Burkina Faso has received a $33.2 million disbursement from the International Monetary Fund following the fourth review of its Extended Credit Facility programme, signaling continued confidence in the country’s economic resilience despite ongoing security and humanitarian challenges. The IMF also approved a new $124.3 million Resilience and Sustainability Facility, set to run through September 2027, focusing on climate adaptation and agricultural stability.
The disbursement follows a historic increase in gold production, with Burkina Faso recording 94 tonnes in 2025. Reforms in the mining sector, stronger state oversight, and rising global gold prices have improved the country’s external position, shifting its current account from deficit to a projected surplus of 1.1 percent of GDP in 2025 and 0.8 percent in 2026. These developments have bolstered fiscal space while keeping inflation contained and debt sustainable.
The IMF highlighted that governance reforms remain a priority, noting that authorities have implemented six of eleven recommendations from the Governance Diagnostic Assessment, including strengthening mining licence procedures. The new climate-focused facility aims to support agricultural adaptation measures for the 80 percent of the population dependent on subsistence farming, improve disaster risk financing, and reduce reliance on emergency food imports.
Looking ahead, the Fund projects 5 percent economic growth in 2026, though progress will depend on continued improvements in domestic security. The government of Captain Ibrahim Traoré has pledged to maintain fiscal consolidation, targeting a deficit ceiling of 3.5 percent of GDP while protecting spending on health and social programmes, a balance critical for sustaining investor confidence and long-term development.
