Our team at the U.S. Mission in Ouagadougou is working to strengthen the U.S.-Burkina Faso partnership through policies and programs that support Burkina Faso’s efforts to build strong democratic institutions, promote economic reform, encourage sustainable development, improve health, and foster regional stability.
The U.S. Mission works with the Burkinabè at all levels of government and society. The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) has funded a five-year, $480.9 million Compact to reduce poverty through strategic investments in agricultural infrastructure and training, rural land governance, road construction and maintenance, and girls’ education.
The Department of Defense and the Burkinabè military are working together to build peacekeeping capabilities. Our political section promotes democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights by supporting development of democratic institutions and funding NGO-led democracy and human rights projects. Our economic section follows and reports on key trends in the Burkinabè economy as well as provides American companies country-specific commercial briefings and Gold Key Services. In addition, it collaborates with USAID to assist exporters by working with the AGOA (African Growth Opportunities Act) Center, designed to help them understand how they can export goods produced in Burkina Faso into the United States duty-free. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) focuses on building the resilience of vulnerable rural residents by strengthening the institutions and governmental bodies meant to serve them; improving their productive opportunities; and helping increase the capacity and accessibility of social services (particularly malaria prevention and control services) while ensuring access to more nutritious foods. The Centers for Disease Control is helping Burkina Faso with vaccination programs and strengthening disease surveillance and evaluation. Our consular section provides services to American citizens in Burkina Faso, and assists more than 4,200 non-immigrant visa applicants and 200 immigrant visa applicants a year. Our public diplomacy section offer a number of educational services, access to research facilities, engages with the press, and organizes cultural events, speakers, conferences and English clubs. We have partnered with ISIG-International to privatize the American Language Center and expand access to the high-quality English language instruction for Burkinabè. Last, but far from least, we are proud of the more than 132 Peace Corps volunteers who live and work directly with Burkinabè in their villages in the areas of health, education and small enterprise development.
As this multi-faceted relationship between the United States and Burkina Faso continues to grow, we hope you will use this virtual information space to learn more about the United States. Via this website, visitors can learn about upcoming and recent U.S. Embassy events, conduct research on U.S. Government policy related to Burkina Faso and the region, and even pose individual questions to our librarians.
Thank you for visiting our website and for your interest in the United States.