For those that have lost a friend or loved one in Burkina Faso, the Embassy can assist in making arrangements for the deceased. We can act as liaison in arranging the disposition of remains and help with forwarding personal effects. The family or legal representative must pay all funeral home charges, shipping costs for the remains and personal effects (if applicable). We will work with the funeral home to ensure proper documentation for shipment of remains to the United States, or to arrange local burial.
General Remarks
We now have two known reliable mortuaries:
BURKISEP (Burkina Sépulture)
Avenue de la Liberté – 01 BP 3780
Ouagadougou 01, Burkina Faso
Office phone: (226) 25-31-43-48
Cell phone: (226) 70-23-97-72
Email: burkisep@fasonet.bf
Contact: Jacob Marcellin Ilboudo
Pompes Funèbres Générales de Ouagadougou
Villa 193, Cite An II, 11 BP 1696
Ouagadougou CMS 11
Office phone: (226) 25-38-23-00
Cell phone: (226) 70-18-58-58 / 78-08-69-69
Email: yiwalo@gmail.com
Website: www.pfgo.net
Contact: Céline Bamouni
All arrangements, including repatriation of remains, must be cleared through one of the Funeral Homes. Bodies of persons who die outside of Ouagadougou must be brought into the capital and stored in one of the following morgues: Yalgado Ouedraogo Hospital, the District Hospital of Bogodogo, the Tengandogo’s Hospital (formely known as Blaise Compaore’s Hospital) or at Clinic Suka. The cost is approximately $20 per day.
Maximum Period Before Internment
Burkina law does not place a limit of time for burial as long as the body has been embalmed.
Embalming
The body must be embalmed within 72 hours after death. An average estimated cost for embalming and preparation of the body is approximately $350.
Cremation
Cremation is forbidden by law in Burkina Faso.
Caskets and Containers
Locally manufactured caskets and shipping containers, which meet international regulations for transportation by air, are available from the funeral homes.
- Wood Casket: Prices range from $400 to $1,500.
- Zinc Lined Casket with 1 Filter: $1,500 to $2,500
- Shipping Container: $150 to $270
Repatriation of Remains
CDC requirements for importing human remains depend upon if the body has been embalmed, cremated, or if the person died from a quarantinable communicable disease.
At this time, COVID-19 is a quarantinable communicable disease in the United States and the remains must meet the standards for importation found in 42 Code of Federal Regulations Part 71.55 and may be cleared, released, and authorized for entry into the United States only under the following conditions:
- The remains are cremated; OR
- The remains are properly embalmed and placed in a hermetically sealed casket; OR
- The remains are accompanied by a permit issued by the CDC Director. The CDC permit (if applicable) must accompany the human remains at all times during shipment.
- Permits for the importation of the remains of a person known or suspected to have died from a quarantinable communicable disease may be obtained through the CDC Division of Global Migration and Quarantine by calling the CDC Emergency Operations Center at 770-488-7100 or emailing dgmqpolicyoffice@cdc.gov.
Please see CDC’s guidance for additional information.
If local burial is not desired, remains can be shipped to the United States. It is estimated that it will take a maximum of 5 working days following full payment of all fees to complete the necessary paperwork.
The cost of shipping a casket and container are estimated as follows:
- Transportation to Ouagadougou from another location in Burkina Faso or from Ouagadougou to another location in Burkina Faso: $3.00 per kilometer.
- Air Transportation from Ouagadougou to New York (based on a 500 pounds average weight): $4,700.
The following documents will be submitted to the funeral home for the shipment of remains:
- A death certificate (issued by a doctor or nurse).
- A noninfectious certificate (issued by a doctor).
- The passport or identity card of the deceased.
- An authorization to transfer the body: Application is made through the Ministry of Territorial Administration. This document can be obtained within 24 hours.
- An authorization letter from the local police, stating that coffin was sealed in front of them (P.V. de mise en bière).
- The air bill number (document showing proof of payment of transportation fees as well as the final destination).
- The Consular Mortuary Certificate.
- An affidavit by local funeral home director issued by a Consular Officer which details the actions taken by the funeral home to prepare the body for exportation.
Note: All documents issued locally in French must be translated into English. Both the original documents in French and the English translation will be included in a package affixed to the outside of the casket. A second copy will be provided to the airline.