Roundtable with H.E. Roch Marc Christian Kaboré

On Monday, September 18, the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center, in partnership with the US Chamber of Commerce, hosted a roundtable discussion with H.E. Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, President of Burkina Faso.

Atlantic Council Vice President and Africa Center Director Dr. J. Peter Pham and Mr. Scott Eisner, President of the US-Africa Business Center at the US Chamber of Commerce, welcomed participants.

In his remarks, Kaboré reaffirmed Burkina Faso’s commitment to promoting justice, the rule of law, and shared prosperity for its people. He highlighted the ongoing implementation of the National Economic and Social Development Plan, which seeks to structurally reform the Burkinabe economy to achieve strong, sustainable, and inclusive growth for all. Kaboré also underscored the success of his country’s burgeoning mining sector, which has contributed substantially to Burkina Faso’s economic upswing in recent years, as evidence of his country’s increasing attractiveness to foreign investors.

In response to the August 2017 terrorist attacks in Ouagadougou, Kaboré underscored that Burkina Faso is doing everything it can to curb the evolving threat of terrorism, with a particular focus on the country’s north. The president further reaffirmed his country’s commitment to the Group of Five Sahel States to combat cross-border terrorism and organized crime in the region.

A discussion followed the president’s prepared remarks.

The Burkinabé delegation also included H.E. Laure Zongo Hien, Minister of Women, National Solidarity, and Family, H.E. Eric Tiare, Permanent Representative of Burkina Faso to the United Nations, and H.E. Seydou Kaboré, Ambassador to the United States. Also in attendance and participating in the roundtable were Atlantic Council Board Director Mr. Ahmed Charai, Chairman, Maroc Télématique; Atlantic Council International Advisory Board Member Mr. Mehmet Nazif Günal, Founder, Chairman of the Board, and President, MNG Group of Companies; and CEOs from various investment, mining, and renewable energy companies.

Related Experts: J. Peter Pham