very low, not exceeding the equivalent of €150 per year in 2004-2006.  Trade policies and practices designed to increase agricultural value adde d thus have an impact on the country's entire 
economy and, in particular, on poverty reduction. 
124. As crop and livestock farming are heavily dependent on weather factors, the growth of 
agricultural production, and hence of the economy as a whole, is very variable.  In volume terms, the 
growth of agricultural production has been strong during years of good rainfall, but there were sharp falls in 2000/2001, 2004/2005 and 2007/2008 (Table IV .1).  In 2007/2008, the rains destroyed crops, 
food stocks, seed and herds.  Thanks to an even  rainfall (and a State input  subsidy), in 2008/2009 
cereal production reached more than 4.4 million tonnes.  The forecast for the 2009/2010 crop was 
3.6 million tonnes. 
                                                     
 
110 FAO (2009). WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
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  Table IV.1 
Crop production, 2000/2001 to 2009/2010 
 2000/ 
2001 2001/ 
2002 2002/ 
2003 2003/ 
2004 2004/ 
2005 2005/ 
2006 2006/ 
2007 2007/ 
2008 2008/ 
2009e 2009/ 2010
e 
Cereals ('000 tonnes)  2,287  3,101  3,119  3,564  2,902  3,650  3,680  3,088  4,358  3,627 
Maize  316  606  653  666  481  799  866  534  1,014  895 
Rice  66  110  89  91  75  94  114  69  195  214 
Sorghum  847  1,372  1,373  1,610  1,134  1,553  1,516  1,507  1,875  1,521 
Millet  604  1,009  995  1,184  938  1,196  1,175  966  1,255  971 
Groundnuts  169  301  324  358  245  221  215  245  346  331 
Cowpeas  128  376  330  457  276  445  436  253  538  454 
Potatoes  27  42  37  29  41  71  81  62  73  81 
Sesame  7  31  14  18  12  25  23  19  52  56 
Seed cotton ('000 tonnes)  274  378  406  472  535  730  760  377  721  484 
Crop production 
(CFAF billion)  593  743  744  828  824  945  966  ..  ..  .. 
Crop production (CFAF billion, at 1999 prices)  576  652  666  727  708  791  798  ..  ..  .. 
..  Not available. 
Source:  Information provided by the Government of Burkina Faso (2010). 
125. In periods of normal rainfall, cereal, groundnut  and pea production covers all the country's 
needs.  The contribution of imported food produc ts (about CFAF 60 billion, €103 million) to total 
imports is relatively small as compared with othe r countries (10 per cent), and has even decreased 
slightly since 2004.  The main imports are tob acco, food preparations, rice (30 per cent of domestic 
consumption) and wheat, sugar a nd edible oils (Table IV.2). 
126. The main agricultural exports are cotton lint,  whose export value has varied, since 2004, 
between CFAF 100 billion and CFAF 200 billion  (€150 and 300 million), followed by livestock 
products, earnings from which appear  to have varied to a lesser extent (CFAF 32 to 51 billion 
depending on the year) but are very difficult to estimate because of the overriding importance of informal trade (Table IV.3).  The third export product is shea, export earnings from which doubled between 2004 and 2009 (to reach CFAF 17.5 billion, or €27 million).  There has also been a notable 
expansion of sesame production:   between 2000 and 2007, sesame exports increased in volume from 
8,600 to 21,400 tonnes and their value is be lieved to have reached €10 million in 2007. 
127. According to the authorities, the potential for cer eal exports lies mainly in West Africa, to 
which Burkina Faso is exporting little at present.  The authorities expect the regulatory and informal 
obstacles that are restricting Bu rkina cereal exports to other ECOWAS and WAEMU countries to 
diminish following the registration of cereals as a sensitive product within the framework of WAEMU 
and ECOWAS subregional policy, with a reducti on in the prohibitions and quotas imposed on the 
export of cereals, other non-tariff measures, roadblocks, etc. 
Table IV.2 
Imports of agrifood products, 2000 and 2007 
2000 2007 
Product Quantity 
(tonnes) Value 
(€ thousand) Product Quantity 
(tonnes) Value 
(€ thousand)  
Rice, milled 74,404 21,912 T obacco products 1,481 20,837 
Rice, broken 79,800 20,345 Food preparations 6,429 16,679 
Food preparations 16,100 20,205 Wheat 53,500 12,056 Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
 Page 217 
 
 
  2000 2007 
Product Quantity 
(tonnes) Value 
(€ thousand) Product Quantity 
(tonnes) Value 
(€ thousand)  
Tobacco, unmanufactured 2,027 12, 889 Sugar, refi ned 42,170 11,106 
Cola nuts 17,849 10,874 Edible pasta 17,139 9,524 
Tobacco products, n.e. s. 1,602 9,821 Milk, w hole, dried 2,919 8,892 
Wheat 49,883 9,420 Wheat flour 23,146 8,819 
Palm oil 14,027 9,097 Palm oil 13,800 8,037 
Malt 12,374 8,023 Food prep. of flour, malt 5,787 5,679 
Wheat flour 29,604 6,303 Rice, milled 14,450 5,261 
Milk, whole, dried 2,932 5,640 Oils, other 7,101 5,230 
Coffee extracts 592 4,922 Wine 5,013 4,683 
Cereal preparations 27, 566 4,909 Beverages, dis tilled alcoholic 3,893 4,199 
Sugar, refined 9,942 4,374 Cola nuts 7,848 3,687 
Milk, whole, condensed 4,087 4,329 Malt 9,519 3,662 
Rice, paddy 19,038 3,673 Vegetable oils, n.e.s. 4,120 3,288 
Vegetable oils, n.e.s. 3,928 2,882 Breakfast cereals 6,886 2,584 
Beans, dry 5,542 2,592 Rice, husked 7,116 2,429 
Milk, whole, evp. 1,580 2,236 Tomato paste 2,363 2,411 
Milk, skimmed, dried 1,167 1,300 Beverages, non-alcoholic 4,190 2,340 
Source : FAO online information, "Trade".  Viewed at :  http://faostat.fao.org/site/342/default.aspx. 
Table IV.3 
Exports of agricultural products, 2000 and 2007 
2000 2007 
Product Quantity 
(tonnes) Value 
(€ thousand) Product Quantity 
(tonnes) Value 
(€ thousand) 
Cotton lint 73,600 81,514 Cotton lint 200,938 179,223 
Bovine animals 174,160 15,196 Bovine animals 200,000 13,151 
Sheep 226,152 3,894 Sesame seed 21,352 9,864 
Sesame seed 8,589 3,487 Mangoes, mangosteens, etc. 3,261 6,395 
Cottonseed oil 5,288 3,054 Sheep 200,000 4,165 
Goats 146,557 2,714 Cottonseed oil 4,048 2,403 
Maize 42,393 1,924 Goats 150,000 2,192 
Cigarettes 372 1,783 Tomatoes 14,234 2,035 
Sugar, refined 2,859 1,592 Beans, green 939 1,875 
Cashew nuts 2,260 1,162 Oilseeds, n.e.s. 4,082 1,343 
Beans, green 770 716 Cottonseed 7,345 1,169 
Cottonseed cake 16,107 660 Vegetable oil, n.e.s. 813 907 
Shea nuts 11,575 580 Cigarettes 136 884 
Sheepskins, dried, salted 130 499 Maize 10,741 706 
Millet 10,010 448 So rghum 5,994 671 
Beans, dry 680 394 Tea 1,151 599 
Pulses, n.e.s. 713 380 Cocoa beans 495 550 
Fowl 689 321 Cottonseed cake 3,104 402 
Cottonseed 4,982 309 Beans, dry 2,396 373 
Mangoes, mangosteens and 
guavas 866 266 Infant food 93 329 
Source:  FAO online information, "Trade".  Viewed at:  http:/ /faostat.fao.org/site/342/default.aspx;  and IMF (annual 
average exchange rate).  WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
Page 218 
 
 
  (ii) Agricultural policy 
128. Following the structural adjustment phase of th e 1990s, marked by a process of liberalization 
and withdrawal of the State from the productive sectors, since 2000 Burkina Faso has adopted a strategy to alleviate poverty by centring its agricultural policy on increasing the output of small 
farmers so as to create conditions that  promote food security and reduce poverty.
111  As production 
involves numerous small farmers, the benefits of the increase in their incomes are more widely spread 
across the national economy and extend to the s uppliers of goods and services, the carriers who 
transport inputs and cotton, the workers in the ginning mills, etc.112  The Rural Development Strategy, 
adopted in 2003, was designed to be consistent with the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP, see 
Chapter V).  This policy has been carried out in  parallel with the Government's commitment to 
developing cotton exports (see below), whose va lue, in some years, accounts for as much as 
two thirds of total merchandise exports. 
129. However, following the withdrawal of the St ate from the agricultural sector after 1994, 
agricultural productivity and hence the quantities produced suffered from a lack of support and 
guidance for the producers;  and during the decade that followed the impact on rural poverty 
increased.113  Given the low level of financial resources available to most farmers working small areas 
of land, increased production largel y depends on the measures taken to encourage them, such as 
equipping the surface area for agriculture, the s upply and financing of i nputs and equipment, and 
guaranteed outlets for their produce. 
130. Almost all the enterprises engaged in the produc tion, processing and marketing of agricultural 
products have now been privatized and the Minist ry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries 
(MAHRH) is chiefly involved in providing support and advice to the producers, themselves grouped in producers' associations in order better to manage their collective inte rests.  However, a return to a 
more important role for the Ministry in producti on assistance was decided following the crisis caused 
by the surge in food prices in 2008, in particular via the distribution of subsidized inputs for food 
production. 
131. Since 2004, there has also been progress in growing crops that meet organic farming criteria, 
namely, the use of traditional agricultural practices and local resources, and thus are particularly suitable for small producers.
114  However, the authorities do not have enough resources to encourage 
this type of production (for example, technical know-how and the means of overcoming the various 
forms of resistance), which remains modest in scale.115  The main programme is that for promoting 
organic cotton being implemented by the National Union of Cotton Producers (UNPCB, see below) in 
collaboration with the Institute for the Envir onment and Agricultural Research (INERA, cotton 
programme). 
                                                      
111 Law No. 014/AN/99 of 15 April 1999 made possible the development of small farmers' 
organizations. 
112 Integrated Framework for Trade-Re lated Technical Assistance (2007). 
113 Government of Burkina Faso (2004). 
114 Organic farming creates sustainable living conditions for the fa rmers by providing them with access 
to new outlets and offering them better prices for their products.  As early as 1989, the Government had launched a wide-reaching campaign to popularize compost-making techniques with the slogan "One family, one 
composter". 
115 Online information from the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements, "Les 
chiffres clés de l'agriculture biol ogique en Afrique".  Viewed at:  
http://www.ifoam.o rg/growing_organic/3_advocacy_lobbying/fr _leaftlet_PDF/Statis tic_Africa_fr.pdf. Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
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  132. Varieties of genetically modified organisms ha ve been authorized since 2008;  for the time 
being, only cotton varieties are concerned. 
(iii) Principal trade measures 
133. At importation, the main trade measure is still customs duties, which have not changed since 
the introduction of the WAEMU CET in 2000 (joint report, Chapter III(2)).  The CET led to a halving 
of the duty rates on agricultural products, from more than 30 per cent pre-2000 to 14.6 per cent.  At 
the same time, agrifood imports are subject to  numerous regulatory controls (joint report, 
Chapter III(2)). 
134. In response to the increase in food prices in 2008, the Government suspended the collection 
of certain duties and taxes on some food products (Chapter III(2)).  Moreover, as indicated in 
Chapter III(2), staple food products are exempt  from VAT when sold or imported.  By 
WAEMU decision, the agricultural sector is, in pr inciple, excluded from the scope of VAT by the 
member States (joint report, Chapter III).  In 2008,  the Government temporarily banned the export of 
certain cereals to ensure the supply of the domestic market. 
135. In 2008, the Government took measures to boost domestic production and contain the 
increasing costs of food imports (in 2006 the cost of rice imports amounted to CFAF 40 billion, or 
€61 million).  To attain the objective of self-sufficien cy in rice by 2015, Burkina Faso would have to 
produce 500,000 tonnes of milled rice.  Its Emer gency Plan for Achieving Food and Nutritional 
Security (PUSAN, 2008) includes granting producers 7,000 tonnes of improved sorghum, maize, rice, cowpea and sesame seed;  selling at a heavily subsid ized price (50 per cent) 7,000 tonnes of fertilizer 
and 3,000 tonnes of urea to the rice growers;  and building producer capacity by providing support, 
advice, and training for monitors.  Production subsidies cost CFAF 8.2 billion in 2008/2009 and CFAF 12.1 billion (€18.44 million) in 2009/2010. 
136. The government measures on behalf of Burkina Faso's producers were followed by a 27 per 
cent increase in cereal production in 2008/2009 relative to  the average for the previous five years.  In 
the case of rice, production reached 195,000 tonnes in  2008/2009, which represents an increase of 
81 per cent.  These measures were therefore renewed in 2009 for rice and maize.  For the period 
2010-2015, production targets have been set for the 11 priority agricultural subsectors selected (sorghum, maize, cowpeas, sesame, rice, mango es, tomatoes, onions, cassava, yams, and sweet 
potato).  The choice of these subsectors is justified, in particular, by their substantial contribution to 
food security and poverty reduction, especially in rural areas. 
(iv) Policies in various subsectors 
(a) Cotton subsector 
137. In value terms, cotton comes first, ahead of me at of bovine animals.  Cotton is grown on more 
than 250,000 small farms and direc tly provides a living for nearly 3 million people, i.e. more than 
20 per cent of the population.
116  Thus, it is a strategic product for reducing poverty in Burkina Faso.  
Following a remarkable increase in sown areas and production, Burkin a Faso has become one of the 
largest producers of cotton in Africa.  However,  production volumes and va lues have been unstable 
from year to year (Table IV.4).  Yields vary  with the size of the farm, the equipment used 
(e.g., draught animals, mechanizati on, etc.), rainfall, and pressure from parasites.  A minority of 
                                                      
