Canada - Burkina Faso Relations
Canada and Burkina Faso established diplomatic relations in 1962. In addition to bilateral cooperation, the two countries collaborate on a range of regional and multilateral issues. Their shared membership in the Francophonie gives further impetus to this relationship.
In the wake of the recent mining boom, which resulted in gold being Burkina Faso’s main export, Canada has been one of the most significant foreign private investors since 2008. This has been an opportunity for the Canadian government to act with Canadian companies in promoting corporate social responsibility. Bilateral trade in goods has increased substantially since 2006 to nearly $55.5 million in 2011. Canada’s main exports to Burkina Faso for 2010 were machines, electrical equipment, rubber, vehicles, tools, medical equipment and iron and steel articles. Main imports to Canada from Burkina Faso are precious stones and oilseeds.
Burkina Faso benefits from a development assistance program (over $17 million annually) concentrated in the basic education sector and economic growth. In addition to bilateral programming, partnerships with Canadians paid nearly $7 million in 2008–2009 to some 40 partners in Burkina Faso. Also, in 2010-2011, Burkina Faso received $11.7 million through multilateral core funding.
Collaboration on peace and security has been increasing over the past few years. It is based primarily on Canadian support in strengthening Burkina Faso’s technical and material peacekeeping capacity.
Canada has been represented by an Ambassador in Ouagadougou since 1995 (previously, the Ambassador resided in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire). Burkina Faso has an Ambassador in Ottawa and honorary consuls in Montreal, Toronto, Caraquet and Vancouver.
May 2012
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