By Spy Uganda
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has disbursed approximately $33.2 million to Burkina Faso after successfully completing the fourth review of the country’s Extended Credit Facility (ECF) programme, signalling sustained confidence in the Sahel nation’s economic recovery despite ongoing security and humanitarian pressures.
The Washington-based lender also approved a new Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) valued at about $124.3 million, set to run through September 2027. The facility will focus on climate adaptation, agricultural stability, and strengthening the country’s ability to respond to environmental shocks.
The latest disbursement follows the IMF’s review of the 48-month ECF arrangement initially approved in September 2023. According to Fund officials, Burkina Faso’s economy has demonstrated notable resilience, largely driven by rising global gold prices and mining sector reforms implemented under the government of Ibrahim Traoré.
The mining sector’s strong performance has significantly improved the country’s external position. The IMF projects that Burkina Faso’s current account will shift from deficit to a surplus of 1.1 percent of GDP in 2025 and 0.8 percent in 2026, largely on the back of increased gold exports.
“Burkina Faso’s economy has proven resilient amid security and humanitarian challenges,” said IMF Deputy Managing Director Kenji Okamura. He noted that strengthened domestic revenue mobilisation and governance reforms have helped create fiscal space, contain inflation, and keep public debt on a sustainable path.
Beyond macroeconomic stability, the newly approved RSF programme is expected to bolster climate resilience in one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions. With nearly 80 percent of the population dependent on subsistence farming, the funding will support agricultural adaptation initiatives and improve disaster risk financing, reducing periodic reliance on emergency food imports.
However, the IMF cautioned that governance reforms remain ongoing. Authorities have completed six of eleven priority recommendations under the Governance Diagnostic Assessment, including measures to enhance transparency and integrity in mining licence procedures.
Looking ahead, the Fund projects economic growth of about 5 percent in 2026. Nonetheless, this outlook remains closely tied to improvements in the domestic security situation.
The government in Ouagadougou has pledged to continue fiscal consolidation efforts, targeting a budget deficit ceiling of 3.5 percent of GDP while safeguarding spending on health and social protection programmes. Development partners and investors will be closely monitoring how the country balances reform momentum with social and security demands in the years ahead.
