The Minister of Trade, Industry and Handicrafts, Harouna Kaboré, launched the support program for the
competitiveness in West Africa, January 21, 2020. The actors of the value chains of the oil mill cluster,
beekeeping and solar processing and exporting.
Companies, professional organizations of the oil mills and derivatives of cotton, honey and derivatives, energy
solar home will offer, with the West African Competitiveness Support Program (PACAO)
Burkina Faso component, quality products in Burkinabè as well as to conquer more market share in
regional and international levels.
The service and financing structures of these three sectors will also benefit from support in the framework
of this program, which will run from 2020 to 2024.
With a total cost of CFAF 5 billion, PACAO is financed by the European Union with a contribution from the
CCI-BF to the tune of 500 million FCFA.
The CCI-BF has been designated for the implementation of the Burkina Faso component program which will register
the intervention of the ministries in charge of trade, animal resources and energy.
The 1st Vice-President of the Chamber of Commerce, Mamady Sanoh expressed the gratitude of his institution to
the EU for the trust placed in it as the delegated prime contractor of PACAO.
He assured that the program will stimulate the contribution of the targeted sectors to industrial development and
regional trade and job creation.
For the Minister of Trade, Industry and Handicrafts, Harouna Kaboré, the challenge of carrying out the
PACAO is far from being out of reach of the oldest private sector support institution.
"Given the experience, the sense of leadership, but also the involvement of other partners including her
will undoubtedly be able to mobilize support and cohesion, the Chamber of Commerce will succeed in this great mission",
he said. According to him, PACAO comes at the right time in a context of declining public aid to
development.
Europe, the main partner
It is also, he argued, proof that the European Union Commission shares the same vision as the
Government through axis 3 of the National Economic and Social Development Plan (PNDES) which focuses on
the development and expansion of a competitive industrial sector.
The Ambassador, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Burkina Faso, Wolfram Vetter, noted that the
Competitiveness Support Programme is a regional programme. "It is part of the Africa
of Western Europe for sustainable EU investments and jobs launched in 2018," he continued.

According to Mr. Vetter, there are opportunities to be exploited for Burkinabe industrialists and craftsmen in the sectors
concerned on the European market, Burkina Faso's main trading partner, absorbing 32% of its
foreign trade.
For the EU ambassador, PACAO will improve the business climate in the country of men of integrity and
strengthen the private sector, which plays a key role in the fight against poverty.
The launch ceremony of the West African Competitiveness Support Programme, Burkina Faso
component was marked by a tribute to the little hands who contributed to the realization of this project whose
formulation has been started since 2017.
The participants were able, through the exhibition stands of the actors, to admire the work of the actors of the sectors
oil mill cluster, honey and domestic solar energy.