West African business leaders meet with Burkina Faso’s captain Traoré to bolster economic development

The meeting, held at the Koulouba Palace in Ouagadougou, comes as part of the country’s broader efforts to strengthen its private sector and foster regional economic collaboration.

The delegation, in Ouagadougou to participate in the general assembly of Burkina Faso’s private sector, included business representatives from Mali, Niger, Benin, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, and New York.

Led by Idrissa Nassa, President of the National Council of Burkinabè Employers (CNPB), the group sought to discuss strategies for enhancing the role of the private sector in the nation’s economic growth, according to a statement received by APA.

Following the meeting, Nassa highlighted the president’s emphasis on steering economic operators towards productive investments.

“The Head of State gave us guidance on organizing and directing economic operators towards production, with the aim of making productive investments to process what we produce locally and significantly reduce imports,” Nassa said.

President Traoré also encouraged the private sector to play a more active role in supporting business leaders, aiming to transform Burkina Faso’s private sector into a dynamic force for economic and social development.

“He expressed his wish for us to work on promoting small and medium-sized enterprises, and to help large companies evolve into multinationals so that we can collectively contribute to the development of our countries,” Nassa added.

The discussions with President Traoré were held alongside the CNPB’s 50th-anniversary celebrations, marking a half-century of efforts to support and advance the interests of the private sector in Burkina Faso.

The general assembly, organized by the CNPB, aimed to assess the current state of the private sector, address key challenges, and outline new perspectives to better impact the lives of the population.

“Our Patronat is celebrating fifty years of existence. On this occasion, we have initiated these discussions to create a synergy of ideas among us and to develop actionable perspectives that will guide our work moving forward,” Nassa stated.

This engagement underscores the commitment of Burkina Faso’s leadership and its business community to foster economic resilience, strengthen regional ties, and position the private sector as a cornerstone of national development in the years ahead.