116 Burkina Joint-Trade Cotton Association (2008). WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
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  producers farm relatively large areas (up to 25 hect ares), but most work small farms (between three 
and five hectares). 
Table IV.4  
Cotton production, 1999-2009 
 1999/
2000 2000/ 
2001 2001/ 
2002 2002/ 
2003 2003/ 
2004 2004/ 
2005 2005/ 
2006 2006/ 
2007 2007/ 
2008 2008/ 
2009 2009/ 
2010 
Producer price of cotton (CFAF/kg.)  
160  
175  
200  
175  
175  
175  
175  
165  
165  
165  
160 
Seed cotton production ('000 tonnes)  
254  
274  
378  
406  
472  
535  
730  
760  
377  
721  
484 
Cotton lint production 
 - ('000 tonnes) 
 - (CFAF billion)  
88.9 
40.1  
95.9
44.0  
132.3 
66.0  
142.1 
70.7  
165.2 
82.6  
187.25 
93.6  
255.5 
127.75  
266 
125.4  
131.95 
62.2  
252.35 
119  
169.4 
77.4 
Area cultivated 
('000 hectares)  
240  
260  
360  
406  
444  
521  
621  
570  
379  
535  
406 
Yield 
(tonne/hectare)  
1.06  
1.06  
1.04  
1.0  
0.83  
1.01  
0.66  
1.36  
1.01  
1.35  
1.2 
Source : Information provided by the Burkina authorities. 
138. More than 9,000 groups of cotton producers have federated to form about 200 cotton 
producers' unions, at department and provincial levels and then at na tional level within the umbrella 
body, the National Union of Cotton Producers (UNP CB).  The UNPCB - together with other private 
players - supplies the groups with inputs (fertilizer, p esticides, etc.).  The input s are financed by loans 
from the agricultural banks, in particular, Ecoba nk, which in January 2009 took over the Burkina 
Agricultural and Commercial Bank (BA CB), and the Credit Union Network. 
139. SOFITEX, formerly a French public enterprise ( Compagnie française des textiles ) established 
in the aftermath of the Second World War in accordan ce with the integrated subsector model, lost its 
monopoly on the purchase of seed cotton in 2004.  As co-owner with 30 per cent of the shares, 
UNPCB has participated in the management of SOFITEX since 1999 and holds half the votes.  
Two new private ginning enterprises were establishe d in 2004:  FASOCOTON in the centre of the 
country and SOCOMA in the east.  The three companies now do the ginning and exploit the finished products (lint) and co-products (seed, lint waste) .  Each company has a monopoly for eight years 
(until 2012) on the purchase of seed cotton in the area attributed to it by a Protocol of Agreement 
which sets out the conditions, but it must:  (i) supply the producer groups with quality inputs on 
credit;  (ii) discharge the input loans upon delivery of the seed cotton;  and (iii) collect all the seed 
cotton produced in its area and pay for it at a price no lower than the floor price. 
140. The farmers are directors of the companies, hold shares in them and thus are directly involved 
in the management of the subsector.  The th ree cotton companies are grouped in the Cotton 
Companies Trade Association (APROCOB).  APRO COB and the UNCPB both belong to the Burkina 
Joint-Trade Cotton Association (AICB), the subsector's management body. 
141. The Protocol provides for the AICB to announce, following negotiations between the 
subsector's stakeholders, the prices of inputs and the producer floor price for seed cotton.  It also provides for an additional buying price or "cotto n refund" distributed during the following season in 
the event of a positive "cotton result" over the prec eding season.  The cotton result is the difference 
between the income of the cotton enterprises and thei r expenditure.  Finally, there is a price support 
fund financed by the producers through a levy on the floor price.  The subsector should cover its 
expenses even when global prices fall, if necessary by adjusting the floor price or drawing on the support fund. Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
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  142. Although global prices fell considerably be tween 1994/1995 and 2001/2002, the prices 
received by the producers did not decrease during that period (Table IV.4).  After an initial crisis in 
2001/2002, the cotton companies recorded heavy lo sses in 2004/2005, partly because of inadequate 
provisioning of the support fund, and partly because the prices paid to the producers did not reflect the 
price levels on world markets.117  A new system for determining prices, based on a seven-year moving 
average, was approved by the AICB in Marc h 2006.  The support fund became a smoothing fund, 
which pays out when the price falls below the floor  price, while its reserves are topped up when the 
price exceeds a ceiling price.  The proportion of the surplus allocated to the smoothing fund is determined by the size of the surplus and the amount  of the resources that have already accumulated 
in the fund.  The Smoothing Fund Association had at its disposal funds lent by the French 
Development Agency (AFD).
118 
143. In February 2007, the three cotton companies once more estimated substantial losses for the 
2007/2008 season (CFAF 40 billion, or €61 million), a nd then again for the 2008/2009 season;  in 
both cases, the losses were absorbed by the State.  During the period 2000-2009, Burkina Faso's 
revenue from cotton in CFAF stagnated, despite an  increase in production volume (Chart IV.1), and 
the State became a net contributor to the sector.  According to Burkina Faso, the support extended to 
cotton producers by some countries, by creating downward pressure on global prices, was one of the direct causes of the problems enc ountered by the Burkina cotton industr y.  Together with three other 
West African countries, Burkina Faso is actively pr essing for the elimination of these subsidies (joint 
report, Chapter IV).  According to the authorities, a substantial proportion of the production costs is 
not amenable to downward adjustment even if the worl d price falls;  this applies, in particular, to the 
cost of inputs, the cost of transport from the factory to the port of the importer, and financial costs. 
144. One of the programmes for the promotion of or ganically grown cotton (certified by Ecocert) 
is being implemented by the UNPCB.
119  The UNPCB has also obta ined the Fairtrade Labelling 
Organization label.  In 2005/200 6, however, production was still limited (150 tonnes of seed cotton), 
despite the fact that this cotton benefits from a premium linked to the "bio & fair" aspects plus a 
premium for social projects.  The average yield varies sharply with the fertility of the soil, the 
availability of organic manure, access to equipment,  etc.  The programme has facilitated the access of 
new organic cotton producer groups (GPCB) to equipment loans from Burkina credit unions.  A training programme for producers and UNPCB officials has also been organized. 
(b) Cattle - meat subsector 
145. The livestock sector accounts for 12 per cent of GDP , with a large herd of cattle, estimated at 
28 million head in 2009 and composed mainly of bovine animals, sheep and goats, but also of other animals such as pigs, asses, horses and camels.  The poultry flock is also large and probably 
represents the main source of protein for the population.  The Ministry of Animal Resources (MRA) is the government department responsible for the sector .  Its main programme is the Livestock Sector 
Action Plan and Investment Programme (PAPISE).  According to the authorities, the principal 
challenges facing the sector are the implementation of the regional land-use management schemes and 
the materialization of the policy of providing secur ity of tenure for collective and individual farms.  
The land question cuts across all ministerial depart ments:  mining and quarrying, water resources, 
roads and tracks, housing, forestry, partial and tota l wildlife reserves, etc.  Specific actions include 
encouraging the progressive settlement of pastoralis ts in the cotton-growing areas in the south and 
                                                     
 
117 Goreux, L. (2006). 
118 Online information from the French Developm ent Agency.  Viewed at:  http://www.afd.fr. 
119 UNPCB/HELVETAS (2006) and UNPCB online information.  Viewed at:  
http://www.unpcb.org/spip.php?  pa ge=article_simple&id_article=91. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
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  turning them into cattle-finishing areas;  creati ng corridors and access to wells and pasturage;  
augmenting semi-intensive and intensive production units by developing insemination and importing 
high-yield breeds;  setting up public-private partne rships and improving production incentives and 
access to title deeds;  improving access to the necessary basic services;  and introducing tax incentives 
for investors. 
146. According to MRA statistics, in 2007 live an imal exports amounted to 400,000 head for goats 
and about 350,000 head for bovine animals and sheep.   This trade suffered heavily as a result of the 
Ivorian crisis, but has being grow ing strongly again since 2003.  The animals are mainly exported to 
Nigeria (bovine animals), Ghana (goats), Benin, an d Côte d'Ivoire.  As the informal component is 
very important where live animal exports are concerne d, this trade is extremely difficult to quantify.  
According to the DTIS for the Integrated Framew ork programme, live animal exports were estimated 
at CFAF 36 billion (€55 million) in 2005.120  There is supposed to be fre e trade in cattle exports and 
imports on the WAEMU and ECOWAS markets.  Probl ems persist with regard to the implementation 
of this free-trade policy (joint report, Chapter IV ) and should be resolved in order to encourage 
expansion of the regional cattle trade. 
147. Meat of bovine animals is one of the country's main products in value terms.  Cow milk is 
also an important product, as is th e meat of other ruminants and poultry meat.  The MRA is seeking to 
develop regional exports of meat and milk, in or der to increase the subsector's value added by giving 
exports of products precedence over live animals.  According to the Government, there is a solvent 
regional demand for meat and milk in West Africa.121 
148. Since 2004, the capital Ouagadougou has had a m odern refrigerated abattoir;  a process is 
under way with World Bank assistance as part of the Support Programme for the Agricultural, 
Forestry and Livestock Farming Subsectors (PAF ASP) to place it under private management and 
bring it up to international quality standards.  In  2009, a livestock meat subsector promotion company 
SOBEVI - was in process of being set up to help fill the gap left by the winding up of the National 
Animal Resource Exploitation Board (ex-ONERA).  In May 2009, private shareholders from Côte 
d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Mali set up the Cattle, Meat and Services Trading Company 
(SOCOBVI-SA);  established at the initiative of the Confederation of National Livestock/Meat 
Federations (see joint report), SOCOBVI's purpose is to collect and market cattle, meat and its 
by-products and to process cattle feed and cattle care products within WAEMU. 
149. Where customs duties are concerned, the WAEMU CET is escalated in the livestock 
subsector, with a maximum rate of 20 per cent on meat , milk and other finished products and a rate of 
5 per cent on inputs (joint report, Chapter III).  Imports of bovine animals and their meat are subject to SPS measures (Table III.2), while other meat and an imal products are subject to several types of 
control.  Powdered milk is the main import (about  €9 million in 2007).  There should be free trade in 
exports of Burkina products on the WAEMU and ECOW AS markets, that is to say, they should be 
exempt from all entry taxes within the region, which would give preferential access to meat 
originating in the region as compared with meat fro m third countries, which is subject to the CET and 
all other entry duties. 
150. Exports of hides and skins are also important, as is the informal trade in these products with 
neighbouring countries.  Their contribution to the to tal value of national exports is from 24 to 26 per 
cent depending on the year.  Since 1995, a mode rn hide processing unit - Tan Aliz - has been 
                                                     
 
120 Integrated Framework for Trade-Re lated Technical Assistance (2007). 
121 Faso Presse , "Resources animales au Burkina Faso:  privilégier les exportations de viande", 
3 February 2009. Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
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  operating in the Ouagadougou industria l zone.  Tan Aliz has a processing capacity of 16,000 hides per 
day;  the enterprise is understood to have subsid iaries in Mali and Niger.  Three quarters of its 
production is shipped to Italy, 5 per cent to India,  and 15 per cent to Spain, while 5 per cent is for 
local markets.  Tan Aliz's exports vary between  CFAF 7.5 and 23 billion per year depending on the 
source (about €11.5-35 million).  Burkina Faso is a member of the West African Hides and Skins 
Association.122 
(c) Fishery products 
151. Annual fishery production is about 12,000 tonnes, up 25 per cent on 2006.  By comparison, in 
2009 more than 29,000 tonnes were imported, double the amount in 2006.  Fish covers about 8 per 
cent of the population's animal protein requirements.  It is marketed by wholesalers, processors and 
retailers who obtain their supplies from the produc tion areas, often using substandard means of 
transport and ill-adapted methods of preservation.  According to the FAO, the national fishery 
potential could be doubled or tripled if an effectiv e and specific policy of fish farming development 
and, above all, a downstream fishery-product marketing policy were to be pursued.123  To this end, in 
April 2010, the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries (MAHRH) drew up a Fishery 
Resources Sustainable Development Strategy (2025) , together with a "Fish subsectors 2011-2015" 
action plan. 
152. The average CET duty rate on fishery products (HS Chapter 3) is 16.6 per cent.  In principle, 
fishery products of WAEMU and ECOWAS origin should enjoy total exemption from customs duties and other entry taxes.  As indicated in Chapter III(2)(vi), VAT is not levied on sales or imports of 
fresh or frozen fish. 
(d) Sugar 
153. There is only one enterprise - the Nouvelle sociét é sucrière de la Comoé (SN-SOSUCO) - that 
produces and processes cane sugar in Burkina Faso.  Th is company was partially privatized in 1998 
following the purchase of shares by a foreign group.  The anticipated withdrawal of the State from 
SN-SOSUCO failed to materialize and it retains its 28 per cent equity participation.  The Ivorian State 
holds 10 per cent of the shares.  The enterprise has at its disposal a cultivable area of 4,000 hectares 
and one processing plant.  Since 2008, sales on the domestic market have been channelled through the 
Sugar Distribution Company (SODI Sucre), which markets all SN-SOSUCO's production at prices fixed by the latter.  At present, no sugar is being exported.  Estimated at 40,000 tonnes/year, in 2003 SN-SOSUCO's production covered about 46 per cent of  domestic needs.  Since 2003, production has 
steadily declined, amounting to 32,000 tonnes in 2009. 
154. Sugar imports increased almost eight-fold betw een 2000 and 2006, rising from 10,000 tonnes 
to more than 78,000 tonnes/year (Table IV.2).  In  August 2009, the trade unions sent an open letter to 
the Prime Minister in which they denoun ced the management of the enterprise.
124  According to the 
unions, the investment announced for developing pr oductive capacity and modernizing equipment had 
not been made.  The open letter also mentioned fraud in connection with sugar imports which, 
according to the authorities, had led to a chronic slump in the sales of SN-SOSUCO sugar and was the 
                                                      
122 ASOAC online information, "Pays membres:  Burkina Faso".  Viewed at:  
http://www.asoac-cuir.org/burkina.php. 
123 FAO (2008). 
124 Sucre Éthique, online information.  Viewed at:  
http://www.sucre-ethique.org/Burkina-Faso-SN-SOSUCO-Les.html. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
Page 224 
 
 
  source of the financial problems that had prevented the company from making the necessary 
investment in "upgrading" its plant (joint report, Chapter IV(4)(ii)). 
155. Sugar is classified in the consumer goods categor y of the CET and is therefore subject to the 
maximum tariff of 22.5 per cent (CET at 20 per cent pl us the PC, the PCS and the statistical fee).  
Among the other measures affecting sugar imports, refe rence values appear not to have been applied 
to sugar since June 2008;  on the other hand, sugar imports form the subject of numerous controls and 
import documents, including a preliminary import declaration and a special import authorization 
(Chapter III(2)).  The National Sugar Observatory was established in 2008.  It is composed of the 
Ministries responsible for trade and finance, th e SN-SOSUCO and several other bodies such as the 
customs administration, the anti-fraud committee, the Directorate-General of Taxes, and Cotecna.  
The Observatory has the task of balancing th e needs of the market, SN-SOSUCO production and 
imports and preventing import fraud. 
(e) Rice and other cereals 
156. Cereal production was very good in 2008/2009 as compared with the average for the previous 
five seasons.125  The sharp increase in cereal production in general and rice production in particular is 
attributable to the exceptional rainfall but also to the measures taken by the Government and its 
partners to help the producers improve productivity and hence cereal supplies.  Given the inadequate 
financial resources of most small farmers, the e xpansion of production depe nds on the support they 
receive, particularly in the form of irrigation schemes, the supply and financing of inputs and 
equipment, and guaranteed outlets for their produce. 
157. Rice is Burkina Faso's main cereal import, domestic production covering only one third of 
consumer requirements.  Rice imports amounted to about 200,000 tonnes in 2006.  Since 2008, 
Burkina Faso, like most African countries, has expe rienced a rice crisis (with a near-doubling of the 
price of rice in the capital Ouagadougou between June 2007 and June 2008) , and emergency plans 
have been drawn up for increasing local production (Table IV.3). 
158. Following the withdrawal of the State, be ginning in 1994 when the cereals market was 
extensively liberalized, the State's role has been limited to ensuring  food security for the populations 
of the areas at risk.  In 2008, the State began subs idizing half the cost of seed and fertilizer, and it 
assigned the collection and purchase of the rice crop from the farmers chiefly to the National Stock 
Management Company (SONAGES).  Established in 1994, SONAGES is responsible, among other 
things, for maintaining a national food security stoc k of 35,000 tonnes.  In fact, however, the stock 
has barely reached 15,000 tonnes of cereals.  Since 2005, SONAGES has also managed an 
intervention stock for market regulation purposes.  The State also supports the production of maize 
and sorghum. 
159. Cereal imports are generally subject to customs duty rates of 10 per cent in accordance with 
the CET, with reference values applied to imports of rice, which is also subject to a "national 
conformity certificate" (Chapter III(2)). 
(f) Other agricultural products 
160. Burkina Faso is the fourth cowpea producer in the world after the United States, Nigeria and 
Niger.  Cowpeas, which are grown all over the count ry, are a crop that does not require much water.  
They contribute CFAF 19 to 22 billion to GDP a nd the demand is increasing steadily year on year.  
                                                      
125 Sow, S. et al.  (2009). Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
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  The main action necessary to promote this very promising branch of agriculture will involve 
increasing the yield from 0.7 to 1.5 tonnes/ha by 20 15.  The Government's production target for 2015 
is 1.3 million tonnes. 
161. Organically grown shea is one of the main agri cultural exports after cotton, but curiously does 
not appear in the FAO's recent export statistics, eith er in the form of butter or in the form of nuts 
(Table IV.2), because a large proportion is traded  informally across the borders with neighbouring 
countries before being re-exported abroad.  Shea exports have averaged about CFAF 5 billion 
(€8 million) since 1998 and exceeded CFAF 10 billion (€16 million) in 2004, to give 40,000-60,000 tonnes on average per year.  Accord ing to the authorities, the growth of shea nut 
exports is being held back by difficulties in incr easing the local supply;  the weakness and lack of 
organization of the local players;  the monopoly powe r of the buyers and international refiners of 
shea-based products, which enables them to control the market;  and the high costs of transport and 
transit for Burkina nuts. 
(3) M
INING , ENERGY AND WATER  
162. The Burkina mining sector is in full expansion following the start-up of production at several 
gold mines and the construction of several other mines.  The four industrial gold mines in production 
have created about 1,350 perman ent jobs, and the exploitation of  the mines under construction will 
raise this number to about 3,000 jobs and the to tal amount of investment to CFAF 367 billion 
(€559 million).  The influx of FDI since 2005 is partly  due to a stable legal framework that respects 
contract law and title deeds.  On the other hand, the energy sectors remain seriously dysfunctional and 
a drag on the country's economic development.  Th e mining sector is one of the sources of growth 
identified by the Government. 
(i) Petroleum products 
163. Burkina Faso does not produce any oil.  Petr oleum products accounted for about 18 per cent 
of the value of imports in 2007, the latest year fo r which import statistics are available (Table I.5). 
164. The hydrocarbons sector is the responsibility of  the Ministry of Mining, Quarrying and 
Energy.  SONABHY is the State-owned enterpri se tasked with supply ing the country with 
hydrocarbons, under the supervision of the Ministry of Trade, Enterprise Promotion and Crafts.  It 
holds a monopoly on the importation and storage of hydrocarbons.126  Its privatization was 
programmed in 2000 but has still to take place. 
165. Petroleum products are transported to SONABHY 's depots from Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana 
and Togo, mainly by road.  They are subject to numerous import duties and taxes (joint report, 
Chapter IV);  excise duty;  and the cont ribution to the special inspection programme 
(Chapter III(2)(iv)).  In 2008, duties and tax es accounted for a quarter of CFAF 288 billion 
(€440 million) worth of imports. 
166. Petroleum products are distributed by some 20 private companies, primarily Total127 (28.3 per 
cent of the quantity sold), which buy the products from SONABHY for redistribution.  Hydrocarbons 
prices are fixed on a monthly basis by the Interministerial Hydrocarbons Price Setting Committee, in 
                                                      
126 Kiti (Law) No. 85-035/CNR/PRES/PRECO of 9 October 1985. 
127 Total, online information, "Total au Burkina Faso".  Viewed at:  
http://www.total.bf/os/osburkinafaso.nsf/Home?ReadForm. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
Page 226 
 
 
  accordance with the world price a nd "other charges that contribute to the determination of prices".128  
The prices of butane gas and the fuels used by S ONABEL (see below) are subsidized by the State. 
167. Since 2007, SONABHY has suffered simultaneously from sharp fluctuations in the price of a 
barrel of oil on the world markets, poor manage ment, and government measures taken to relieve 
consumers.  Thus, in response to the increase in the price of oil in July 2007, the Government decided 
to freeze the prices of hydrocarbons, causing substantial losses.129  However, poor management would 
appear to be part of the explanati on for the extent of the company's losses.130 
(ii) Other mining products 
168. Burkina Faso has extensive mineral reserves,  particularly of gold, phosphate, magnesium, 
zinc, lead, silver, iron, nickel and cobalt.  There is also evidence of diamonds in the Barsalgo region, 
copper at Diénémera and bauxite at Fara.  The to tal number of mining titles and authorizations in 
effect in 2009 was 595, including 383 exploration permits;  nine industrial operating permits;  
four semi-mechanized small-scale operating perm its;  159 traditional (manual) small-scale gold 
mining authorizations;  and 40 quarry operating authorizations. 
(a) Summary by product 
Gold 
 
