Ouagadougou: The President of Burkina Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traore, affirmed Friday that Burkina Faso rejects any investment model based on the exploitation of its youth, insisting on the need to create factories on site in order to promote full employment for this majority segment of the population. “We must not bring in investors and make them believe that Burkina Faso is like all other African countries. We are not in an investment model that exposes our youth to slavery or exploitation,” declared the President of Burkina Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traore, during a meeting with investors who came to participate in the first Invest in Burkina forum.

According to Burkina Information Agency, President Traore emphasized the importance of industry and local processing to ensure job creation for the young population. He stated, “We have a very young population. And it would be dilatory to proclaim everywhere that we are fighting for youth employment without thinking about industry, processing, and therefore investment. We believe that, for young people to have jobs, we must support industry and encourage processing on site.”

Captain Traore also addressed the issues of corrupt practices and favoritism that have previously deterred serious investors and contributed to the country’s impoverishment. He assured that future investments would be characterized by transparency and fairness, ensuring mutual benefits for all parties involved in Burkina Faso’s economic development.

Furthermore, he expressed the desire for local processing of resources such as limestone, copper, phosphate, and agricultural products, highlighting the benefits for Burkinabe youth and those who believe in the country’s potential. Captain Ibrahim Traore concluded by inviting investors to have faith in the competence and diligence of Burkinabe youth.