The African Development Bank (BAD) is fine-tuning its strategic roadmap for Burkina Faso. From May 4 to 8, 2026, a delegation led by Lamin Barrow, Director General for West Africa, initiated consultations to shape the 2027-2031 Country Strategy Paper. This key document will guide the bank’s support for Burkina Faso’s development priorities in the coming years.
During the mission, the team assessed outcomes from the interim framework (2022-2026), extended until year-end, while mapping out core areas for the next partnership phase. Top priorities include economic resilience, infrastructure expansion, productive transformation, private sector support, and improved project execution.
In discussions with government officials, Lamin Barrow highlighted Burkina Faso’s progress in security and macroeconomic stability, emphasizing the pivotal role of the national development plan RELANCE (2026-2030) in boosting growth.
The Minister of Economy and Finance, Aboubakar Nacanabo, urged the bank to prioritize productive investments to drive industrialization, expand energy capacity, and enhance private sector competitiveness. He also stressed the need for swifter, more flexible operations to accelerate impact.
As of April 30, 2026, the BAD’s active portfolio in Burkina Faso comprised 19 projects across five priority sectors, totaling $956.1 million. Since the interim strategy’s launch, 13 projects have been approved, with two more expected by year-end.
The consultations also surfaced critical challenges for the next cooperation cycle: streamlining procurement processes, responding rapidly to urgent community needs, and sustaining investments nationwide amid ongoing fragility.
