OUAGADOUGOU — The Burkinabè Prime Minister, Apollinaire Joachimson Kyélem de Tambèla, expressed a mix of appreciation and criticism towards the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Wednesday, acknowledging the long-standing positive relations while questioning the effectiveness of its interventions in Burkina Faso.
According to Burkina Information Agency, during a meeting with an IMF delegation led by Abebe Aemro Selassie, the director of the IMF’s Africa department, Kyélem de Tambèla highlighted the persistent poverty in Burkina Faso despite various projects financed by international institutions including the IMF. “Since the independence of Upper Volta, the country of honest men has always had good relations with the IMF. However, the population still remains poor,” stated the Prime Minister. He emphasized the need for interventions that yield tangible benefits, particularly in rural areas, to help raise the standard of living for the Burkinabè population.
The Prime Minister underlined the country’s focus on growth that concretely improves the daily lives of its most vulnerable groups rather than on macroeconomic figures. “We want growth that will boost the standard of living of the entire population. We want harmonized growth which leads the entire population towards a higher standard of living,” he explained.
Further, Kyélem de Tambèla invited the IMF to support Burkina Faso in the energy and infrastructure sectors, mentioning significant projects such as the planned highway and the Bamako-Ouagadougou-Niamey railway, as well as the reactivation of the Noumbiel hydroelectric dam to increase the country’s energy capacity.
Addressing Burkina Faso’s international image, the Prime Minister lamented the challenges posed by more powerful communications agencies in former colonizing countries. He emphasized economic success as the primary means of gaining international respect and recognition. “The best means of communication for us is our economic success, that’s what will speak for us,” he declared.
Abebe Aemro Selassie responded by noting that the IMF recently approved a new program for Burkina Faso aimed at facilitating economic growth and job creation, which also considers the issue of internally displaced persons (IDPs). “I came with my team to discuss with you the concerns that you and your Government are facing, in order to see to what extent we can help you provide solutions,” Selassie stated.