State/Private Sector Meeting: Private Concerns and Government Responses

the 5^th edition of the State/Private Sector meeting was held on July 03 and 04, 2023 at the Mgr Anselme Titianma Sanon cultural center in Bobo-Dioulasso. Under the theme: “The role of land in the promotion of productive investment in Burkina Faso”. During the meeting, the private sector expressed concerns to which the government gave some answers. We propose below those related to the central theme.

Private sector concerns

1. the rehabilitation of industrial zones, in particular the repair of roads and access roads, the installation of a fire safety device and the creation
   collective infrastructure and equipment;
2. securing land reserves dedicated to economic activities;
3. the development of new Activity Zones Economic in the regional capitals with the participation of the private sector;
4. the development of a plan for the development of structuring investments taking into account the potential of each region;
5. the creation of a fund to finance development projects economic infrastructure;
6. the revision of the texts on land to have control of the land and better protect investors;
7. the reduction of time, costs and procedures for obtaining the titles of land ownership ;
8. the taking of special measures for the access of micro, small and medium land companies;
9. the effective removal of unused land from the activity zones economic;

10.taking into account specific spaces dedicated to socio-economic infrastructure (schools, health centers, crafts, tourist facilities, hotels, parking sites, etc.) during housing developments in all localities in Burkina Faso;

11. the fight against land speculation in the industrial zones and in the growth poles;

12.digitalization of the land cadastre;

13. the acceleration of the creation of rural land services in the communes and the harmonization of the costs of establishing certificates of possession rural land;

14. the delimitation of production zones specifically dedicated to the activities agro-silvo-pastoral and halieutic.

Government responses

1. Mobilization of land for investments : the government specified that spatial planning documents, in particular the Urban Development Master Plans (SDAU) and land use plans exist; however, these plans are often not adhered to.
2. Strengthening rural land services : the government has indicated
   that 289 rural land services (SFR) have been set up and equipped. The rest of the municipalities will have them during 2023.
3. The provision of areas dedicated to breeding : the government has
   underlined that it has undertaken actions to develop and enhance the
   pastoral areas through two flagship programs which are the Development Program for Pastoralism in the Sahel (PDPS) and the Regional Support Project for Pastoralism in the Sahel (PRAPS) for a cumulative amount of 45 billion FCFA and which are ongoing of implementation.
4. The registration fee on emphyteutic leases: the government has indicated that three-year splitting has been permitted since 1^is January 2022 at the request of the taxpayer.
5. The installation of administrative services within the platforms
   industrial : the Government has indicated that it has opted for the digitization of services, in particular remote procedures and other e-services which are more
   within the framework of the reduction of the lifestyle of the State.
6. The harmonization of the costs of issuing Certificates of Rural Land Ownership (APFR) : the Government noted that the costs are harmonized by law. However, within the communities there are certain specific taxes which deserve to be supervised.
7. Reduction of Land Titles processing times : pending the ongoing digitization, the Government has indicated that by the end of July 2023, land title applications will be processed online.
8. Effective removal of unused land: the Government has indicated that an inventory of land for use other than residential in an irregular situation has been made and that arrangements are being made for their removal in compliance with the regulations. For the specific case of industrial zones, two joint decrees have been signed in order to speed up the withdrawal process.
9. Development of industrial zones: lhe Government has noted that a development project for the agro-industrial zone of Samendeni over an area of ​​100 ha is underway. In this context, the subdivision study and the laying of parcel markers and the technical road and sanitation study are in progress. Also, there are plans to create industrial zones in the thirteen (13) regions of Burkina Faso as well as an industrial park in the town of Ziniaré.

Source: Summary report of the meeting

Aly Konate

[email protected]