169. Production of fine gold fell from 1,600 kg. in 1995 to less than 400 kg. (12,540 troy ounces) 
in 2002, all mined on a small scale following the cessation of industrial production in 2000.  Total 
gold production was estimated at 12 tonnes in 2009;  four industrial gold mines were in operation and 
another three gold mines are under construction. 
170. In March 2009 work began on the constructi on of a new gold mine at Essakane, in the 
province of Séno;  production should begin in 2010.  According to the Ministry of Mining, Quarrying 
and Energy, which is responsible for the mining sector, the annual revenue from the Essakane gold 
mine, in the form of taxes, various levies and roya lties, is expected to be more than CFAF 30 billion 
(about €46 million).  Orezone (a Canadian company)  plans to produce 10 tonnes of gold a year over 
ten years, at an operating cost of less than US$360 per ounce.  The Essakane project is the largest gold 
mining operation in Burkina Faso, with an inv estment cost of CFAF 175 billion (€26.7 million). 
171. The infrastructure planned for the Essakane ore zone includes a gold processing plant, a 
power station, and access roads.  It is also inte nded to build a fuel and lubricant storage and supply 
station, accommodation, catering and leisure infrastru cture, a dam to supply the necessary water and a 
water supply network linking the dam with the vari ous parts of the plant.  Orezone has initiated a 
"mines for water" programme to provide access to drinking water for the villages affected by its 
operations.131  One of the consequences of developing the mine is the displacement of some hamlets, 
neighbourhoods and villages to make way for the c onstruction of the necessary infrastructure.  This 
has led to the establishment of an  advisory committee, which incl udes representatives of the various 
socio-professional and religious groups in the villa ges and neighbourhoods con cerned.  According to 
                                                      
128 Decree No. 2009-653/PRES/PM/M EF/MCPEA/MCE on the establishment, powers, composition 
and functioning of an Interministeri al Hydrocarbons Price Setting Committee. 
129 SONABHY (2008). 
130 L' Évènement , 25 April 2010.  Viewed at:  http://www.evenement-bf.net/pages/dossier_1_166.htm. 
131 Novethic online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.novethic.fr. Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
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  the authorities, all the other gold-mining project s being developed include support measures for the 
communities in which the mines are located. 
Phosphates 
 172. Burkina Faso has large natural phosphate deposits, those at Kodjari, in particular, being said 
to contain 30 million tonnes of reserves.  Paradoxically , the soils used for agri culture are deficient in 
phosphorus.
132  Since the 1960s, work has been going on w ith a view to using the phosphates to make 
good the deficiency in the soils.  In 1999, the Gove rnment, together with its partners, drew up an 
action plan for the integrated management of so il fertility (PAGIFS), which provides for the use of 
locally available natural phosphates to reduce the expenditure on imported fertilizer.  The Kodjari 
mine would produce 3,000 tonnes a year, ground for use as fertilizer, at a uniform price of CFAF 60/kg. throughout the national territory. 
Manganese 
 
173. The manganese deposit at Tambao has reserves estimated at about 19 million tonnes of ore, 
with a manganese content of about 52 per cent.  The deposit is not being worked and a reliable partner 
is being sought to exploit it.  One of the obstacles to exploitation is the high cost of transport due, in 
particular, to the lack of a Kaya-Tambao railway to  carry the ore.  Another manganese mine is being 
built at Kiéré. 
Zinc 
 
174. The Perkoa zinc mine, located about 150 km. fro m the capital, has reserves estimated at 
6 million tonnes of ore, with a 14.5 per cent zinc cont ent, and should enable Bu rkina Faso to join the 
small group of African countries that produce this ore.   Construction work on the Perkoa zinc mine 
began in 2007.  The Australian company AIM Resources owns 90 per cent of the operating company Nantou Mining, the remaining 10 per cent being held by  the State.  The investment is estimated at 
CFAF 75 billion (€114 million).  The exploitation of th e Perkoa zinc mine is expected to last 13 to 
20 years.  Exploitation had not yet begun in May 2010. 
(b) Regulatory framework 
175. Since 2003, Burkina Faso has had a new Mining Code
133, aimed at encouraging prospection 
and exploitation, particularly th rough foreign investment.  The C ode covers mining resources (except 
for liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons and underground water) and specifies that these belong to the 
State.  Domestic and foreign enterprises have the same rights and obligations under the Code.  
Freedom of transfer of capital, income and salaries is guaranteed for foreign natural and legal persons 
(Box IV.1). 
176. The Code provides for three types of permit:  e xploration (three years, renewable twice);  
industrial operation of a large mine (20 years, renewa ble for consecutive periods of five years until the 
deposit is exhausted) or a small mine (ten years, renewable for consecutive periods of five years until 
the deposit is exhausted);  and semi-mechanized sm all-scale operations (five years, renewable for 
consecutive periods of three years), subject to author ization.  One of the objectives of the Code is to 
formalize semi-mechanized small-scale operations , which occupy many small-scale miners working 
                                                      
132 Ouédraogo, S. (2005). 
133 Law No. 031-2003/AN on the Burkina Faso Mining Code.  Viewed at:  
http://www.mines.gov.bf/SiteMines/texts/code-minier.pdf. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
Page 228 
 
 
  numerous small gold deposits spread over 162 sites in 2009.  These activities are important for 
Burkina Faso because they can be  carried out with few resources and complement agricultural 
activities.  However, despite efforts to train the gol d panners and the banning of the use of chemical 
products for treating the ore, serious social problem s, such as unhealthy conditions, child labour, and 
environmental problems, such as water pollution by mercury, still remain. 
177. Permits are the subject of a mining agreement between the company and the State.  An 
industrial operating permit for a large mine is issued  on condition that the State receives 10 per cent of 
the operating company's shares;  this condition does not apply to operating permits for small mines.  
Holders of permits and authorizations are subject to surface-ownership taxes and fees, the rates, bases 
and methods of imposition of whic h are negotiated with the State.  A tax and customs incentives 
regime is available under the Mining Code (Box IV.1). 
178. The Burkina Precious Metals Office (CBMP), a State monopoly, was the buyer of precious 
metals and stones from gold panners up until 2005,  when it was wound up.  Since then, 17 offices 
have been approved for the purchase of gold from  panners, including for export.  A tax of 
CFAF 100 is levied on each gram of gold purchased from the panners.134 
Box IV.1:  Tax and customs concessions under the Mining Code (2003) 
During the exploration stage, holders of a permit or authorization are given customs and tax concessions.  
The Code provides for a single customs duty of 5% on equipment (including parts, but excluding private 
vehicles), raw materials, fuel and lubricants, and materials to be used for exploration.  Such treatment is 
subject to the non-availability of the equipment, raw materials or materials on the domestic market on terms that are at least the same as those applicable to the goods to be imported.  Tax concessions consist of total 
relief from VAT on goods (imports and purchases on the domestic market) and services needed for 
exploration, as well as from the tax on industrial a nd commercial profits (BIC), the minimum flat-rate tax on 
industrial and commercial professi ons (IMFPIC), the business tax and th e employers' apprenticeship tax 
(TPA). 
During the preparatory stage, enterprises enjoy total relief from VAT and customs duties on the raw 
materials, materials, fuel, lubricants and machinery re quired to operate the mine , for a maximum period of 
three years.  The total relief from VAT also applies to the provision of geological services.  However, 
importers must pay the statistical fee, the community so lidarity levy (PCS) and the community levy (PC), that 
is, a total of 2.5%, and "any other future community tax".  The exemptions end when commercial production 
first begins. 
The tax concessions granted during the operating phase are as follows:  industrial  and commercial profits 
(BIC) are taxed at the ordinary-law rate less 10 percentage points (i.e. 25% instead of 35%), and all the 
expenses incurred for the purpose of generating such profits are deductible, including losses suffered during the previous five years.  Moreover, the tax on income from  securities (IRVM) is levied at half the normal rate 
(i.e. 6.25% instead of 12.5% in 20 09).  Operators also benefit from seven years' exemption from the 
minimum flat-rate tax on industrial and commercial professions (IMFPIC), the business tax, the employers' apprenticeship tax (TPA) and the tax on mortmain assets  (TBM).  Holders are also exempt from registration 
fees for acts involving an increase in capital. 
During the operating phase, the customs concessions give holders of permits the right to a single customs 
duty of 7.5% (instead of 11.5%) on equipment, raw materials, fuel and lubricants, and materials throughout 
the period of operation.  Moreover, the holder may request the use of the temporary admission procedure. 
Source:  Law No. 031-2003/AN of 31 July 2003. 
 
                                                      
134 Interministerial Order No. 9-001 MCE/MEF/MCPEA. Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
 Page 229 
 
 
  179. The Burkina Bureau of Mines and Geology (BUMIGEB, a State-owned company), 
established by decree in 1985135, engages in research and other activities with a view to improving 
knowledge of the country's geolog y and mineral resources;  performing various mining inspection 
functions delegated by the State;  supporting the pr omotion and development of small mining;  and 
supporting the discovery and explo itation of mineral substances in the soil and subsoil, as well as 
carrying out all related industrial, commercial, financial, and movable and immovable property 
transactions.  BUMIGEB thus undertakes both public service activities and commercial activities 
(analysis, drilling, dynamiting, etc.).  The Minist ry announced the privatization of the Bureau of 
Mines in 2008, together with the imminent establishment of a mining development support fund. 
(iii) Electricity 
180. Electricity provides only 2 per cent of the energy consumed in the country, 84 per cent of 
which is of traditional origin (wood and bioma ss), while hydrocarbons account for the remaining 
14 per cent.  Only 308,000 households and enterpri ses were being supplied with electricity in 2008 
(Table IV.5). 
Table IV.5 
Activity indicators for SONABEL, 2005-2008 
 2005 2006 2007 2008 
Capital (CFAF billion) 46 46 46 46 
Number of employees 1,429 1,421 1,420 1,450 
Length of LV network (m.) 4,891,625 5,297,093 5,634,231 5,829,037 
Length of HV network (m.) 1,622,774 1,817,680 1,887,414 2,014,790 
Energy imported (kWh m illion) 125.3 139. 3 123.9 135.7 
Thermal generation (kWh million) 415.8 467.7 501.3 483.5 
Hydroelectric generation (kWh  million) 100.5 80.7 111.4 135.9 
Number of medium-voltage customers 747 797 842 910 
Number of low-voltage customers 255,039 283,908 287,633 308,032 
Average production cost per kWh 117.89 121.21 129.62 141.37 
Energy sold per agent (MWh) 376 409 428 438 
Number of thermal power stations 30 29 28 28 
Number of hydroelectric power stations 4 4 4 4 
Total installed thermal power (MVA) 204 223 217 220 
Total installed hydroelectric power (MW) 32 32 32 32 
Energy sales (MWh) 573,463 580,537 607,174 635,487 
Turnover (CFAF billion)  57.93 64.84 74.81 77.68 
Number of localities electrified 62 64 66 98 
Source : SONABEL online information, "Données et chiffres:   chiffres caractéristiques".  Viewed at:  
http://www.sonabel.bf/sta tist/chiff_caract.htm. 
181. SONABEL is the main electricity-generating enterprise.136  Its generating resources include 
28 diesel-fuelled thermal power stations and 4 hydr oelectric power stations.  Thermal-generated 
energy accounted for 78 per cent of SONABEL's total generation of 620 million kWh in 2008.  The amount of energy imported doubled  between 2001 and 2008, reachi ng 138 million kWh, or 18 per 
cent of the total supply. 
182. A State enterprise since 1986
137, SONABEL saw its monopoly on the generation, transport 
and distribution of electricity partially removed in 1998.138  This reform opened the way for new 
                                                      
135 BUMIGEB online information.  Vi ewed at:  http://www.bumigeb.bf. 
136 SONABEL online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.sonabel.bf/. 
137 Kiti (Law) No. AN IV/239/CNR/PRE S/EQUIP of 31 December 1986. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
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  operators to enter the areas not served by SONABEL, and several new operators, mainly cooperatives, 
are operational.139  The annual electricity output of the nine electricity cooperatives generating 
independently was 1,570 MWh in 2009.  Their networks are directly connected to that operated by SONABEL, to which they are required to sell their surplus production at prices fixed by SONABEL.  
On the other hand, in the areas (mainly rural) not  covered by SONABEL, operators may market their 
output freely. 
183. Electricity tariffs are proposed to the Government by SONABEL, on the basis of a study of its 
production costs, and referred for approval to the re gulatory authority for the electricity subsector.  
SONABEL's tariffs are the same all over the count ry.  The price per kWh did not change between 
1994 and 2004 (CFAF 85/kWh, i.e. €0.13).  Sin ce 2006, for high voltage the rates have been 
CFAF 118 during peak periods and CFAF 54 during high-consumption hours for industrial users (CFAF 139 and CFAF 84, respectively, for other c onsumers).  When the price determined does not 
cover SONABEL's costs, the company receives a subs idy in the form of exemptions from the duties 
and taxes normally payable on fuel purchases;  this subsidy is subject to a ceiling of 
CFAF 21.5 billion (€32.8 million). 
184. In 2009, the Government announced a reorga nization project for SONABEL to improve its 
management, its governance and the quality of its services, by subj ecting it to a private style of 
management without actually privatizing it.
140 
185. According to SONABEL, the sites suitable for large-scale development for power generation 
purposes have almost all been exploited.  Only the Noumbiel site could offer a capacity of at least 
60 MW.  This is a cross-border project (with Ghana) and, according to the authorities, its 
implementation is uncertain.  Solar energy is being used only on a very small scale, but the 
Government has undertaken to install generating st ations for the national grid by entering into 
partnerships with the private sector.  The ongoing  large-scale electrification projects are listed in 
Table IV.6.  Partially financed by the World Bank, the Access to Energy Services Project (PASE) is aimed at improving modern energy services in rural, suburban and urban areas.  The objective is 
higher productivity and the rational and participator y management of the supply of ligneous fuels for 
stand-alone power generating installations in rura l areas.  This project, adopted in August 2007, is 
intended to strengthen the distribution network of some 40 localities and extend the network to more 
than 70 new localities.  It is anticipated that, on the one hand, this will provide access to electricity for 
120,000 new users (that is, a total of  1 million people) and, on the ot her, make it possible to develop 
441,000 hectares of forest. 
Table IV.6 
Current large-scale investment in  electrical infrastructure, 2010 
Name of project Status April 2010 Estimated amount 
(CFAF billion) Additional external 
financing sought 
Bobo-Dioulasso-Ouagadougou interconn ection Work in progress 49 No 
Installation of a 18 MW generator at 
Ouagadougou-Komsilga Work in progress 17 No 
Upgrading of the Ouaga I 15 kV substation Work in progress 1.7 No 
Bolgatanga (Ghana)-Oua gadougou (Burkina Faso) 
interconnection Updating of feasibility studies 22 Yes 
Nigeria-Niger-Burkina Faso-Benin interconn ection Feasibility studies completed 72.3 Yes 
                                                                                                                                                                     
138 Law No. 060/98/AN of 17 December 1998. 
139 Order No. 93/MCE/SG/DGE/DEE of 5 December 2002. 
140 Letter 2009-2775/MEF/SG/DGCOOP/DCM/DY of 23 November 2009 to the World Bank. Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
 Page 231 
 
