VZCZCXRO1579
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHOU #0396/01 1330930
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 120930Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3665
INFO RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 OUAGADOUGOU 000396 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/W FOR EMILY PLUMB, JASON HUTCHISON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM SOCI UV
SUBJECT: BURKINA FASO: DECENTRALIZATION STARTS IN EARNEST, BUT 
COMMUNES NEED CAPACITY BUILDING AND FUNDING TO BE EFFECTIVE 
 
OUAGADOUGO 00000396  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. Key Points: 
 
-- Municipal elections in Burkina Faso were successfully carried out 
in April 2006, and resulted in an unparalleled increase in the 
number of elected female officials (5000 female councilors out of 
nearly 18,000). 
 
-- Despite this progress, local governments struggle to carry out 
basic functions and implement development programs because the 
central government has not shared sufficient tax revenues; 
 
-- Consequently, many municipalities and communes have turned to 
donors, especially sister cities in Europe, to partially fill the 
gap. 
 
¶2. Key Judgments: 
 
-- On net, local populations have benefited from decentralization 
because they feel empowered to manage their local affairs. 
 
-- For decentralization to be truly successful, however, 
municipalities and communes will need their own authority to collect 
taxes. 
 
--The MCC Compact will assist many local communes to address the 
complex land reform process. 
 
End Key Points and Key Judgments. 
 
Institutions of Decentralized Government Created, 
But Barely Operational Because of Lack of Funding 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶3.  Burkina Faso began decentralizing its government in 1991 to 
better respond to the basic needs of grassroots communities and 
institutions, allow local institutions to take an active role in 
rural development, and as part of a larger effort to democratize the 
nation.  However, it was not until 1995 that the first local 
elections were held. 
 
¶4. In 2005, Burkina Faso promulgated a general code for territorial 
collectivities.  Based in part on this new code, Burkina Faso held 
the latest round of local elections in April 2006, during which 
councilors were elected for each of the municipal (351), rural 
(302), and urban (49) communes.  Additionally, 13 regional councis 
corresponding to the country's 13 regions wereestablished, and 8000 
village development councis were put in place.  These elections 
resulted i an unparalleled increase in the number of elected emale 
officials (5000 female councilors out of narly 18,000). 
 
¶5. Although communalization became a reality with the holding of the 
2006 elections, the effective operation of most rural communes 
remains problematic.  With a budget so heavily dependent on donor 
assistance, the central government faces many difficulties meeting 
the extensive development needs of each of the 351 communes, which 
have no way to finance their own development.  A significant number 
of these communes lack the budget, personnel, infrastructures, or 
materials necessary to operate effectively. 
 
¶6. Most newly elected mayors, especially in rural communes, have no 
office, equipment, means of communication, transportation, or 
support staff.  Even if all the 49 urban communes built offices for 
their municipal councilors, there would still be a need for over 100 
more offices for the 302 rural communes for their mayors and 
councilors.  None of the 13 regions has office space for regional 
councilors. 
 
¶7. Additional problems include a lack of education or understanding 
from local citizens about the decentralization process and how it 
involves their local institutions.  Many village inhabitants are 
reluctant to participate in the process.  According to the Burkinabe 
Movement for Human Rights and Development, this lack of 
understanding and reluctance could result in ethnic conflict between 
groups who wish to keep traditional ethnic and cultural ties instead 
of those imposed upon them by the creation of communes. 
 
Cooperation with Foreign NGOs, MCC, Sister Cities 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶8. To help fill the gap in resources and capacity, Burkinabe law on 
territorial collectivities explicitly allows for the establishment 
of development cooperation between Burkinabe local collectivities 
and foreign associations.  Foreign assistance to Burkina Faso's 
decentralization efforts covers such areas as water supply, 
sanitation and health, education, agriculture, animal husbandry, and 
energy.  Ensuring the capacity building of mayors and other 
councilors to better manage the businesses and budgets of these 
local collectivities is another core element of this cooperation, as 
is public education about the responsibilities and services of local 
 
OUAGADOUGO 00000396  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
government. 
 
¶9.  France is the lead among the donor partners in the 
decentralization process with several other European countries and 
international organizations contributing to the process.  The USG 
will join these donors with the Millennium Challenge Corporation 
compact land reform program.  A land reform law was recently passed 
and its implementation will largely take place at the local level. 
MCC has already financed a sensitization campaign being carried out 
at the commune level, and will, once the compact is implemented, 
begin providing technical assistance for a legal framework. 
Additionally, the program is expected to focus on improving 
processes at local land offices, strengthening local legal 
institutions and dealing with the "red tape" in rural areas. 
Communes where more agricultural and land issues exist will be 
targeted.  The project includes the construction of some municipal 
office buildings in which the local authorities will be able to 
conduct land business and other business related to the 
decentralization process. The country has been divided into 6 "socio 
cultural zones" and the land reform process will vary slightly in 
each zone. 
¶10. Burkina Faso's key foreign partners in decentralization are, in 
addition to France as lead, include the French local 
intergovernmental organization "Les Cits Unies France," Germany, 
and Italy as well as the World Bank.  Approximately 100 French local 
collectivities that are members of Les Cits Unies France have 
development cooperation partnerships with Burkinabe communes.  For 
example, Loudun, France and Ouagadougou established sister city 
relations 40 years ago.  Ouagadougou has benefited from this 
cooperation in several areas, including education (sponsoring of 
school children), training center, health (building of and equipping 
health units), small businesses (building of stores along the roads, 
purchasing grain mill), and building recreation entities. 
 
JACKSON