Burkina Faso : Towards a new era of development with major reforms in the field of major projects and public-private partnership

In the framework of promoting economic and social development in Burkina Faso, the Council of Ministers held its regular session on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, in Ouagadougou, under the chairmanship of the Head of State, Captain Ibrahim Traoré. During this weekly meeting, several strategic decisions were made, particularly in the field of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and the management of major projects.

Indeed, with the aim of optimizing the financing mechanisms of major investment projects, the council adopted a bill to modify the legal and institutional framework of PPP in Burkina Faso. This reform aims to strengthen the strategic orientation authority of PPP by attaching it to the Presidential Council for Guidance and Monitoring of the National Bureau of Major Projects of Burkina (BN-GPB).

Additionally, this initiative involves the abolition of the Public-Private Partnership Unit and the transfer of its key responsibilities to the department in charge of promoting and managing PPP projects within the executive directorate of the BN-GPB. These adjustments are essential to accelerate the implementation of major economic projects while ensuring significant social impact.

In parallel, the council also adopted a bill establishing the organization and functioning of the National Bureau of Major Projects of Burkina. This initiative aims to establish an institutional framework dedicated to supervising presidential initiatives and strategic projects of the country.

The BN-GPB will be responsible for coordinating the management of presidential initiatives, identifying, designing, and implementing projects with a strong socio-economic impact.

This new institutional framework represents a major evolution by elevating the BN-GPB to a development body with special status and expanding its missions to include those of the Public-Private Partnership Unit and the Public-Private Partnership Commission. Furthermore, all PPP projects will now be handled by the BN-GPB, thus consolidating its central role in promoting investments and economic development in Burkina Faso.

These reforms demonstrate the commitment of the Burkinabe government to creating an enabling environment for private investment and stimulating economic growth, while ensuring that these initiatives contribute significantly to the well-being of the population.

The transmission of the bills to the Transitional Legislative Assembly marks an important step in the implementation of these reforms and paves the way for a new era of sustainable development in Burkina Faso.

Sadia Nyaoré