Burkina Faso: The fight against corruption – reforms and political will are bearing fruit
In recent years, Burkina Faso has taken significant steps in its quest for more transparent management of public resources. Driven by a clear political will, the country has strengthened its institutional and legal framework, making the fight against corruption a national priority. This momentum, welcomed by stakeholders themselves, is beginning to yield concrete results, even though challenges remain.
One of the pillars of this progress lies in the work of the supreme audit institutions, particularly the Court of Accounts and the Higher Authority for State Control and the Fight against Corruption (ASCE-LC).
These two entities have embarked on an unprecedented rapprochement to create a synergy of action, materialized through joint reflection days in May 2025. “Only increased coordination and harmonization of our approaches will allow us to better prevent presumptive instances of management misconduct,” stressed State Controller General Lassané Compaoré during that meeting.
This close collaboration aims to create a preventive and responsive environment against practices contrary to sound governance.
The results are tangible and translate into effective sanctions. The year 2025 was marked by rulings from the Court of Accounts convicting officials for management misconduct.
The case of the Ouagadougou International Craft Fair (SIAO) is emblematic: a former accounting officer was convicted for failing to remit over 230 million CFA francs a case that illustrates the audit bodies’ capacity to detect and sanction large-scale irregularities.
Similarly, two former officials from the Ministry of Human Rights were sanctioned for serious breaches in public procurement management, demonstrating that no one is above the rules.
Beyond sanctions, transparency has been reinforced with the publication of the Court of Accounts’ 2024 annual public report.
This document, submitted to the President of Faso, is now accessible to all citizens.
It provides a meticulous assessment, identifying irregularities in various sectors such as the management of Health and Social Promotion Centers (CSPS) or state-owned enterprises and formulates recommendations to address them.
The Court’s First President, Latin Poda, testifies to this paradigm shift: “What used to happen before can no longer happen today. People are increasingly cautious when handling State assets.”
While the progress is undeniable, challenges persist. The Court of Accounts is calling for a revision of its organic law to strengthen sanctions, which it considers too lenient relative to the damages caused, and is advocating for increased human and financial resources.
The path toward irreproachable governance is still long, but Burkina Faso has unquestionably set in motion a virtuous dynamic that is bearing fruit, making accountability a requirement for all public managers.
Papa IBRAHIMA