 
  Name of project Status April 2010 Estimated amount 
(CFAF billion) Additional external 
financing sought 
Han (Ghana)-Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina 
Faso)-Sikasso (Mali) interconnection Feasibility studies, environmental 
assessment and topographical 
survey in progress 22.4 Yes 
Electrification of the villages of Pâ, Koumbia and 
Kokhologo on the Bobo-Ouaga line Work about to start 1.6 Yes 
Reinforcement of the 132 kV 
Kompienga-Bagré-Ouaga line Work in progress 1.8 No 
Improvement of the reliability of the Côte 
d'Ivoire-Burkina Faso (F erké-Bobo) interconnection 
line Finalization of environmental 
assessment 3 Yes 
Extension of the distribution network Task performed every year 3/year No 
Connection of isolated centres supplied by diesel 
mini-plants to the networks of the principal 
neighbouring centres Work being carried out with 
BOAD financing;  selection of 
service providers within the 
framework of the PASE 15.8 No 
Connection of the Kaya-Dori, Kongoussi-Djibo and 
Fada-Diapaga line sections and Ouahigouya-Ouaga 
interconnection Technical and environmental 
feasibility studies in progress 
(AFD financing) 0.3 Yes 
Extension, reinforcement a nd restructuring of urban 
and suburban area distribution networks and 
build-up of SONABEL capacity within the 
framework of the PASE Tender procedure in progress 3.6 Yes 
Source: Burkina Faso authorities. 
(iv) Water 
186. The Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources a nd Fisheries (MAHRH) is responsible for the 
development of small village irrigation systems.  There are more than 1,500 holding ponds.  The 
Ministry provides small farmers with subsidized equipment and helps them to impound water, which 
often enables them to grow two crops a year desp ite the fact that the country has only one rainy 
season.  The Government is also developing a large hydroelectric dam policy.  In February 2007, the 
largest dam in the Sahel was inaugurated at Yakouta,  in the north of the country.  Financed by the 
Government of Chinese Taipei, the Yakouta dam is 21 km. in length, with a storage capacity of 
26.5 million m3 of water within an area of 1,600 hectares.  The Yakouta dam is helping to irrigate 
agricultural land and combat desertification in a regi on of the Sahel that receives less than 300 mm. of 
water per year.  More generally, Burkina Faso ha s on its territory some thousand dams of various 
sizes, many of which are now in disrepair or obs olete and need rehabilitation.  According to the 
MAHRH, the whole of the financing for these works will have to be sought from the TFPs. 
187. The MAHRH is also responsible for the suppl y of drinking water and sanitation (washbasins 
and latrines), except where they fall within the competence of the National Water and Sanitation 
Board (ONEA, see below).  There seems to have b een a distinct improvement in this area following 
the reform of the system of management of the rural and semi-urban drinking water supply 
infrastructure adopted in November 2000.  In rura l areas, drinking water coverage rose from 35 per 
cent in 1990 to 44 per cent in 2002, and then to its current level of 60 per cent.  Access to sanitation 
has not improved to the same extent, rising from 8 to 10 per cent over the whole of the period.141 
188. To deal with the shortage of hand pumps a nd wells, the poor condition of the existing pumps 
(8 per cent abandoned) and the poor quality of well water, new reforms were introduced.  The 
                                                      
141 UNICEF online information, "Burkina Faso:  bref aperçu".  Viewed at:  
http://www.unicef.org/bfa/french/wes.html. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
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  National Drinking Water Supply an d Sanitation Programme (2015) (P N-AEPA) has constituted, since 
2005, the frame of reference which Burkina Faso plans to use in order to achieve the Millennium 
Development Goals (MDG) for the water and sanitation sector.142  The objectives of the programme 
are to ensure that the plant operates on a contin uous basis, to make the communes the contracting 
authority for the installations, to encourage the emer gence of private operators in the water sector and 
to give recognized status to the local skills base.  For each rural commune, a Communal Sectoral Development Plan for Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation (PCD-AEPA) must be drawn up jointly 
by the central services of the State and the rural communes. 
189. ONEA supplies urban areas with water under a frame work contract with the State.  According 
to the information available, drinking water cove rage in urban areas rose from 39 per cent in 1990 to 
51 per cent in 2002 and 74 per cent in 2009, while san itation coverage went from 13 per cent to 12 per 
cent and then to 14 per cent during the same period.
143 
190. ONEA, established by decree in 1985, is a Stat e-owned company whose purpose is to create, 
manage and maintain drinking wate r abstraction, piping, treatment and distribution installations for 
urban and industrial needs;  and to create, promot e, improve and manage collective, individual and 
independent sanitary installations for the drainage of waste water and sewage in urban and semi-urban 
areas.  The relations between the State and ONEA ar e governed by a three-y ear framework contract 
and specifications which lay down the conditions fo r the creation, operation and protection of the 
water and sanitation infrastructure under ONEA management.  ONEA is currently managing 
43 centres equipped with drinking water supply syst ems.  It has a total of 669 employees (2008).  
ONEA is under the technical supervision of the M AHRH, under the managerial supervision of the 
Ministry responsible for trade, and under the financ ial supervision of the Ministry of Finance and the 
Budget.  ONEA is AFAQ certified.144 
191. Burkina Faso is host to the Internationa l Institute for Water and Environmental 
Engineering.145 
(4) MANUFACTURING  
192. The formal manufacturing sector is modest in size, with a total turnover estimated at 
CFAF 550 billion (about €80 million), and most of the manufactured products consumed are 
imported.  The agrifood branch predominates, followed by textiles (33 per cent of turnover).146  The 
main activities are the processing of fruit and vegetabl es, livestock products a nd cotton.  The list of 
the 145 products eligible for the TPC, which can , in principle, be exported to other WAEMU 
countries duty free (joint report, Chapter IV) provides some idea of the exportables manufactured 
locally.147  This list includes 33 food products and beve rages, cotton yarn and textile bags for 
                                                      
142 Decree No. 2000-514/PRES/PM/MEE concerning the reform of the system of management of the 
rural and semi-urban drinking water supply infrastructure, adopted on 3 November 2000.  Viewed at:  
http://www.reforme-aep.org/Documents/texts/Recu eil_types/CAHIER_1_Presentation_Reforme. pdf. 
143 UNICEF online information, "Burkina Faso:  bref aperçu".  Viewed at:  
http://www.unicef.org/bfa/french/wes.html. 
144 AFNOR online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.afnor.org/. 
145 Online information from the International Institu te for Water and Environmental Engineering.  
Viewed at:  http://www.2ie-e du.org/spip.php?sommaire. 
146 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Cooperation (2006). 
147 Online information from the Senegal Industry Obse rvatory, "Liste des produits agréés à la taxe 
préférentielle communautaire (TPC) dans les pays de l'UEMOA".  Viewed at:  
http://www.obs-industrie.sn/agrementTPC_Pays.asp. Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
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  packaging148, cigarettes, cement, detergents, insecticides, pl astic products, tyres and inner tubes, iron 
bars and other metal products, car tridges, batteries and bicycles.  Some 30 enterprises are listed. 
193. The industrial development strategy adopted in October 1998 is in the process of being 
updated again.  The strategy has as its objective th e promotion of competitive industries, especially 
SMEs and SMIs, in particular in the area of agro-p astoral product processing.  Within this framework, 
the State is endeavouring to provide a favourable environment for business, inter alia  through the 
incentives contained in the Investment Code (Cha pter II).  The sector continues to face numerous 
constraints, including quality and transport costs.  Exports are generally transported by road to 
neighbouring countries (by road and rail to Côte d'I voire), air transport being a possibility for some 
products (e.g. loincloths and printed fabrics). 
194. Burkinapmepmi.com, an internet portal for pr ivate SME/SMIs in Burk ina Faso, has recently 
been set up to enable such enterp rises to make themselves better known.149  The CCI-BF150 represents 
the interests of the local industries.  The Burk ina Import and Export Traders' Union (SCIMPEX) has 
45 members involved in export-import activities.151  The Industries Trade Group (GPI) is a forum in 
which enterprises can examine issues, exchange ideas,  adopt positions and find  solutions to problems 
of common interest.152 
195. Eight Burkina enterprises have participated  in the WAEMU Restructuring and Upgrading 
Programme (PRMN - see joint report), which w as officially launched in Burkina Faso in 
January 2009 and is housed within the CCI-BF.153  More than 50 national consultants have been 
trained in UNIDO restructuring and upgrad ing methodology.  The pilot phase includes the 
implementation of a diagnostic restructuring a nd upgrading study.  The enterprises selected are 
SN-SOSUCO (Chapter IV(2)), Filature du Sahel (F ILSAH), and SAP (pneumatic tyre manufacturing 
and marketing). 
196. Craft activities are an essential component of the Burkina private sect or.  There are many - 
often informal - craft trade enterprises in traditiona l manufacturing activities such as building, forging, 
repair and maintenance, precious metals, food trades, wood and straw,  textiles and clothing, leather 
and skins, and arts and crafts.  Craft products have the advantage of  being unique and often artistic, 
and are therefore not in competition with imported ma nufactures.  There is also an export potential.  
The Government is introducing a strategy in favour  of the crafts sector, including technical centres for 
the support of craft industry activities and craft villages. 
197. Despite the undeniable importance of the sector, there is no policy in the formal sense of the 
word for its promotion.  However, the MCPEA's Crafts Directorate is responsible for providing 
support for artisans.  In 2007, it was decided to est ablish a Chamber of Artisanal Trades of Burkina 
                                                      
148 In particular by the company FASOPL AST, see ITC study.  Viewed at:  
http://www.intracen.org/c ottontoclothing/resources/sur veys/Burkina_Faso_2003.pdf.  According to this study, 
the requirement of a national conformity certificate for ba gs for packaging is intended solely to protect the 
FASOPLAST factory from foreign competition. 
149 Information accessible on line via the portal of the SMEs/SMIs in Burkina Faso.  Viewed at:  
http://www.burkinapmepmi.com. 
150 CCI-BF online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.ccia.bf/. 
151 SCIMPEX online information, "Avis aux membres".  Viewed at:  
http://www.scimpex-bf.com/actualite/avis.php. 
152 GPI online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.gpi.bf/gpi_object.htm. 
153 Contact for the Restructuring and Upgrading Bureau (BRMN):  brmn@ccia.bf, 
sasylvanust@yahoo.fr. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
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  Faso (CMA-BF) to deal, in particular, with the organizational, training, financing and marketing 
problems affecting the sector, but the Chamber is not yet operational.  The National Commission for 
the Promotion of Artisanal Activities, established in  1995, is a tripartite advisory body composed of 
representatives of the Government, the sectoral su pport agencies and the artisans themselves.  The 
International Arts and Crafts Fa ir of Ouagadougou (SIAO) has been held every two years since 
1986.154 
(5) SERVICES  
(i) Telecommunications and postal services 
(a) Telecommunications - Overview of the market 
198. Since the last review, the number of mobile telephone lines has increased exponentially, from 
about 238,000 subscribers in 2003 to nearly four million at the e nd of 2008.  With 152,461 fixed 
telephone lines in December 2009, fixed teledensity re mains low, at 1 per cent (1 telephone per 100 
inhabitants), whereas mobile teledensity has reached 24.7 per cent.155  At the end of 2009, a total of 32 
authorizations had been issued to  Internet access providers, of which nine were active;  only 1 per 
cent of the population has access to the Internet.156  At infrastructure level, Burkina Faso has an 
optical fibre backbone more than 1,100 km. long, connected to Côte d'Ivoire, Mali and Togo, with 
access to the SAT3 submarine cable via Côte d'Ivoi re and Senegal.  The na tional network is 100 per 
cent digital.  The Burkina new information and communication technologies (NTIC) portal was set up 
in 2002 with technical and financial support from the International Institute for Communication and 
Development (IICD);  this site is dedicated to th e development of information technology in Burkina 
Faso.157 
(b) Telecommunications - Regulation and competition 
199. In December 2006, the State sold 51 per cent of the shares of National Telecommunications 
Board (ONATEL) to Maroc Telecom, which thus b ecame the majority shareholder.  The Moroccan 
group (40 per cent of whose capital belongs to th e French company VIVENDI) bought its shares for 
CFAF 144 billion (€220 million).  In April 2010, th e State held only 20 per cent of the company's 
capital. 
200. In 2008, new legislation was enacted to transpo se the directives and other texts adopted at 
community level into national law (joint report, Chap ter IV).  This was the case, in particular, with 
Law No. 061-2008/AN of 27 November 2008 estab lishing the general regulations governing 
electronic communications services networks in Burkina Faso158, which repealed and replaced Law 
No. 051-98/AN on the reform of the telecommunications  sector in Burkina Faso.  In 1998, this law 
had extensively liberalized the sect or by opening up broad segments of  the market to competition.  
The creation of the Telecommunications Regul atory Authority (ARTEL), separate from and 
                                                      
154 SIAO online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.siao.bf/. 
155 Information provided by the authorities and ITU (2009). 
156 ITU online information, "Telecommunication Devel opment Sector:  ICT Eye:  Burkina Faso".  
Viewed at:  http://www.itu .int/ITU-D/icteye/DisplayCo untry.aspx?countryId=33. 
157 Burkina-NTIC, online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.burkina-ntic.net. 
158 ARTEL online informati on.  Viewed at:  
http://www.artel.bf/IMG/pdf/loi_no_061-2008-AN_du_27-11-2008-2.pdf. Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
 Page 235 
 
 
  independent of the Ministry of Postal Services a nd Telecommunications, had established the principle 
of separation of the powers of ru le-making, regulation and operation.159 
201. Three regimes were created:  (i) an ONATEL regime of exclusive rights, until 
31 December 2005, over fixed telephony services, inte rnational calls, telex and telegraphy;  (ii) a 
regulated competition regime applicable to the th ree mobile telephony operators, namely TELMOB (a 
subsidiary of ONATEL), and its competitors CELTEL BURKINA (operating under the trade name 
ZAIN160) and TELECEL FASO.  These three operators hold licences issued, respectively, on 
7 April 2004, 30 May 2000 and 25 May 2000 for a period of ten years from the date of signature of the authorization;  and (iii) a free competition re gime governing internet access and data transmission 
services.  ONATEL offers Intern et access services (FASONET), in  competition with the other 
Internet access providers;  it supplies data tran smission services for businesses (FASOPAC), in 
competition with one other operator. 
202. The new Law No. 061 promotes the principle of free competition and envisages the 
development of new networks based on the principl e of technological neutrality, in the sense that it 
must be possible for the conditions for obtaining  an individual licence to be changed when 
technological progress has repercussions on the ex isting operations.  Law No. 061 covers all 
electronic communications services, in particular, the content of electronic commerce, with the 
exception of the content of audiovisual serv ices and other information society services. 
203. The new law abolishes the exclusive rights regime  that applied to national and international 
fixed telephony networks and service s.  The latter are now all governed by the regulated competition 
regime.  A single individual licence is required for all services, although in practice the fixed, mobile 
and radio networks continue to be managed separately.  The activities subject to the "free entry" 
regime under the new law (Articles 17 and 18) incl ude the commercial exploitation of value added 
services, Internet access services and the resal e of electronic communications services. 
204. Under the law, universal service must provide everyone with a high-quality electronic 
communication service at an afford able price.  There is a Universal Service Fund financed by 
contributions paid to the ARCE (see below) by th e operators and equivalent to 2 per cent of their 
turnover.  The Fund contained CFAF 9.27 billion (€14 million) on 31 December 2009.  It has not been used since it was set up in 2001, but, according to the au thorities, a universal service strategy is in the 
process of being developed. 
205. The innovations introduced by the law include local loop unbundling, which in principle 
allows a third-party public electronic communications  operator to obtain access to all the elements of 
the local loop of the first operator in order to ser ve its customers directly.  This unbundling was not 
effective in April 2010 since ONATEL was the only ope rator on this segment, despite the opening up 
to competition. 
206. Under the new law, ARTEL has become the Electronic Communications Regulatory 
Authority (ARCE).
161  ARCE's main tasks are still to a pprove interconnection agreements among 
operators, settle disputes, and organize invitations to compete with a view to the granting of licences.  Where tariff regulation is concerned, ARCE also has the explicit task of preventing such bad practices 
as the introduction of excessive prices and possibl e cross subsidies.  ARCE publishes a list of 
"powerful operators" and approves their proposed ta riffs before they can apply them.  Under Law 
                                                     
 
159 Decree No. 99-419/PRES/PM/MC of 20 Octobe r 1999.  Viewed at:  http://www.artel.bf. 
160 ZAIN online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.bf.zain.com/fr/. 
161 ARTEL online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.artel.bf/. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
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  No. 061, an operator is deemed to be "powerful" if  it has significant market power or if, individually 
or jointly with others, it finds itself in a position eq uivalent to a dominant position.  No operator has 
yet been declared powerful since the new law entered into force. 
207. In terms of prices, the public network operato rs must publish their technical and tariff 
conditions for interconnection.  Connection, subscr iption and communications tariffs must respect the 
principle of equality of treatment for users and be established so as to prevent any discrimination 
based on geographical location.  ARCE monitors all the inter-operator interconnection tariffs to 
prevent abuses. 
208. Burkina Faso has not made any specific commitments with resp ect to this sector under the 
GATS and did not participate in the WTO negotia tions on basic telecommunications services which 
ended in 1997. 
(ii) Postal services 
209. Postal services in Burkina Faso include the mail transport, money transfer and national 
savings bank services provided by the National Postal Services Company (SONAPOST).162  
SONAPOST has about 86 post offices and 260 windows throughout the national territory.  Mail 
weighing less than 2 kg. falls within the SONAPOST monopoly, but in practice the "parallel post", in 
particular, the private transport enterprises, competes with SONAPOST for this segment.  The 
principal international express delivery co mpanies have a presence in the market. 
(iii) Transport 
(a) Air transport 
210. Burkina Faso has two international airpor ts, Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso, capable of 
accepting all types of aircraft and a dozen secondary airfields for light aircraft.  As at 2008, the two international airports were  respectively handling some 300,000 and 15,000 passengers a year, and 
7,000 and 98 tonnes of freight (Table IV.7).  There is a project to build a new airport at Ouagadougou-Donsin
163, although so far little official information is available. 
Table IV.7 
Activity indicators for Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso airports, 2004-2009 
 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 
Ouagadougou   
Domestic passenger traffic ('000) 4.0 4.0 0.0 4.0 2.0 .. 
International passenger traffic ('000) 223.0 252.0 279.0 312.0 304.0 .. 
Total freight ('000 tonnes) 4.5 3.5 4.5 5.2 7.4 .. 
Bobo-Dioulasso       
Domestic passenger traffic ('000) 18.0 17.0 .. 13.0 15.0 .. 
.. Not available. 
Source:  Online information from Air Transport Intelligence (ATI).  Viewed at:  http://www.rati.com/;  and information 
provided by the Burkina authorities.  
                                                      
