KOUDOUGOU — The Ministry of Energy, Mines and Quarries and the Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry held an information session on June 21, 2024, in Koudougou to discuss recent updates in the mining sector aimed at fostering inclusive economic growth in Burkina Faso.

According to Burkina Information Agency, regional director in charge of Central-West Mines, the event was organized to help local investors understand and engage with the current regulatory framework essential for enhancing their contributions to the nation’s economic and social development. The meeting featured presentations on five key regulatory texts including the national strategy for local content, Mining Code’s implementing texts related to local content, and the regulations concerning the nomenclature of positions and jobs within the industry.

Participants at the meeting included economic operators, training centers, and representatives from mining companies who were introduced to standards and requirements that mining companies must meet, as well as business opportunities available to mining company suppliers. This initiative is part of a broader effort by the government to reverse the underperformance of the sector’s impact on the economy, despite the operation of twelve industrial mines contributing 13.2% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2023.

François 1er Yaméogo, representative from the Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry, acknowledged the government’s commitment to enhancing the local supply chain for the mining industry. He emphasized the importance of these new regulatory texts in establishing a stronger linkage between the mining sector and the broader national economy, urging local businessmen to capitalize on this opportunity to align with the new regulations.