Benefit sharing: Burkina Faso case study

The 1% gold revenue campaign – a benefit sharing campaign by PWYP Burkina Faso

The Publish What You Pay (PWYP) coalition has undertaken studies of its members’ advocacy campaigns at the national level to improve the redistribution of revenue from the mining sector. It is primarily an exercise in reflection and self-evaluation.

Burkina Faso is one of the countries selected for this study, which follows the advocacy of the PWYP Burkina Faso coalition for the allocation of mining revenue to local communities. It therefore aims to share experiences and lessons learned.

The campaign led by the PWYP national coalition found a positive echo among members of the Political Transition Parliament, elected after the popular uprising that destabilised the country in October 2014. In the opinion of many of the stakeholders, it was this campaign that led to the creation, under the new mining code adopted in 2015, of the Mining Fund for Local Development (FMDL). This fund is to be financed by a fixed contribution from the mining companies, notwithstanding their reluctance, of 1% of their turnover, and from the State of 20% of the royalties collected. It is intended to finance the development plans of local communities (municipal and regional councils). Data for this study were obtained in two ways: firstly, documentary research, and secondly, interviews with all the stakeholders with a role to play (public administration, members of parliament, civil society, experts, etc.), based on an interview grid.

This study outlines the campaign’s progress. It discusses the expectations of the project’s promoters and the results achieved before
learning lessons from it and making recommendations. Finally, the important issue of gender is addressed.

• Case study
• Executive summary