IMF Executive Board approval would release approximately $65.4 million under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) and $22.3 million through the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF).
The Board is expected to consider the reviews in mid-January 2027. “High gold prices, robust gold output and mining reforms, including formalisation of artisanal mining, continue to support economic activity,” IMF Mission Chief for Burkina Faso Jaroslaw Wieczorek said.
Economic growth is projected at 4.4% in 2026 before increasing to 4.8% in 2027.
Improved access to fertiliser, expanded irrigation, rehabilitated dams and additional boreholes helped agriculture withstand unfavourable rainfall compounded by El Niño.
Inflation is expected to reach about 2% in 2026, the midpoint of the Central Bank of West African States’ target range of 1% to 3%.
Inflation is projected to increase in 2027 but remain within the target range.
Strong gold exports moved the current account into a surplus of nearly 10% of gross domestic product in 2025. The surplus is expected to moderate to 6.8% in 2026.
Burkina Faso met all quantitative objectives required for the sixth ECF review and reported completing the required reforms.
The 2026 supplementary Budget maintains an official deficit target of 2.7% of gross domestic product despite higher public investment.
However, the IMF expects the deficit to exceed that target while remaining below the 4% ceiling agreed in June.
The 2027 Budget is expected to target a deficit of about 3.3%, moving towards the West African Economic and Monetary Union limit of 3%.
The IMF warned that commodity-price pressures linked to the Middle East conflict posed continuing risks.
Discussions covered energy costs, social protection, food security and governance arrangements for the newly established sovereign mining fund. “Persistent commodity-price pressures linked to the Middle East conflict heighten risks for Burkina Faso,” Wieczorek said.
Approval would bring total disbursements to approximately $310.6 million under the ECF and $44.6 million under the RSF.
–IMF/ChannelAfrica–