162 SONAPOST online information.  Vi ewed at:  http://www.sonapost.bf. 
163 Decree No. 2009-206/PRES/PM on the establishment, functions, organization and operation of the 
contracting authority for Donsin Airport (MOAD), Official Journal  No. 20 of 14 May 2009.  Viewed at:  
http://www.legiburkina.bf/jo/jo2009/no_20/D%C3%A9cret_PM_2009_00206.htm. Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
 Page 237 
 
 
  211. Only private airlines are present and none of them  is, even partially, owned by the State.  In 
2009, Ouagadougou airport was served by 13 airlines, in particular Air Burkina (a wholly privately owned airline), and Ethiopian Airlines was ma king one flight a week between Ouagadougou and 
Lomé under fifth freedom rights. 
212. The privatization of Air Burkina in 2001 formed the subject of several agreements.  The 
first privatization agreement included a commitme nt on the part of the buyer to ensure the 
permanence of air transport operations in Burk ina Faso.  A second traffic concession agreement 
established the conditions and procedures for the operation and developmen t of domestic and/or 
international public scheduled air transport services for a period of 20 years with exclusive rights for 
five years in the single air operations zone.
164 
213. In force since 12 May 1969, Burkina Faso's Civ il Aviation Code is in process of being revised 
under the Competitiveness and Business Developmen t Support Programme (PACDE).  Air transport 
services are also governed by community and regional provisions (joint report, Chapter IV).  Burkina 
Faso appears not yet to have implemented the WAEM U Directive on the legal status of civil aviation 
administrations.165  A National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) is in the project stage. 
(b) Land transport 
214. In 2008, a new law making land transport a State prio rity was enacted, in particular in order to 
help improve access to the landlocked country.166  The law recommends the development of collective 
transport, so as to make transport services availabl e to the largest number of users at lower cost and 
under environmentally friendly conditions.  The law stresses that efficient transport is a major factor 
in ensuring the success of the decentralization po licy pursued in Burkina Faso since 1998 and it also 
contributes to poverty reduction. 
Road transport 
 
215. Most imports transiting through the coastal por ts are transported by truck to their final 
destination in Burkina Faso.  The carriers are groupe d in several trade organizations (for example, the 
Faso Road Hauliers Organization).  Order No . 26 MEC.MCODIM.MF of 5 March 1984 entrusted the 
allocation of freight to the CBC, under existing bilate ral transport agreements with other countries.  
Among the latter, the Cooperation Agreement on Mar itime Transport and Transit between Burkina 
Faso and the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, signed on 14 October 1989, provides for freight allocation on 
the basis of 2/3 for Burkina Faso and 1/3 for Côte d'Ivoire.167  A similar agreement is reported to be 
under negotiation with Ghana. 
216. Since the 1990s, prices in the road transport sub sector have, in principle, been liberalized.  
However, the market remains organized on a "que uing" basis, with the CBC allocating cargoes to 
carriers in turn.  The abolition of the system would encourage competition between players, improve the standard of service, and reduce ve hicle operation and transport costs. 
                                                     
 
164 Air Burkina online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.air-burkina.com. 
165 Directive No. 01/2004/CM/UEMOA on the status of the civil aviation administrations of the 
WAEMU member States.  The WAEMU members that  have implemented the Directive are Benin, 
Guinea-Bissau, Mali, and Togo;  implementation is in pr ogress in the other member States.  Viewed at:  
http://www.uemoa.int/actes/2004/CM/DIR_01_2004_CM.htm. 
166 Law No. 025-2008/AN of 6 May 2008 concerning the Law on Land Transport Policy. 
167 Cooperation Agreement on Mariti me Transport and Transit between Burkina Faso and the Republic 
of Côte-d'Ivoire, signed at Abidjan on 14 October 1989. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
Page 238 
 
 
  217. In a recent road safety national policy paper, th e Government stressed the country's extensive 
needs in terms of road infrastructure.168  Most roads have serious deficiencies, and road signs and 
signals are inadequate, non-standard or completely lacking (the panels are often stolen).  Various 
sections are potholed.  In the first half of 2009 a regional workshop was held on the effective 
application of Regulation No. 014/2005/CM/UEMOA  of 16 December 2005 on the harmonization of 
standards and procedures for the control of the cl earance, weight, and axle load of heavy goods 
transport vehicles in the WAEMU member States (joint  report, Chapter IV).  The five weigh stations 
envisaged were not yet built and operating in April 2010. 
218. Efforts are also being made to reduce the num ber and impact of impr omptu roadblocks and 
the associated harassment.  For this  purpose, five permanent road ch eckpoints have been built, mainly 
around Ouagadougou, to improve traffic flows. 
219. Another transport document modernization and security project is aimed at combating the 
circulation of false transport documents and bringing these documents into conformity with 
community standards.  The activities envisaged include , in particular, the re-registration of the vehicle 
fleet actually on the roads.  Finally, the project is intended to give greater impetus to the road safety 
programme already undertaken by the Government  with the establishment of the National Road 
Safety Board (ONASER). 
220. The Third Conference of the National Council on the Environment for Sustainable 
Development, held on 21 and 22 December 2009 at  Ouagadougou, concluded by recommending that 
there should be limits on the age of vehicles and specifically ten years for private cars, 12 years for 
vehicles for the transport of persons, and 15 years fo r vehicles for the transport of goods.  The average 
age of imported vehicles is about 16 years. 
Rail transport 
 
221. The company Sitarail manages the 1,150 km-long railway linking Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire) 
with Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), under a conc ession agreement conclude d in August 1995, which 
allocates 67 per cent of Sitarail shares to the Fren ch group Bolloré, 30 per cent to the two States 
(divided equally between them), and the rest to th e employees.  The concession has a term of 15 years 
and could be subject to renegotiation in 2010.  In  July 2009, Sitarail announced a plan to invest 
CFAF 175 billion (€267 million) in improving and modernizing the railway line linking the 
two countries.  The company has indicated that the Bolloré group would supply the rolling stock, 
while external financing would be used for purchasing rails. 
222. Freight traffic grew from 500,000 tonnes in 1995 to  1.2 million tonnes in 2002.  The closure 
of the land borders, at the start of the crisis of September 2002 in Côte d'Ivoire, resulted in this traffic 
collapsing to 160,000 tonnes in 2003.   Following the Ivorian peace agreement in 2007, rail transport 
activity revived, to reach 830,000 tonnes in  2008.  Passenger traffic amounts to about 
500,000 passengers a year. 
(iv) Tourism 
223. Burkina Faso has witnessed a re markable increase in tourist arrivals, which grew by 16 per 
cent a year between 2002 and 2006 (Chart IV.1).  In 2006, most of the 359,000 tourists were Burkina 
                                                      
168 Decree No. 2009-055/PRES/PM/MT/MEF/SECU of 17 February 2009 adopting the national road 
safety policy paper (by way of regularization), Official Journal  No. 12 of 26 March 2009.  Viewed at:  
http://www.legiburkina.bf/jo/jo2009/no_12/Copie%20de%20Décret_PM_2009_00055.htm. Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
 Page 239 
 
 
  nationals, followed by French nationa ls (23 per cent of total arrivals).  However, the number of 
arrivals remains fairly small by international standard s.  Burkina Faso is the fourth tourist destination 
in West Africa, far behind Nigeria, Senegal, and Gh ana in terms of earnings and tourist arrivals.  The 
Government estimates the sector's contribution to GDP formation at 4.2 per cent.  Among recent 
developments, the site of the ruins of Lorepeni has been added to the UNESCO world heritage list.169 
224. In 2004, in particular, arrivals increased by 50 per cent.  Overnight stays also increased 
(totalling nearly 1 million in 2006), but not to the sa me extent (12 per cent), suggesting that a fairly 
large proportion of those arriving were on home leave.  Over half the earnings from tourism are probably linked with business trips, as evidenced by the short stays (2.8 days on average, unchanged 
since 2002).  Moreover, the average stay varies little over the course of the year.  In 2006, the hotel 
occupancy rate ranged from 53-55 per cent in Ap ril and August to 75 per cent in November. 
225. The country has 293 accommodation units, includi ng 158 hotels, and about 10,000 beds.  
Nearly half the rooms are in Ouagadougou.  The f our high-standard hotels account for a quarter of the 
total room capacity of the classified hotels.  Accord ing to the balance of payment statistics, travel 
accounts for two thirds of Burkina Faso's exports of services, with earnings of CFAF 27 billion in 
2006 (€41 million).
170  This travel expenditure may reflect tourism expenditure but also expenditure 
by border-crossing or seasonal workers in Burkina F aso and that of workers who stay for less than 
one year as employees of a Burkina enterprise. 
226. Since 2004, the authorities have introduced a national tourism policy, as well as a new 
regulatory framework for tourism establishments , with the intention of boosting the economic 
contribution of tourism through produc t diversification and the promotion of Burkina Faso as a tourist 
destination.  The new legislation is listed in Ta ble IV.8.  The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and 
Communication (MCTC) is the Burkina government entity responsible for the development of the 
sector.171  It works hand in hand with the Burkina National Tourism Board (ONTB). 
227. The Ouagadougou International Tourism and Hotel Trade Fair (SITHO) was first organized 
in 2004 at the initiative of the MCTC, in order to bring African tourism professionals together and 
draw attention to the tourism potential of the particip ating countries.  At the same time as acting as an 
interface between the tour organizers and African tourism professionals, SITHO explores and highlights the contribution of tourism to developm ent actions.  The Fair is coordinated by an 
Executive Secretariat, a function entrusted to th e ONTB, and organized jointly with the private 
operators.
172 
 
                                                      
169 33rd Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, Seville, June 2009. 
170 BCEAO (2009). 
171 MCTC online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.culture.gov.bf. 
172 SITHO online information.  Vi ewed at:  http://www.sitho.bf/. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
Page 240 
 
 
  050100150200250300350400
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Source: Burkina Faso, Compendium of Tourism Statistics, 2002-2006Chart IV.1
Tourists in Burkina Faso, 2002-2006
Thousand
Burkina Faso OtherEurope Other Africa
 
 
Table IV.8 
Recent legislation concerning tourism in Burkina Faso 
Legislation Subject 
Law No. 058-2003/AN Tourism establishments and tourism promotion in Burkina Faso 
Decree No. 2004-348/PRES/PM/MCAT/MFB/MCPEA/ 
MATD Regulation of the classification and operation of tourism restaurants 
Decree No. 2004-349/PRES/PM/MCAT/MFB/ 
MCPEA/MATD Regulation of the construction, alteration, equipping, classification and operation of 
tourist accommodation establishments 
Decree No. 2004-350/PRES/PM/MCAT/MFB/ MCPEA/MATD Conditions of issuance, validity and withdrawal of travel agency licences 
Law No. 017-2005/AN Tourism policy in Burkina Faso 
Order No. 2005-190/MCAT/MFB Regulation of the profession of tourist guide 
Order No. 2005-192/MCAT-/MFB Establishment of the amounts and methods of payment of the fees relating to the 
issuance and validation of travel agency licences 
Decree No. 2006-072/PRES/PM/MCAT/MFB/MECV/ 
MATD/ MAHRR/SECU Classification and regulation of the development, operation and management of tourist 
attractions 
Source : Information provided by the Burkina Faso authorities. 
228. The Ouagadougou Pan-African Cinema and Te levision Festival (FESPACO) is another 
government initiative to promote tourism.173 
                                                      
173 SIAO online information.  Viewed at http://www.siao.bf/. Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
 Page 241 
 
 
  229. Hotel and restaurant services and travel agencies and tour operators services are Burkina 
Faso's only specific commitments under the GATS.174  The Schedule of Commitments specifies that 
the number of foreign travel agencies may not exceed  one third of the national total;  this no longer 
appears to be a requirement in the new regulator y framework for tourism establishments.  About 
50 travel agencies are believed to be operational.   Their number has grown sharply with the increase 
in tourist arrivals and thanks to the very flexib le government licensing conditions.  Only a few of 
them appear to have means of tran sport and relations with internati onal tour operators and be capable 
of organizing tourist trips. 
(v) Financial services175 
(a) Banking services 
230. At the end of 2008, the Burkina financial sector  consisted of 12 banks  and five financial 
establishments.176  There are three banks that specia lize in housing, agricultural loans and 
microfinance, respectively, while th e rest offer a general service.  In 2008, the country had 166 outlets 
(branches and offices), employing a total of 2,164 employees managing 543,237 bank accounts.  
Since 2004, the number of outlets has increased by 8 per cent a year and the number of accounts by 
7 per cent.  The proportion of the consolidated capita l of the Burkina banks held by non-nationals fell 
from 55 per cent in 2006 and 2007 to 5 per cent at the end of 2008, as a result of transfers of shares to 
Burkina private capital.  At the end of 2008, the Stat e held shares in 12 of the 17 banks and financial 
establishments, with a consolidated share of 16 pe r cent of the total capital of these institutions. 
231. Financial services are subject to the WAEMU common banking law177 and the prudential 
provisions of the WAEMU Banking Commission, which is also responsible for surveillance (joint 
report, Chapter IV). 
232. In 2008, 11 of the 12 banks were in complian ce with the main solvency and other prudential 
standards.  Eight banks were in compliance with  the liquidity ratio requirement (joint report, 
Table IV.6).  The return on equity, i.e. the ratio of net income to share holders' funds, improved in 
2008 (Table IV.9). 
233. Loans to customers amounted to CFAF 705 billion (€1.075 billion) at the end of 2008, i.e. an 
increase of 22.2 per cent relative to the previous y ear.  The five largest banks distributed 67 per cent 
of all the loans granted.  Short-term loans increas ed by 31 per cent as compared with 2007 to reach 
CFAF 422 billion (€643 million), i.e. 60 per cent of all loans.178  The contribution of medium and 
long-term loans to the total did not increase.  In 2008, the main loan beneficiarie s were the sectors that 
provide services for the community, reversing the trend for the majority of short-term loans to 
concern import export transactions.  In 2004, the five  largest loan beneficiaries, in the trade and 
manufacturing industry sectors, accounted for 24 .5 per cent of total declared commitments. 
                                                      
174 WTO document GATS/SC/14 of 15 April 1994. 
175 Burkina Faso did not make any specific commitments with respect to this sector under the GATS 
and did not participate in the WTO negotiations in 1998. 
176 The main banks are:  Bank of Africa - Burkina Faso;  Banque atlantique du Burkina Faso;  Banque 
de l'habitat du Burkina Faso;  Banque régionale de solidarité - Burkina;  Banque sahélo-saharienne pour l'investissement et le commerce;  Banque internationale pour le commerce, l'industrie et l'agriculture du 
Burkina;  Banque internationale du Burkina;  Société générale de banques au Burkina;  Banque commerciale du 
Burkina;  and Ecobank Burkina. 
177 Banking Law.  Viewed at:  http://www .bceao.int/internet/bcweb.nsf/pages/sys2. 
178 Unchanged since the previous trade policy review. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
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  Table IV.9 
Sectoral distribution of loans, 2005-2008 
(CFAF billion and percentage) 
Sector 2005a 2006a 2007a 2008a 
Agriculture, forestry and fishing  3 1 3 12 
Mining and quarrying 0 0 0 0 
Manufacturing industries 15 15 14 4 
Electricity, gas, water 1 1 1 0 
Construction, public works 5 8 7 5 
Businesses, restaurants, hotels 51 53 52 26 
Transport, warehouses and communications 7 9 8 8 
Insurance, real estate, business services 1 1 1 3 
Miscellaneous services 14 13 14 42 
Total 100 100 100 100 
Total loans to customers (CFAF billion) 509 575 577 705 
Net income (CFAF billi on) 6,179 3, 226 1,464 7,471 
Return on equity 7.8 3.9 1.5 6.3 
a December. 
Source : BCEAO (2009), Annual Report 2008, September.  Viewed  at:  http://www.bceao.int/in ternet/bcweb.nsf/wfrapub. 
234. Since the previous trade policy review in 200 4, microfinance has continued to develop, 
particularly outside the urban centres served by the banks.  Thanks to its ability to mobilize savings, 
microfinance facilitates access to cr edit for farmers and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.  
The providers are mainly savings and loan coope ratives.  These "decentralized financial systems" 
(DFS) are generally self-financed, but there are al so institutions financed by NGOs and others 
financed by the State.  The DFSs are subject to  the WAEMU common regulations implemented by the 
member States.179  In Burkina Faso, the DFSs come under the supervision of the Ministry of the 
Economy and Finance.  In 2006, with the aid of the United Nations Capital Development Fund, the 
Ministry introduced a "National Strategy for Microfinance (2006-2010)".180  In 2001, the latest year 
for which information is available, the microf inance sector received subsidies amounting to around 
CFAF 1.55 billion (€2.4 million).181 
235. About 50 Burkina microfinance institutions ar e registered with the BCEAO Directorate of 
Decentralized Financial Systems182, the main one being the Federa tion of Burkina Credit Unions 
(FCBP).  In 2004, the FCBP alone had 69 per cent of the customers, mobilized 82 per cent of deposits 
and granted 67 per cent of the loans.  The interest s of the microfinance institutions are represented by 
the Trade Association of Burkina Microfinance Institutions. 
(b) Insurance services 
236. Burkina Faso is a member of the Inter-Afri can Conference on Insurance Markets (CIMA), 
whose Code governs the provision of direct non-mari ne insurance services in the countries concerned 
(joint report, Chapter IV).  In Burkina Faso, the regulatory agency for the insurance sector is the 
                                                      
