Rédaction Africa Links 24 with AZ Africa Links 24
Published on 2024-03-09 18:57:44
Burkina Faso: Prime Minister Rejects Development Aid Sprinkling or Prescribed Framework by PTF
Ouagadougou, March 9, 2024 (Africa Links 24) – Burkina’s Prime Minister, Dr. Apollinaire Joachimson Kyélèm de Tambèla, explained to the Technical and Financial Partners (PTF) that Burkina Faso no longer wants development aid that is sprinkled or comes with conditionalities that are detached from the country’s concerns.
During the first meeting of the year on March 7 in Ouagadougou between the Government and the Technical and Financial Partners (PTF), Prime Minister Dr. Apollinaire Joachimson Kyélèm de Tambèla pointed out that “for years, the country has received a lot of funding for development aid (without feeling) the results on the ground.”
At the start of the meeting, he called for collective introspection among the participants, emphasizing that the reasons for the failure of partnerships are multiple and complex.
“Perhaps this comes from us, or perhaps from the aid,” he stressed, thus indicating the need for a meticulous examination of all stakeholders.
The Head of Government then emphasized the need for a transition to a more balanced and constructive partnership model. “What we seek from you is to provide us with aid that can help us do away with your aid and become partners,” he stated.
This bold vision on his part highlights the willingness of the Burkinabe Government to no longer be just a beneficiary but an active contributor to the development process.
In a world where international aid is often criticized for its lack of tangible results, Dr. Kyélèm de Tambèla advocated for a more targeted and strategic approach.
“We do not want sprinkling anymore. We want that when you say you are helping us, after the aid phase, we can say here is how the population has progressed, here are the ways citizens have been empowered. We want international partners to intervene in the structuring sectors of the economy,” he reiterated.
Through this request, reflecting a legitimate aspiration for aid that is truly transformative and sustainable, the Prime Minister cited the positive example of Sino-Zambian cooperation, highlighting the success of the Zambia-Tanzania railway construction project, known as Tanzam.
“If partners truly want the development of Burkina Faso, it is not up to them to propose their frameworks, but to come and tell us, what are your needs, in which sectors can we intervene to truly be useful to you today and tomorrow, and that is when we can move forward together,” the Prime Minister emphasized.
He also expressed the hope that the Government-PTF meeting would be a turning point in multilateral cooperation.
“If your intervention is transformative, regardless of the political vicissitudes of tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, we will always be partners, but if your intervention is not transformative, it will be volatile,” he expressed.
He highlighted several priority sectors in Burkina Faso that require investments, emphasizing the imperative of peace and security to allow the country to move towards development.
Furthermore, he underscored the necessity for international partners to adapt to Burkina Faso’s specific realities in their cooperation with the country.
As the country faces a crucial moment in its history, grappling with multiple challenges, the Prime Minister called for a more authentic and pragmatic international solidarity.
“We believe that international partners should adapt to our situation and take it into account in their relationship with Burkina Faso,” he stated, thus emphasizing the need for a flexible and adaptive approach in international cooperation.
Read the original article(French) on Agence d’Information du Burkina
