• Burkina Faso creates ABIPEX by merging investment and export agencies
• Reform aims to boost trade surplus and align economic policies
• Gold exports drive surplus, while FDI dropped sharply in 2023

The government of Burkina Faso on Thursday approved a decree establishing the Burkina Faso Investment and Export Promotion Agency (ABIPEX).

The new agency is formed by merging the Burkina Investment Agency (ABI) and the Export Promotion Agency. It is tasked with improving alignment between investment attraction and export promotion policies to support economic growth and strengthen the trade balance.

The reform comes as the country’s foreign trade shows strong momentum, driven mainly by gold exports despite a challenging global economic environment and ongoing security issues.

In January 2026, gold exports reached 790.9 billion CFA francs ($1.3 billion), compared with 335.6 billion CFA francs in imports, resulting in a trade surplus of 455.3 billion CFA francs, according to the Directorate General of Economy and Planning.

By contrast, foreign direct investment (FDI) fell sharply, declining 87.3% between 2022 and 2023 to $85.4 million. Public investment continued to grow, rising 4.3% in 2023 after a 3.7% increase in 2022, official data showed.

Authorities have introduced several reforms to improve the business environment, including the digitalization of business registration procedures, trade facilitation measures, and initiatives to promote investment.

To attract investment, the country has set up a network of contacts within its diplomatic missions and introduced a national model for bilateral investment treaties in 2023.

Burkina Faso is also modernizing its trade systems through digital platforms such as SYLVIE for import-export operations and SIGMAT, an interconnected system for managing goods in transit with Côte d’Ivoire and Niger.

Charlène N’dimon