179 Law No. 59/94/ADP of 15 D ecember 1994 and its implementing Decree No. 95-308/PRES/MEFP 
of 1 August 1995. 
180 Ministry of Finance and the Budget (2006). 
181 BCEAO online information, "Les faits marquants de la finance décentralisée au Burkina en 2001".  
Viewed at:  http://w ww.bceao.int/internet/b cweb.nsf/French.htm [18 January 2004]. 
182 BCEAO online information, "La microfinance dans l'UMOA".  Viewed at:  
http://www.bceao.int/inte rnet/sfd.nsf/wfrasfd. Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
 Page 243 
 
 
  Insurance Directorate in the Directorate-General of the Treasury and Public Accounting within the 
Ministry of Finance and the Budget.  The main insurers are listed in Table IV.10.  The State holds shares (21 per cent) in the National Insuran ce and Reinsurance Company (SONAR) and in the 
company Allianz.  The Trade Association of Burk ina Insurance Companies (APSAB) represents the 
interests of the insurers, most of which belong to foreign insurance groups.  Moreover, in 2010, there 
are 12 active brokers generating more than half the sector's turnover.  Overall, per capita insurance 
premiums remain low.  Between 2000 and 2008, th e total per capita insurance premium (life and 
non-life) rose from CFAF 1,000 to CFAF 1,784. 
237. Only the automobile third-party insurance ta riff is fixed (since 2003) under the CIMA Code 
(No. 2003-75/MFB/SG/DGTCP/DA).  The other tariffs are free.  Apart from automobile third-party 
insurance, which is compulsory under the CI MA Code, import insurance for goods is also 
compulsory.
183  Similarly, construction insurance184 is compulsory in practice, but the legal texts do 
not yet exist. 
Table IV.10 
Main insurers, 2009 
Name (year of establishment) Turnover 2008 
CFAF billion (€ million) Website 
Total non-life insurance  17.8 (27.0)  
Allianz (1978)  4.0 (6.1) www.ag f-bf.com;  www.agf-afrique.com 
COLINA assurances Burkina Faso (1999)  2.4 (3.7) www.colina-sa.com 
Générale des assurances (1998)  2.7 (4.1) .. 
RAYNAL SA (2006)  0.9 (1.4) .. 
SONAR (1974)  5.1 (7.8) www.sonar.bf 
Union des assurances du Burkina (1990)  2.5 (3.8) .. 
Total life insurance  8.5 (13.0)  
Allianz Vie (1978)  3.2 (4.8) www.agf-burkina.com 
Générale des assurances vie (1998)  0.2 (0.3) .. 
SONAR vie (1974)  1.9 (2.9) www.sonar.bf 
Union des assurances du Burkina vie  3.2 (4.9) .. 
.. Not available. 
Source:  Information provided by the Burkina authorities. 
(vi) Professional and business services 
238. Although professional services are regulated at national level, several WAEMU directives 
have been adopted since 2005 to allow the free moveme nt of certain trades and the temporary exercise 
of certain professions, on a self-employed or salaried basis, within the WAEMU area.  The information available is presented in the joint report. 
                                                     
 
183 Decree No. 84-329/CNR/PRES/MF implementing Ordinance No. 83-028/CNR/PRES/MF on the 
domiciliation of the insurance of goods and cargo at importation. 
184 Decree No. 2006-306/PRES promulgating Law No. 017-2006/AN of 18 May 2006 on the Town 
Planning and Reconstruction Code. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
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  V. AID FOR TRADE 
(1) INTRODUCTION  
239. In order to develop its international trad e as a means of diversifying its economy and 
stimulating growth, Burkina Faso has taken advant age of several technical and financial assistance 
programmes offered by its TFPs.  Overall, the am ounts corresponding to the definition of Aid for 
Trade (AFT)185 (US$17 per capita in 2008), like the tota l amounts of official development aid (ODA) 
(US$86 per capita in 2008), are still modest as co mpared with the country's needs.  Several 
Government and TFP reports have examined the supply side constraints in detail, both at the level of 
the economy as a whole and in specific sectors.  Th e main constraints are:  drought and weather 
factors, together with poor agricultural productivit y and ineffective land management;  the energy 
shortfall;  the inadequacies of the transport system ;  and an overregulated supply chain (Chapter III).  
Recently, Burkina Faso has made strenuous efforts to put trade in the forefront of its poverty 
reduction strategy.  This chapter describes the vari ous ongoing programmes, the projects envisaged by 
the authorities and the country's current needs. 
(2) INTEGRATION OF TRADE INTO THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY  
(i) Integrated Framework 
240. Burkina has participated since 2004 in the process begun under the Integrated 
Framework (IF), a project specifically dedicated to  the definition of the measures to be taken to 
develop its international trade and to effective integration of  these measures into its national 
development plans.186  Following a preliminary mission at the beginning of 2006, Burkina Faso's 
Diagnostic Trade Integration Study (DTIS) was finalized in September 2007 and adopted in the 
Council of Ministers on 4 June 2008.  A specific acti on matrix was then published on the basis of the 
DTIS. 
241. In general, the DTIS identifies three main ar eas of action:  (i) a search for subsectors with 
export potential;  (ii) the identification of areas in which productivity could be improved;  and (iii) an 
analysis of the necessary regulatory and institutiona l reforms.  In the case of Burkina Faso, the key 
sectors identified are agriculture, agro-industry an d mining.  The DTIS does not mention certain 
services, such as tourism, which nevertheless have a strong export potential (Chapter IV). 
242. The DTIS made it possible to identify the areas in which trade policy needs to be improved in 
order to stimulate international trade and investme nt.  These areas can be divided into five large 
groups:  (i) measures to increase the energy supply and improve its management (Chapter IV);  
(ii) transport, in particular the establishment of a road fund to preserve and develop the road 
infrastructure and containerize traffic;  (iii) the re vision of the investment regulations, under way since 
                                                      
185 Aid for Trade is intended to help developing countries to increase their exports of goods and 
services and to integrate into the multilateral trading system.  AFT is considered to cover those projects and programmes whose activities have been identified as trade-related development priorities in the national 
development strategies of the beneficiary countries.  Six categories of AFT have been identified:  (i) trade policy 
and regulation;  (ii) trade development;  (iii) trade-related infrastructure;  (iv) productive capacity building;  (v) trade-related adjustment;  and (vi) other trade-related needs. 
186 Integrated Framework for Trade-Related Technical Assistance to Least Developed Countries, online 
information.  Viewed at:  http://www.integratedframew ork.org/fr/francais.htm.  The implementation of the 
IF mechanism involves four stages:  (i) an initial awar eness-raising stage;  (ii) a DTIS;  (iii) a plan for 
integrating the trade strategy into the national development strategy;  and (iv) the implementation of this plan. Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
 Page 245 
 
 
  the end of 2009 (Chapter II);  (iv) building custom s capacity, and tax reform to reduce the number of 
taxes levied on trade (Chapter III);  and (v) design and monitoring of an export strategy.187  Priority 
actions identified by the DTIS have been effectively integrated into the "rolling 
three-year programme" of priority actions (PAP) 2009-2011 of the Poverty Re duction Strategy Paper 
(PRSP). 
243. At the institutional level the Government of Bu rkina Faso established, by Ministerial Order 
No. 09.004/MCPEA/MEF of 26 January 2009, a Steering Committee of the Integrated Framework for Trade-Related Technical Assistance.  This Committ ee is composed of representatives of the public 
sector (Ministries responsible for trade, the econom y, finance, agriculture and animal resources, 
Centre for Economic and Social Policy Analysis ), the private sector (Chamber of Commerce, 
Business Centre, National Employers' Council), and ci vil society (Consumers Association).  In order 
to ensure the success of the Enha nced Integrated Framework (EIF) process in Burkina Faso, the Order 
is currently being revised and will have to designate  the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Trade, 
Enterprise Promotion and Crafts (MCPEA) as Ch airman of the Committee in place of the 
Director-General of Trade, who has held the position of EIF Focal Point since July 2009.  Pursuant to 
a proposal by the Burkina authoriti es, the African Development Bank (AfDB) has agreed to act as the 
Donor Facilitator in the IF implem entation process in Burkina Faso. 
244. The Tier 1 draft project preparation process is well under way and should lead to the 
establishment of the National EIF Implementation Unit (UNMO/CIR).  The main objective of the project is to build up and strengthen the instituti onal capacity necessary for Burkina Faso to formulate 
and implement trade-related strategies.  An ins titutional mechanism will be put into place for that 
purpose, in order to create synergy between the public and private sectors and the donor community 
so that trade is mainstreamed more effectivel y into the growth and development policies and 
strategies in Burkina Faso. 
(ii) National development strategy 
245. Burkina Faso's Poverty Reduction Strategy Pape r (PRSP) constitutes the frame of reference 
for the Government's political programme but also th e basis for the aid strategies of almost all the 
TFPs.  The PRSP has four objectives:  Objective 1 - to speed up growth and base it on fairness;  
Objective 2 - to guarantee access for the poor to basic social services a nd social protection;  
Objective 3 - to provide greater employment and in come-generating opportunities for the poor on an 
equitable basis;  and Objective 4 - to promote good governance.  The first version of the PRSP dates 
from 1999.  In 2003, it was adjusted to reflect  the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).  Its 
performance is regularly assessed by the Ministry responsible for the economy.
188 
246. Generally speaking, the PRSP has not envisaged trade as a tool for poverty reduction, with no 
manifest link, therefore, between trade performan ce and economic growth.  The Accelerated Growth 
and Sustainable Development Strategy (SCADD) - designed to replace the PRSP as from 2010 - is 
under preparation and provides an opportunity to in tegrate trade more closely into the development 
strategy and, in particular, to include in it the recommendations of the DTIS. 
                                                      
187 A workshop on the validation of the study on the formulation of the National Export Promotion 
Strategy (SNE) was organized on 24 November 2009 in Ouagadougou. 
188 UNDP online information.  Vi ewed at:  http://www.pnud.bf/. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
Page 246 
 
 
  (iii) Supply-side constraints 
247. The development of the Burkin a economy faces considerable constraints, both internal and 
external.  The external constraints include drought and other weather factors;  the deficit in natural 
resources, including energy;  and the landlocked natu re of the country.  The internal problems which 
the country must overcome in order to develop include the low level of  diversification of its economy;  
the particularly low level of development of its hum an resources;  the lack of means of transport and 
other basic infrastructure;  the weakness of its in stitutional capacity;  and the problems of governance. 
(iv) Needs in terms of Aid for Trade and trade-related technical assistance 
248. A major effort to draw up and coordinate national strategies for the development of 
international trade was in progress in Burkina Faso in May 2010.  This has enabled the authorities to 
update the DTIS action matrix and identify the priority projects for trade development in Burkina Faso.  Table V.1 contains a preliminary lis t of these projects.  The first group consists of 
projects aimed at supporting regulatory reform, such  as the reduction of the taxation on imports and 
exports, the reform of the procedures necessary for international trade and investment, and the 
strengthening of the structures for the support and pr omotion of international trade.  The second group 
comprises priority infrastructure projects for facilitati ng trade, principally in the areas of transport and 
energy.  Thirdly, the authorities have identifie d the sectors with the best potential for export 
development. 
Table V.1 
Aid for Trade priorities, 2010 
Sectors/priority 
areas Description of actions requiring financing Ministry, agency and other 
stakeholders 
1.  Trade facilitation projects 
Customs procedures Review, simplification and harmonization of customs procedures, introduction 
of a single customs declaration for WAEMU, computerization (Asycuda 
word).  Implementation of the Kyoto Convention.  Building the capacity of 
Customs and its interconnection with ot her players (e.g. forwarding agents). Customs, MCPEA, trade 
facilitation experts, Asycuda 
Inspection Review of preshipment and at de stination inspection programmes, their cost 
and the need for them.  Search  for ways of cutting costs. MEF, Customs, MCPEA 
Customs valuation Capacity building in the ar eas of customs valuation and elimination of 
reference values. Customs 
Customs documents 
and controls Project for the rationalization of im port documents and import control 
procedures. MCPEA 
WAEMU transit 
procedures Review of transit procedures (CBC le tters, TRIE) with a view to their 
harmonization and computerization, followed by their replacement by a 
WAEMU single entry point system (" libre pratique ") with total free circulation 
of goods within the common market, elimination of escorts, elimination of the 
"queuing" system, introduction of sy stematic axle load controls.  
Computerization of the management of community preference approvals by Customs. Customs, MT, MCPEA, trade 
facilitation experts, Asycuda 
Import insurance Review of the compulsory im port insurance regulations, elimination of the 
restrictions on competition in the insurance sector. MCPEA, MEF, CIMA 
2.  Institutional capacity building 
UNMO/CIR Support for the implementation of UNMO/CIR activities. MCPEA, MEF 
Reform of ONAC Restructuring of ONAC with th e creation of strong directorates and the 
opening of regional directorates in the big production and export regions. ONAC, MCPEA, MEF 
Cooperation between 
support structures Strengthening of institutional cooperati on, rationalization and elimination of 
duplication in support for exports and investment. ONAC, MCPEA, MEF, WB, 
CCIBF, MEBF, etc. 
Trade financing Creation and im plementation of an export market access fund (FAMEX type), 
improved access for export enterprises to financing from the financial 
institutions, strengthening of the coopera tion between the financial institutions 
and these enterprises. ONAC, MCPEA, WB, MEF, 
AFD, etc. Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
 Page 247 
 
 
  Sectors/priority 
areas Description of actions requiring financing Ministry, agency and other 
stakeholders 
3.  Tax reform 
Duties and taxes Review of the number and inci dence of the duties and taxes levied at the 
customs cordon with a view to th eir reduction and simplification. MEF 
VAT on exports Acceleration of the reimburseme nt of VAT and exemption for exporters. MEF 
4.  Adaptation to international markets 
Business upgrading Improvement of the production and marketing performance of enterprises to 
prepare them for export.  Financing of upgrading programme. UNIDO, AFD 
Adaptation of export 
products to 
international standards Building the capacity of FASONORM and quality control bodies (e.g. national 
laboratory):  provision of high-performan ce equipment and apparatus, training, 
enabling exporters to obtain internationa l technical standards for their products.FASONORM, MCPEA 
5.  Infrastructure 
Electricity Increased supply of electri city and reduced cost. SONABEL, MCE 
Petroleum products Review of petroleum market  regulations (import monopoly, price-setting, 
subsidies, taxation);  reform of the management of SONABHY. MCE 
Roads, rural tracks Buildi ng of new roads;  road network main tenance and repair.  Establishment 
and financing of a road fund. MT 
Railways Analysis of conditions for developing th e railway system in Burk ina Faso. MT, AfricaRail 
Air transport Study of the improvements requi red in terms of air transport to facilitate 
exports. MT 
Storage Development of export storage infrastructure. MAHRH, cotton companies 
6.  Cotton subsector 
Productivity Improvement of production and ma rket preparation techniques through the 
financing of new high-perf ormance equipment.  Monitoring of sector reform. Cotton companies, MAHRH, 
PRFCB, WB, AFD 
New products Promotion of "fair-trade" organic crops, promoti on of organic fertilizer. MAHRH, cotton companies 
Prices Review of the operation of the Sm oothing Fund and of the price determination 
mechanism. MCPEA, cotton companies and 
AICB 
Processing Projects for enhancing pr oductivity and processing seed to make oil and cake. MCPEA, MRA 
 Projects for enhancing productivity and processing cotton to make fibres and 
fabrics. MCPEA, MAHRH 
7.  Livestock subsector 
Semi-intensive 
livestock-farming Analysis of the possibilities of promoting semi-intensi ve livestock-farming. MRA 
  Cattle market development.  Facilitati on of trade in animals by reducing taxes 
at WAEMU internal borders (formal and informal).  Development of 
UNACEB and other trade associations. MRA, WB (PAFASP), Danida 
(PADAB2) 
  Financing for the construction of the Bobo-Dioulasso refrigerated abattoir. MRA 
  Study of the opportunities for hide and skin exports.  
  Increasing meat exports within WAEM U/ECOWAS.  Analysis of restrictions 
on the intra-regional meat trade and proposals for reform. WAEMU, ECOWAS, MCPEA, 
MRA 
8.  Other oilseeds and fruit subsector 
Sesame Development of an  oilseed joint-trade organization. MAHRH, PAFASP 
 Study of possible sources of new invest ment in exporting, in particular to 
Japan.  Encouragement of foreign and domestic private investment. German cooperation, MCPEA, 
ANPI, CPI 
Sesame, organic Promotion of organic sesame production and exports. MCPEA, MAHRH, PAFASP, 
ONAC 
Sesame processing Analysis of opportunities for inve stment in the local processing of sesame for 
export. MCPEA, Directorate-General of 
Industrial Development (DGDI) 
Groundnuts Study of the marketing and export potentia l of groundnut products. MCPEA, MAHRH, PAFASP, 
ONAC 
Shea Study of the marketing and export pot ential of shea products, including kernels 
and butter.  Development of the Table F ilière Karité joint-trade association.  
Potential for exporting to the United States. MAHRH, Canadian Cooperation 
(DYFAB), WATH (USA) 
Cashew nuts Study of the marketing and export potential of cashew nuts, including 
"organic" nuts. MAHRH, Bill and Melinda 
Gates Foundation, PAFASP, 
ONAC WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
Page 248 
 
