Statement from the EITI Board Chair on the situation in Burkina Faso

As EITI Board Chair, I join regional and international leaders in condemning the military coup in Burkina Faso.

This unlawful assumption of power in the country follows similar developments elsewhere in the region. It highlights a concerning trend, where growing instability undermines fragile democratic institutions and progress in accountable governance.

Burkina Faso has a substantial gold mining industry and mineral endowment. If well governed, these resources can make a significant contribution to human development. As a member of the EITI, Burkina Faso has made steady progress in implementing the EITI Standard. These achievements in improving transparency and good governance of the country’s mineral resources must be sustained.

We remind those who have assumed power through illegal means that the EITI requires effective multi-stakeholder oversight, including a functioning multi-stakeholder group that involves the government, companies, and the full, independent, active, and effective participation of civil society. Burkina Faso has made strides in creating an environment for the active and effective participation of civil society in the EITI. All EITI member countries must adhere to the EITI Protocol on civil society participation. The EITI Board will closely monitor the situation in the coming weeks. The EITI, as a space for inclusive dialogue, must therefore be preserved.