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Canada-Burkina Faso relations

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Bilateral relations

Canada and Burkina Faso established diplomatic relations in 1962, after Burkina Faso gained its independence in 1960. Canada cooperates with Burkina Faso particularly through its bilateral development, humanitarian assistance, and peace and security programming. Canada is represented in Burkina Faso by an embassy in Ouagadougou. Burkina Faso is represented in Canada by an embassy in Ottawa and has honorary consuls in Montreal, Toronto, Caraquet and Vancouver.

Trade relations

Canada-Burkina Faso’s trade relationship is characterized by significant Canadian private sector investments in the mining sector valued at $1.6 billion in 2022. These investments have become an important economic lever for supporting the bilateral trade relations and contributing to the economic development of Burkina Faso. In 2023, bilateral merchandise trade reached $37 million, including $34.2 million in exports and $2.8 million in imports. The combined Canadian private sector investments in Burkina Faso make Canada one of the top sources of investments in the country. In 2023, Canadian direct investments in Burkina Faso totalled $1.1 billion.

A foreign investment promotion and protection agreement between Canada and Burkina Faso came into effect in October 2017. This agreement aims to further promote and secure investment between the two countries.

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Development and humanitarian assistance

From 2011 to 2022, Canada provided over $647 million in development assistance to Burkina Faso. This includes $104 million for the 2021/2022 fiscal year (from April 1 to March 31).  This assistance contributed to significant results, particularly in education for girls and in health.

Following the country’s first coup in January 2022, Canada suspended its direct budgetary support to the government of Burkina Faso. In 2022-2023, Canadian development assistance to Burkina Faso reached $105 million ($72.9 million in direct bilateral assistance). Over the next five years, GAC will focus its efforts in the areas of basic service delivery (health and basic education) and economic and social stability and security (sustainable and inclusive economic development and social cohesion). Canada continues to provide humanitarian assistance for Burkina Faso through experienced humanitarian partners such as the Red Cross, the UN, and NGOs to support a gender-responsive multi-sectoral response to address the specific needs of crisis-affected populations. This includes providing food assistance, treatment for acute malnutrition and other critical health care, safe water and sanitation, as well as protection services.

Consult the Project Browser for more information on programming in Burkina Faso.

Peace and Security

Canada’s Counter-Terrorism Capacity Building Programme (CTCBP) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), provides international security assistance and works with partners to strengthen institutional responses and community resilience to violent extremism and global terrorist networks. Recent programming aimed at reducing terrorist threats through training, equipment and technical assistance, has supported efforts to counter Improvised Explosive Devices and to improve the collection, recording, and use of battlefield evidence for criminal prosecution. From 2019 to 2024, the CTCBP contributed over $23 million to Western Africa and Sahel states, including over $7.3 million to Burkina Faso. Since the January 2022 military coup, the Department of National Defence (DND) has suspended its training activities offered to Burkina Faso armed forces through the military training and cooperation program.

Through the Peace and Stabilization Operations Program (PSOP), Canada supports several projects in Burkina Faso to promote conflict prevention and resolution. This includes support for conflict prevention and security governance, contributions to reduce arms proliferation, support for the inclusion of women in security sector reform for inclusive governance, consolidation of peace in the artisanal gold mining sector, reduction of intercommunal violence and strengthening of social cohesion, and mediation efforts to resolve community conflicts. Through the PSOP program, Canada invested $7.3 million in Burkina Faso specific programming between 2020 and 2024 for conflict prevention and resolution projects as well as projects on arms and munitions management.

Partnerships and organizations

To develop effective responses to today’s most pressing global challenges, Canada and Burkina Faso have opportunities to work together in multilateral fora, such as:

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