 
  Sectors/priority 
areas Description of actions requiring financing Ministry, agency and other 
stakeholders 
9.  Fruit and vegetable subsector 
Fruit (mangoes, 
guavas, bananas, 
green limes, 
strawberries) 
Vegetables (onions) Study of fruit production and marketing potential, support for the fruit and fruit 
product production and marketing bodies.  Development of a joint-trade 
organization, construction of sufficient storage and preservation infrastructure. MAHRH, PAFASP, CCI-BF 
10.  Agrifood products subsector 
Juices, dried 
products, oils Development of an agrifood zone for SMEs, promotion of production, 
processing and marketing, construction of  sufficient storage and preservation 
infrastructure. CCI-BF, MAHRH 
11.  Small-scale mining subsector 
Increase in 
productivity Development of local workshops for making processing units to improve the 
quality of the equipment used.  Training for small-scale miners.  Support for 
advisory and monitoring bodies. MCE, BUMIGEB, DEMPEC 
Taxation Elimination of delays in the reimbursement of VAT on mining products;  
exemption from VAT at export. MEF, World Bank (PACDE) 
12.  Arts and crafts subsector 
Jewellery, leather 
goods, fabrics, decoration Development of links between local arts  and crafts and European, Asian and 
North American fashion industries. MCPEA, BUMIGEB, CBMP 
13.  Tourism services 
Cultural tourism, 
ecotourism Project for the development of tourism,  including an analysis of the national 
regulatory framework and the constraint s on the development of the sector, 
measures to promote ecotourism, business tourism and cultural tourism and 
make them profitable. ONTB, FESPACO SIAO, 
SITHO 
Note: AFD:  French Development Agency 
 AICB:  Burkina Joint-Trade Cotton Association  ANPI:  National Investment Promotion Agency  CPI:  Presidential Investment Council 
 WB:  World Bank 
 BUMIGEB:  Burkina Bureau of Mines and Geology  CBMP:  Burkina Precious Metals Office  Danida:  Danish International Development Assistance  DEMPEC:  Small-Scale Mining Operations Directorate 
 DYFAB:  Project to Develop Crop and Li vestock Farming (Canadian cooperation) 
 FAMEX:  Export Market Access Fund (Tunisia)  FESPACO:  Ouagadougou Pan-African Cinema and Television Festival 
 MAHRH:  Ministry of Agricultu re, Water Resources and Fisheries 
 MCE:  Ministry of Mining, Quarrying and Energy 
 MCPEA:  Ministry of Trade, Enterprise Promotion and Crafts  MEF:  Ministry of the Economy and Finance 
 MT:  Ministry of Transport 
 ONAC:  National Foreign Trade Bureau  ONTB:  Burkina National Tourism Office  UNIDO:  United Nations Industrial Development Organization 
 PACDE:  Programme of Support for Competitiv eness and Business Development (World Bank) 
 PADDAB 2:  Danish Support Programme for the Develo pment of the Agricultural Sector in Burkina Faso 
 PAFASP:  Support Programme for the Agricultura l, Forestry and Livest ock Farming Subsectors 
 PRFCB:  Project for the Develo pment of the Cotton Subsector in Burkina Faso (World Bank, AFD) 
 SIAO:  International Arts and Crafts Fair of Ouagadougou  SITHO:  Ouagadougou International Tourism and Hotel Trade Fair  UNACEB:  National Union of Cattle Dealers and Exporters  UNMO/CIR:  National Unit for the Implementa tion of the Enhanced Integrated Framework 
 WATH:  West Africa Trade Hub (United States) 
 
Source : Information provided by the Government of Burkina Fa so, on the basis of the matrix identified within the 
framework of the DTIS.  Viewed at:  http://www.inte gratedframework.org/files/fr ench/BurkinaFaso_Action 
%20Matrix_ fr.pdf (http://www.integrat edframework.org/files/ french/BurkinaFaso_Ac tion Matrix_ fr.pdf). Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
 Page 249 
 
 
  (3) AID-FOR-TRADE ASSISTANCE TO BURKINA FASO 
(i) Overview of development aid flows in the economy 
249. The OECD statistics indicate that the volume of ODA for Burkina Faso amounted to 
US$1,284 million in 2008, or about 86 dollars per ca pita per year, a modest amount considering the 
country's development needs.  Moreover, the total amounts of commitments vary sharply from 
one year to another, having almost doubled in 2008 relative to the previous year.  ODA finances on 
average almost a quarter of the annual State budget and accounts for more than 10 per cent of GDP.  Thus, ODA plays a key role in the effective implementation of the three-year Priority Action Programmes (PAP/CSLP). 
250. ODA can be broken down into:  general budgeta ry support, treated as the State's own 
resources and representing only a quarter of registered ODA;  investment projects (about 70 per cent of the total), independent technical cooperation (3  per cent), investment project-related technical 
cooperation (1 per cent);  and food and emergency aid (1 per cent).  In 2007, ODA was more or less 
equally divided into loans and subsidies.  Moreover, Burkina Faso has, on several occasions, 
benefited from exceptional financial aid progra mmes under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries 
(HIPC) Initiative and the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI), which have made it possible to 
reduce its stock of debt. 
(ii) Overview of Aid for Trade 
251. The OECD is active in monito ring and evaluating assistance programmes and maintains the 
Creditor Reporting System (CRS).  According to the CRS database (Table V.2), total commitments of 
Aid for Trade in Burkina Faso amounted to US$258 million in 2008, an increase on the period 
2002-2007.  According to the OECD, only about 20 per cent of ODA constitut ed Aid for Trade in 
2008.  The support is mainly intended for the econom ic infrastructure, particularly transport and 
storage.  Agriculture receives a substantial proportion of the aid, but commitments vary sharply from year to year.  Finally, there has been a sh arp increase in aid for formulating trade policy. 
Table V.2 
Aid for Trade flows:  CRS auxiliary data189 
(ODA:  US$ million, 2008 constant prices) 
CRS purpose codes Commitments 
 2002-2005 
average 2006 2007 2008 
Trade policy, regulations a nd trade-related adjustment      
33110 Trade policy and administrative management  0.0  0.0  19.1  14.4 
33120 Trade facilitation     
33130 Regional trade agreements (RTAs)  0.0  0.0  0.1  45.9 
33140 Multilateral trade negotiations     
33150 Trade-related adjustment     
33181 Trade education/training     
 Subtotal  1.3  4.7  18.3  60.2 
Economic infrastructure     
21010 to 21081 Transport and storage  60.5  12.2  0.0  86.9 
22010 to 22040 Communications  9.1  0.1  0.5  0.3 
23010 to 23082 Energy generation and supply  41.4  0.2  41.6  17.3 
 Subtotal  111.0  12.5  44.53  104.5 
                                                      
189 Commitments under Aid for Trade may differ from act ual payments for various reasons, such as the 
payment schedule. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
Page 250 
 
 
  CRS purpose codes Commitments 
 2002-2005 
average 2006 2007 2008 
Building productive capacity     
25010 Business support services and institutions  9.6  5.3  10.0  11.8 
24010 to 24081 Banking and financ ial services  6.1  0.2  0.4  3.2 
31110 to 31195 Agriculture  43.7  113.1  80.1  65.4 
31210 to 31291 Forestry  7.6  0.6  3.1  2.5 
31310 to 31391 Fishing  0.0  0.0  0.3  0.2 
32110 to 32182 Industry  10.9  17.2  14.1  1.8 
32210 to 32268 Mineral resources and mining  0.0  0.0  0.0  8.0 
33210 Tourism  0.0  0.0  0.0  0.0 
 Subtotal  77.9  136.4  108  92.9 
Total Aid for Trade  190.2  153.5  168.5  257.6 
Share of total ODA (%)  20.8  17.2  22.4  20.0 
Memorandum item:  Total ODA  914  895  753  1,284.0 
Memorandum item:  Population (million)  13.7  14.1  14.5  14.9 
Source:  OECD, Creditor Reporting System. 
252. In terms of commitments and actual disburseme nts, the main TFPs are the World Bank, the 
French Development Agency (AFD), the Europ ean Union, and the African Development Bank 
(AfDB).  Table V.3 provides a review of donor activities in Burkina Faso. 
Table V.3 
Review of the activities of the principal donors in terms of Aid for Trade 
Donor Summary 
World Bank: 
Country Assistance Strategy 
(CAS) The World Bank is one of Burkina Faso's principa l TFPs and its CAS also takes into account the 
objectives specified in the PRSP.  It  has three main activities and prioritie s in relation to Aid for Trade:  
(i) to help the Government manage the cotton crisis (C hapter IV(2));  (ii) to promote private investment, 
including investment in the mining sector and th e development of SMEs;  and (iii) to improve 
governance.  Viewed at:  h ttp://go.worldbank. org/HP5QLX9N30 
International Monetary Fund The IMF provides Burkina Faso with financial assistance, in  particular with debt relief under the M DRI.  
Viewed at:  http://www.imf.org/external/np/exr/facts/fre/mdrif.htm 
African Development Bank (AfDB) The development strategy proposed by the AfDB is base d on the PRSP, in particular diversification of the 
economy in order to broaden the productive base and reduce the dependence on cotton.  The Burkina 
project portfolio can be viewed at:  http://www. afdb.org/fr/projects-opera tions/project-portfolio/ 
United Nations Development 
Programme The United Nations Development Assistance Framew ork (UNDAF) is the common strategic planning 
framework for the United Nations System's operationa l activities in Burkina Fa so.  Two of the UNDP's 
five priority areas concern trade:  expanding op portunities for employment and income-generating 
activities and promoting good governance.  Viewed at:  http://www.pnud.bf/FR/cca_undaf.htm 
European Union: 
Country Strategy Paper and 
European Development Fund EU cooperation in Burkina Faso under the 10th EDF focuses on two areas of intervention:  strengthening 
of basic infrastructure and interconnectivity, and support for good governance.  EU support for Burkina 
Faso is aimed at strengthening the road infrastructu re, sustainably and fairly increasing access to drinking 
water and sanitation, promoting renewable energy sources, and stre ngthening political and democratic 
governance, together with local governance.  Viewed at:  
http://ec.europa.eu/development/cente r/repository/scanned_bf_sp10_fr.pdf 
French Development Agency 
(AFD) The AFD intervenes with subsidies for the State and local authorities a nd soft loans for the investments 
made by the large public utility enterprises.  Its rece nt interventions have mainly concerned water and 
sanitation, together with a Bobo-Dioulasso-Ouagadougou  electrical interconnection project.  Viewed at:  
http://www. afd.fr/jahia/Jahia/site/afd/lang/en/ccespays?pays=BF&srcpage=lstpays 
Source:  WTO Secretariat. 
(iii) Trade-related technical assistance 
253. The WTO is very active in providing techni cal assistance and training activities for its 
Members, particularly LDCs such as Burkina Faso, w ith a view to familiarizing the participants with 
WTO-related issues.  Between 2005 and 2009, Burkina officials participated in 175 activities, or Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
 Page 251 
 
 
  35 activities a year on average, in most of the areas covered by the WTO.  These activities include 
distance training, participation in conferences,  traineeships of up to ten months duration, 
three-week introduction courses, two or three-day na tional or regional seminars in Burkina Faso and 
other countries, three-month trade policy courses in  Geneva or in Africa, specialized courses (for 
example, SPS measures), and thematic courses (for example, dispute settlement). 
254. These technical assistance and training activities should eventually help to remove some of 
the obstacles to the implementation of the WTO Agre ements, or at least those attributable to the 
inadequate institutional capacity of the national bo dies in charge of implementing the Agreements.  
One of the main areas in which Bu rkina Faso seems to be having implementation problems is that of 
SPS and TBT measures;  discussions with the authoriti es in the course of this review revealed the 
complexity of administrative procedures and the instances of overlapping authority that are impeding the application of the relevant provisions (Chapter III(2)). 
(4) M
ATCHING NEEDS AND ASSISTANCE  
(i) National coordination mechanisms 
(a) Mechanism for the national coordination of official development aid 
255. A ministerial committee has been in place since 2003 to coordinate and monitor 
PRSP implementation, under the leadership of the MEF, which includes the Directorate-General of 
Cooperation (DGCOOP).190  In September 2007, a National Action Plan on the Effectiveness of 
Development Aid 2007-2010 was drawn up and adopted in order to optimize the effects of aid, within 
the context of the achievement of the objectives of th e Paris Declaration.  Subsequently, in July 2008, 
the Government set up an Aid Management Plat form, under the management of the DGCOOP, in 
order to coordinate ODA to best effect.191  This structure is res ponsible for managing ODA and 
coordinating the flows of aid to Burkina Faso. 
(b) Mechanism for the national coordination of Aid for Trade 
256. As indicated in Chapter II, the Ministry res ponsible for trade (MCPEA) is in charge of 
defining and coordinating trade policy, including th e integration of trade into national development 
policy.  It shares this responsibility with the othe r ministries involved in the areas covered by Aid for 
Trade (transport, infrastructure, financial services, investment, etc.).  However, where planning and budgeting are concerned, the responsibilities are still hi ghly centralized in the MEF, and it is by no 
means certain that the MCPEA always succeeds in getting its priorities across.  In practice, the 
various ministries prepare their budget proposals on the basis of the budgetary circular of the Head of 
State.  Following negotiations between the MEF and the other ministries, the proposals adopted are 
consolidated by the MEF in the draft finance law wh ich, after adoption by the Council of Ministers, is 
submitted to the National Assembly for approva l.  During the budgetary process, the various 
ministries and institutions submit cost estimate s for the activities proposed at their levels. 
257. The Burkina Government maintains a regular dialogue with the private sector and other 
stakeholders concerning the formul ation and implementation of its ec onomic and trade policy.  Once a 
year, it brings together the private sector trade or ganizations, the civil societ y organizations, the trade 
                                                     
 
190 MEF online information.  Viewed at:  http://w ww.finances.gov.bf/SiteFinances/cslp/index.html. 
191 DGCOOP online informat ion.  Viewed at:  
http://www.dgcoop.gov.bf/attachments/012_P LATEFORME_DE_GESTION_DE_L_AIDE.pdf. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
Page 252 
 
 
  unions, the TFPs and the small farmers' trade orga nizations.  The financial needs associated with 
trade-related priorities find expressi on in the course of this dialogue. 
(ii) Monitoring and evaluation 
258. Burkina Faso's ODA is regularly evaluated.  An AfDB review in 2007 concluded that the 
general trend was towards poverty reduction and that the main social indicators were gradually 
improving.192  In particular, the implementation of rura l development projects had made it possible to 
promote the growth of agricultural production thanks to the construction and repair of dams and boreholes.  The projects had also made it possible to strengthen the local authorities, improve the 
management of natural resources and promote microf inance.  The review also concluded that the 
capacity for the better coordination of aid, in conf ormity with the Paris Declaration, was gradually 
being built up.  Country ownership was clearly refl ected in the strong participation of the various 
social partners and the TFPs in the PRSP process and the establishment by the Government of the 
institutional PRSP monitoring mechanism. 
(5) O
UTLOOK FOR AID FOR TRADE  
259. Burkina Faso was successful in convincing its TFPs to make regular increases in ODA during 
the period 2000-2008, tha nks to the progress made in terms of aid flow management and the 
appropriation of development progra mmes.  However, ODA remains at modest levels relative to the 
country's development needs and varies sharply from  one year to another.  The challenge facing 
Burkina Faso is therefore to su cceed in mobilizing more resources on a stable basis in order to 
develop its infrastructure and productive capacity.  In order to convince its TFPs to continue 
increasing their commitments, Burkina Faso must mainta in and develop its plan (Table V.2) of clearly 
identified and budgeted priority actions.  This is why the authorities have mentioned as one of their 
priorities assistance with building up the institutiona l and technical capacity of the public service, 
including those entities responsible  for promoting Aid for Trade. 
                                                      
192 Mid-term review of the Results Based Country Strategy Paper (RBCSP) 2005-2009.  Viewed at:  
http://www.afdb.org/fileadmin/uploads/afdb/Documen ts/Project-and-Operations/ADB-BD-WP-2008-24-FR-BU
RKINA-FASO-REVUE-MI-PARCOURS-DU-DSPAR-2005-2009.PDF. Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
 Page 253 
 
 
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Association interprofessionnelle du coton du Burkin a (Burkina Joint-Trade Cotton Association, 
AICB) (2008), Note d'information sur la filière coton du Burkina  (Background note on the cotton 
sector in Burkina Faso), July.  Consulted at:  http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/IMG/pdf/ 
Sofitex_Note_filiere_coton_Burkina.pdf.  Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) (2007), Perspectives économiques des États de 
l'UEMOA en 2007 - Choc pétrolier et enjeux énergétiques  (Economic outlook for WAEMU States in 
2007 - Oil shock and energy issues), February.  Consulted at:  http://www.bceao.int/internet/ 
bcweb.nsf/files/perspectives 2007.pdf/$FILE/perspectives2007.pdf. 
 BCEAO (2009), Balance des paiements et position extérieure globale du Burkina au titre de l'année 
2007  (Balance of payments and international investme nt position of Burkina Faso in 2007), March.  
Consulted at:  http://www.bceao.int/internet/bcw eb.nsf/pdf/rbpburkina2007.pdf/$FILE/rbpburkina 
2007.pdf. 
 Integrated Framework for Trade-Related Technical Assistance (2007), Burkina Faso:   The Challenge 
of Export Diversification for a Landlocked Country , Diagnostic Trade Integration Study for the 
Integrated Framework Program, September.  Consulted at:  
http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/defau lt/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2008/04/01/00033303
8_20080401033208/Rendered/PDF/431340SR0 White1ete0Report1eng1rev00.pdf. 
 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) (2009), Examen de la politique 
d'investissement - Burkina Faso  (Investment policy review of Burkin a Faso), Geneva.  Consulted at:  
http://www.unctad.org. 
 
