OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reaffirmed its support for Burkina Faso’s economic recovery, completing a fourth review of the country’s Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement and approving a new Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). The move unlocks approximately $33.2 million in immediate funding and provides an additional $124.3 million through September 2027, bolstering the West African nation’s efforts to navigate ongoing security challenges, poverty, and climate vulnerability.
The IMF’s decision, announced on February 18, 2026, reflects confidence in Burkina Faso’s economic performance despite a complex operating environment. According to IMF officials, the country’s real gross domestic product (GDP) growth accelerated to 5% in 2025, driven largely by a surge in gold exports and reforms within the mining sector spearheaded by the government of Captain Ibrahim Traoré. This growth represents an increase from 4.8% in 2024.
The mining boom has significantly improved Burkina Faso’s external position, shifting the current account balance from a deficit to a projected surplus of 1.1% of GDP in 2025. This positive trend is expected to continue, with a projected surplus of 0.8% in 2026. The increase in gold production, reaching a historic 94 tonnes in 2025, is attributed to mining sector reforms and increased state oversight.
“Burkina Faso’s economy has proven resilient amid security and humanitarian challenges,” said Kenji Okamura, emphasizing that improved governance measures and stronger domestic revenue mobilization have created fiscal space while keeping inflation contained and debt on a sustainable path.
The newly approved RSF is specifically designed to strengthen climate resilience in a region acutely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. With approximately 80% of Burkina Faso’s population reliant on subsistence farming, the funding will support agricultural adaptation measures and enhance disaster risk financing, reducing the country’s dependence on emergency food imports.
Fiscal consolidation remains a key priority for Burkina Faso, with authorities targeting a fiscal deficit ceiling of 3.5% of GDP. The government has pledged to protect essential spending on health and social programs while maintaining fiscal discipline. This balancing act will be closely monitored by investors and development partners.
The IMF noted that Burkina Faso has demonstrated a commitment to program performance under the ECF, meeting all quantitative performance criteria for end-June 2025, all continuous criteria, and nearly all indicative targets. Of ten structural benchmarks, eight were achieved, and the remaining energy-sector benchmark was subsequently implemented.
Governance reforms are also underway, with authorities having completed six of eleven priority recommendations from the Governance Diagnostic Assessment, including measures to strengthen the integrity of mining license procedures. Continued progress in this area is seen as crucial for sustaining economic gains.
The latest disbursement follows the Fund’s review of the 48-month ECF arrangement, initially approved in September 2023, bringing total support to $165.8 million since that time. Inflation averaged -0.5 percent in 2025 due to falling food prices and is expected to converge toward 2 percent over the medium term.
