(Ecofin Agency) - The government of Burkina Faso has adopted last Wednesday, during a council of ministers, the 2018 budget draft. The latter, just like that of the year before, is not balanced, in terms of expenditures and revenues. 

Indeed, while revenues projected in the budget stand at FCFA2,006.41 billion (about $3.6 billion), expenditures are fixed at FCFA2,429.80 billion (about $4.4 billion). This represents a budget deficit of FCFA423.40 billion (about $767 million). 

It should however be noted that the deficit forecast is slightly better (FCFA87.96 billion or around $160 million) than that of 2017, which is expected to stand at FCFA511.35 billion (around $927 million). 

According to Burkina’s authorities, the lower deficit will “help meet standard imposed in the region starting from 2019”.