Directorate-General of Customs (undated), Guide pratique de procédure douanière  (Practical guide to 
customs procedures).  Consulted at:  http ://www.douanes.bf/import_export/procedure/guide_de_ 
procedure.pdf.  
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) (2008), Vue générale du secteur des 
pêches national:  Burkina Faso  (National fishery sector overview:  Burkina Faso), April.  Consulted 
at:  ftp://ftp.fao.org/fi/document/fcp/fr/FI_CP_BF.pdf.  FAO (2009), Country Profile:  Food Security Indicators - Burkina Faso .  Consulted at:  
http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/ess/documents/food_security_statistics/country_profiles/eng/
Burkina_Faso_E.pdf.  Government of Burkina Faso (2004), Stratégie de développement rural à l'horizon 2015  (Rural 
development strategy up to 2015), January, Ouagadougou.  
Ministry of Foreign Affairs a nd Regional Cooperation (2006), Aperçu sur le Burkina Faso:  Histoire 
et tradition  (Overview of Burkina Faso:  Hist ory and tradition).  Consulted at:  
http://www.mae.gov.bf/SiteMae/cedeao-uemoa/burkina-faso.pdf.  Ministry of Finance and the Budget (2006), Stratégie nationale de microfinance:  Plan d'actions de 
mise en œuvre  (2006-2010) (National microfinance stra tegy:  Implementation action plan 
(2006-2010)), February.  Consulted at:  http://www.uncdf.org/francais 
/microfinance/uploads/sector_assessments/Burkina%20Faso%20-%20SA.pdf. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
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  Ministry of Trade, Enterprise Promotion and Crafts (undated), Rapport annuel de la SNL/OAPI pour 
l'année 2006  (2006 Annual report of the National Structur e for Liaison with the African Intellectual 
Property Organization).  
Ministry of Trade, Enterprise Promotion and Crafts (2008), Note sur les mesures prises et envisagées 
pour l'amélioration du climat des affaires  (Note on the steps taken and envisaged to improve the 
business climate), July.  Consulted at:  http://www.ccia.bf/IMG/synthese_mesures.pdf. 
 Ouédraogo, S. (2005), Intensification de l'agriculture dans le Plateau Central du Burkina Faso:  Une 
analyse des possibilités à partir des nouvelles technologies  (Intensification of agriculture on Burkina 
Faso's central plateau:  A study of the possibilities created by new technologies), University of Groningen.  Consulted at:  http://dissertations. ub.rug.nl/FILES/faculties/eco/2005/s.ouedraogo/c8.pdf. 
 Société Nationale Burkinabe d'Hydrocarbures (Burkina Hydrocarbons Company, SONABHY) 
(2008), Rapport d'activité 2008  (2008 Activity report), Ouagadougou. 
 
Sow, S. et al. (2009), Mission d'évaluation de la sécurite alimenta ire et des marchés:  bassins centres 
et ouest de l'Afrique de l'Ouest, nord Ghana, sud du Burkina Faso, sud et ouest du Mali et sud 
Mauritanie  (Food security and market assessment mission:   Central and western basins of West 
Africa, northern Ghana, southern Burkina Faso, sout hern and western Mali and southern Mauritania).  
Consulted at:  http://www.fews.net/docs/P ublications/FEWS%20NET_Market%20Assessment%20 
of%20the%20Central%20and%20Western% 20Basins%20of%20WA_March%202009_Fr.pdf. 
 West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) (2009), Rapport semestriel d'exécution de 
la surveillance multilatérale  (Semi-annual report on implementa tion of multilateral supervision), 
December. 
 
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) (2009), État des lieux de la collecte des indicateurs et 
statistiques dans le domaine des télécommunications et TIC  (Update on the collection of 
telecommunications and ICT indicators and statistic s), document INF/001-F, 23 February.  Consulted 
at:  http://www.itu.int/.  
APPENDIX TABLES Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
 Page 257 
 
 
  Table AI.1 
Structure of imports, 2001-2006 
(US$ million and per cent) 
 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 
Total imports (US$ million) 509.3 547.7 685.4 950.1 1,024.7 1,075.0 
 Percentage share 
Total primary products 44.4 39.7 37.5 35.1 41.0 42.3 
 Agriculture 22.7 22.0 19.8 17.9 18.9 18.0 
 Food 21.9 21.3 19.1 17.2 18.3 17.4 
 0423 Rice, semi-milled or wholly  milled 6.3 6.2 4.3 4.1 5.5 5.8 
 1223 Tobacco refuse 1.5 1.6 2.1 3.8 2.4 1.9 
 0612 Other beet or cane sugar and pure sucrose, in solid form 1.8 2.2 1.5 0.5 1.1 1.1 
 4222 Palm oil and its fractions 0.8 0.9 0.4 0.4 1.2 1.0 
 0461 Flour of wheat or of meslin 0.9 0.9 1.4 0.7 1.3 1.0 
 0989 Food preparations, n.e.s. 2.0 2.0 2.0 1.2 1.1 0.9 
 Agricultural raw materials 0.9 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.6 
 Mining 21.6 17.8 17.7 17.2 22.0 24.3 
 Ores and other minerals 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.6 
 Non-ferrous metals 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.2 
 Fuels 20.6 16.9 16.9 16.5 21.3 23.5 
 3425 Butanes, liquefied 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.9 1.1 
 3354 Petroleum bitumen, petroleum coke and bituminous mixtures 0.3 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.8 
Manufactures 55.5 60.2 62.5 64.5 58.9 57.7 
 Iron and steel 3.9 4.1 4.5 4.2 2.6 2.2 
 Chemicals 12.6 15.7 14.6 16.1 15.1 16.2 
 5429 Medicaments (including veterinary medicaments), n.e.s. 3.2 4.1 3.6 3.8 3.8 3.7 
 5629 Fertilizers, n.e.s. 2.9 4.7 4.1 3.9 3.2 2.4 
 5621 Mineral or chemical fertilizers,  nitrogenous 0.4 0. 5 0.9 1.0 0.8 1.8 
 5911 Insecticides put up in forms or packings for retail sale 0.6 0.9 0.8 1.8 1.5 1.4 
 5416 Glycosides;  glands or other organs;  antisera, vaccines and 
similar products 0.6 0.8 0.7 0.9 1.0 0.8 
 Other semi-manufactures 10.4 10.2 10.5 10.8 10.6 9.4 
 6612 Hydraulic cements, whether or not coloured or in the form of 
clinkers 4.0 3.9 4.0 4.2 4.5 3.7 
 6911 Structures and parts of structures, of iron or steel 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.8 0.8 0.9 
 6421 Cartons, boxes, cases, bags and other packing containers, of 
paper, etc. 0.8 0.6 0.7 0.9 0.6 0.5 
 Machinery and transport equipment 21.9 23.1 25.4 25.1 23.2 22.4 
 Power-generating machinery 0.8 0.8 0.7 1.5 1.3 1.5 
 Other non-electrical machinery 4.8 4.2 6.3 4.6 6.0 6.5 
 7244 Machines for the extruding, drawing, doubling etc. of textile 
materials 0.2 0.1 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.8 
 Agricultural machinery and tractors 0.3 0.1 0.1 0.3 0.2 0.2 
 Office machines and telecommunications equipment 3.7 3.6 3.9 5.3 3.9 3.2 
 7649 Parts and accessories suitable for use with the apparatus of 
division 76 0.9 0.5 1.0 1.5 1.1 0.3 
 7641 Electrical apparatus for line telephony or line telegraphy 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.9 0.4 0.7 
 Other electrical machinery 2.1 4.0 3.3 3.5 2.7 2.8 
 Automotive products 5.9 5.9 6.1 6.0 5.9 5.6 
 7812 Motor vehicles for the transport of persons, n.e.s. 3.4 3.3 3.6 3.5 3.1 2.9 
 7821 Motor vehicles for the transport of goods 1.1 1.0 0.9 0.9 1.2 1.5 
 Other transport equipment 4.6 4.6 5.1 4.1 3.3 2.8 
 7851 Motor cycles and cycles fitted with an a uxiliary motor;  side-car s 2.5 3.0 3.5 2.9 2.1 1.4 
 Textiles 2.1 1.8 2.2 1.9 1.6 1.4 
 Clothing 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.7 
 Other consumer goods 4.3 4.9 4.9 6.0 5.3 5.5 
 8931 Articles for the packing of goods, and stoppers and other 
closures, of plastics 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.7 1.0 1.1 
Other 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
 Gold 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
Source : WTO Secretariat calculati ons based on data provided by the West  African Economic and Monetary Union 
(WAEMU). WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
Page 258 
 
 
  Table AI.2 
Structure of exports, 2001-2006 
(US$ million and per cent)  
 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 
Total exports (US$ million)  223.5 245.1 320.5 486.9 468.4 588.4 
 Percentage share 
Total primary products 82.3 81.0 91.1 93.5 91.3 90.7 
 Agriculture 82.3 80.9 91.0 93.3 91.0 90.4 
 Food 22.3 19.4 18.6 17.6 16.0 17.2 
 2225 Sesame (Sesamum) seeds 3.6 3.9 2.5 3.0 2.9 3.0 
 2237 Oil-seeds and oleaginous fruits, n.e.s. 1.0 3.0 1.5 1.6 1.2 2.2 
 4212 Cotton seed oil and its fractions 2.7 1.6 2.1 1.2 0.9 1.9 
 1222 Cigarettes containing tob acco 1.4 1.3 4. 8 2.8 2.1 1.7 
 2223 Cotton seeds 0.0 0.3 0.6 1.0 1.0 1.2 
 0011 Bovine animals, live 5.0 2.6 1.4 1.2 1.4 1.1 
 0453  Grain sorghum, unmilled 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.9 
 0612 Other beet or cane sugar and pure sucrose, in solid form 1.7 0.0 1.6 1.2 1.6 0.8 
 0449 .... other 1.3 0.4 0.1 1. 1 0.2 0.8 
 0579 Fruit, fresh or dried, n.e.s. 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.5 0.6 
 0542 Leguminous vegetables, drie d, shelled, whether or not 
skinned or split 0.2 0.3 0.0 0. 5 0.6 0.5 
 0012 Sheep and goats, live 2.5 2.3 0.3 0.3 0.5 0.4 
 0577 Edible nuts (excluding nuts chiefly used for the extraction of 
oil), fresh or dried 0.5 0.3 1.5 1.7 1.1 0.3 
 Agricultural raw materials 59.9 61.5 72.5 75.7 74.9 73.2 
 2631 Cotton (other than linters), not carded or combed 59.5 61.2 71.9 75.2 74.5 73.1 
 Mining 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.4 0.3 
 Ores and other minerals 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.3 0.2 
 Non-ferrous metals 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 
 Fuels 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 
Manufactures 16.9 18.3 8.2 5.3 7.7 7.2 
 Iron and steel 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.2 
 Chemicals 1.0 0.6 0.4 0.4 1.3 0.4 
 Other semi-manufactures 6.1 5.7 1.7 0.4 1.1 1.5 
 6996 Articles of iron or steel, n.e.s. 0.3 0.8 0.3 0.0 0.7 0.6 
 6116 Goat or kidskin leather, without hair on (other than leather 
of subgroup 611.8) 1.6 0.0 0.7 0.1 0.1 0.4 
 Machinery and transport equipment 4.6 5.5 3.5 3.1 2.0 1.8 
 Power-generating machinery 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 
 Other non-electrical machinery 2.2 3.0 2.0 1.2 0.4 0.9 
 7232 Mechanical shovels, excavators and shovel-loaders, 
self-propelled 0.7 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.3 
 Agricultural machinery and tractors 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 
 Office machines and telecommunications  equipment 0.9 0.1 0.2 0.4 0.2 0.1 
 Other electrical machinery 0.1 0.6 0.4 0.2 0.1 0.1 
 Automotive products 1.2 1.3 0.7 1.1 0.6 0.5 
 Other transport equipment 0.2 0.3 0.1 0.2 0.6 0.1 
 Textiles 4.0 5.0 1.6 0.5 2.1 2.3 
 6581 Sacks and bags, of textile materials, of a kind used for the 
packing of goods 0.8 1.6 0.8 0.2 1.3 1.1 
 6513 Cotton yarn, other than sewing thread 3.0 2.7 0.5 0.2 0.3 0.7 
 Clothing 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.2 
 Other consumer goods 1.1 1.3 0.7 0.7 1.0 0.8 
Other 0.8 0.7 0.8 0.6 0.9 2.1 
 Gold 0.8 0.7 0.8 0.6 0.9 2.1 
 9710 Gold, non-monetary (excluding gold ores and concentrates) 0.8 0.7 0.8 0.6 0.9 2.1 
Source : WTO Secretariat calculations base d on data provided by the West A frican Economic and Monetary Union 
(WAEMU). Burkina Faso WT/TPR/S/236/BFA 
 Page 259 
 
 
  Table AI.3 
Origin of imports, 2003-2007 
(US$ million and per cent)  
 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 
World (US$ million) 685.4 950.1 1,024.7 1,075.0 1,220.8 
 Percentage share 
 America 2.7 2.9 3.9 6.1 4.4 
  USA 1.7 1.8 2.1 3.8 3.0 
   Other America 1.1 1.1 1.8 2.3 1.4 
   Canada 0.2 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.7 
   Brazil 0.6 0.5 1.2 1.7 0.6 
      
 Europe 30.2 31.0 26.9 36.9 20.4 
  EU(27) 29.7 30.4 26.6 36.3 19.8 
   France 17.6 18.1 15.3 16.8 10.8 
   Belgium-Luxembourg 4.5 4.5 3.5 3.0 3.0 
   Italy 1.2 1.2 1.4 1.5 1.1 
   Spain 1.1 0.9 1.4 1.1 1.1 
   Germany 2.5 2.0 1.4 7.3 1.0 
   Sweden 0.1 0.1 0.7 1.2 0.9 
   Netherlands 1.2 1.2 0.8 1.4 0.6 
  EFTA 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.3 0.3 
  Other Europe 0.2 0.3 0.1 0.3 0.3 
      
 Commonwealth of Independent St ates (CIS) 1.8 1.5 2.1 3.4 1.6 
  Ukraine 0.0 0.5 1.7 1.3 1.1 
      
 Africa 57.2 53.9 56.5 29.6 61.5 
   Togo 31.8 22.7 21.6 3.2 23.5 
   Côte d´Ivoire 7.3 13.5 14.5 16.8 17.6 
   Ghana 5.0 5.7 10.4 2.8 9.1 
   Benin 8.4 6.0 5.6 0.7 6.6 
   South Africa 0.5 0.8 0.6 2.1 1.8 
   Senegal 1.8 3.5 1.0 0.8 0.8 
   Morocco 0.3 0.2 0.5 0.4 0.7 
      
 Middle East 0.7 1.7 1.2 2.3 0.8 
      
 Asia 7.3 9.0 9.4 21.8 11.4 
  China 2.1 3.3 2.2 4.2 4.5 
  Japan 1.8 1.6 1.3 8.4 0.8 
  Six East Asian Traders 1.3 1.9 1.5 2.0 1.1 
   Thailand 0.4 0.8 1.0 1.2 0.5 
  Other Asia 2.1 2.3 4.3 7.2 5.0 
   India 1.9 1.4 2.3 3.9 3.4 
   Pakistan 0.0 0.0 0.9 1.6 0.6 
      
 Other 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
Source : WTO Secretariat calculations based on data provided by the authorities of Burkina Faso. WT/TPR/S/236/BFA Trade Policy Review 
Page 260 
 
 
  Table AI.4 
Destination of exports, 2003-2007 
(US$ million and per cent) 
 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 
World (US$ million) 320.5 486.9 468.4 588.4 617.8 
 Percentage share 
 America 0.3 0.2 1.0 0.4 0.3 
  USA 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 
  Other America 0.1 0.0 0.9 0.2 0.1 
   Canada 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.1 
      
 Europe 10.1 19.3 22.9 17.9 4.3 
  EU(27) 5.9 9.4 13.4 9.9 2.6 
   France 4.9 7.1 9.8 1.3 1.6 
   Belgium-Luxembourg 0.5 0.1 1.4 3.4 0.3 
   Germany 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.2 
   Italy 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.1 
   Netherlands 0.0 0.2 0.7 0.2 0.1 
   Spain 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.0 0.1 
   United Kingdom 0.0 1.2 0.6 3.5 0.1 
  EFTA 4.1 9.9 9.4 8.0 1.6 
   Switzerland and Liechtenstein 4.1 9.9 9.4 8.0 1.6 
  Other Europe 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
      
 Commonwealth of Independent St ates (CIS) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
      
 Africa 89.1 79.8 73.6 81.0 95.1 
   Togo 48.8 47.0 41.1 1.0 44.7 
   Ghana 26.9 16.9 16.7 0.3 22.5 
   Côte d´Ivoire 2.0 8.8 10.5 0.6 18.1 
   Benin 3.0 1.8 0.8 0.5 3.6 
   Mali 3.7 0.8 1.8 0.2 2.7 
   Niger 3.7 3.8 2.3 0.1 2.6 
   Cameroon 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 
   Senegal 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.1 
   Nigeria 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.1 
      
 Middle East 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.1 
   United Arab Emirates 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 
      
 Asia 0.5 0.6 2.5 0.7 0.2 
  China 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1 
  Japan 0.5 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 
  Six East Asian Traders 0.0 0.3 2.2 0.4 0.1 
  Other Asia 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.0 
      
 Other 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
Source : WTO Secretariat calculations based on data provided by the authorities of Burkina Faso.