experts’ opinions

1. BBC News reported that Burkina Faso is  a poor country even by West African standards, landlocked Burkina Faso has suffered from recurring droughts and, until the 1980s, military coups.

• Economy: Burkina Faso has significant reserves of gold, but cotton is the economic mainstay for many Burkinabes. This industry is vulnerable to changes in world prices and Burkina Faso is a leading cotton producer in sub-Saharan Africa
• Politics: A popular uprising against long-term leader President Blaise Compaore prompted him to flee in 2014. The military has taken charge, angering the opposition which wants civilian rule
• International: Burkina Faso has been involved in the various conflicts of the region. Many citizens who had traditionally worked in Ivory Coast fled after recent instability there
• Burkina Faso has faced domestic and external concern over the state of its economy and human rights, and allegations that it was involved in the smuggling of diamonds by rebels in Sierra Leone.

for more information click in the link
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13072774

 2. Opinion of Estelle Koussoube about Burkina Faso in terms of economic growth and development.
She said that the political history of Burkina Faso has been very unstable until president Campaoré took power in 1987. Since then, the stability has been based on low intensity violence, with bursts of open violence like those of the mutinies of 2011. This “stability” is based on the balance of power between two main “elite” groups, the army and the traditional chiefs. Trade unions, the Catholic Church and Donors also play a role, especially in case of trouble. The political class in power and its

cronies are extracting rents by creating de facto monopolies, which enables them to tame violence, to a certain extent. The paradox is that the Burkinabe economy is growing steadily (GDP per capital grew at an average 1.5 per cent rate since independence), rather smoothly in the medium run – one of the best records in West-Africa. Because of high inequality, this impressive growth is far from inclusive.

for more information click in the link

http://basepub.dauphine.fr/bitstream/handle/123456789/12352/DT%202014-01%20Koussoube%20-Loada%20-%20Nebi%C3%A9%20-%20Raffinot.pdf?sequence=1