Synergy between instruments (cases)

Development cooperation including humanitarian assistance represents by far the largest area of cooperation between Denmark and Burkina Faso. Based on a demand from the government of Burkina Faso, Denmark endeavours to be an engaged partner with Burkina Faso not only in the area of development cooperation, but also in the areas of foreign affairs (first and foremost within the framework of the EU External Action Service) and commercial collaboration. An improved synergy between the development cooperation, foreign affairs, and commercial collaboration is expected to contribute to finding innovative solutions to challenges in the areas of agriculture, water, health, education, green growth, climate change and many more areas in which innovative solutions are urgently needed in Burkina Faso.

Foreign affairs, human rights and development assistance in Burkina Faso The EU-Sahel strategy for Security and Development drafted by the EU External Acton Service provides a framework for carrying out studies on how to consolidate the rule of law and development initiatives in areas affected by security threats of terrorist organisations. Over the past couple of years the security situation in Northern Burkina Faso has deteriorated due to the presence of terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in the neighbouring countries Mali and Niger. The objectives of a study carried out in close collaboration between the government of Burkina Faso, the Danish Institute of Human Rights, and the Danish Embassy in Ouagadougou are to: analyse the security threat in Northern Burkina Faso including the connection with AQIM and organised crime; analyse the status of the ‘rule of law’; analyse the populations’ perception of human rights – especially in relation to justice and civil and political rights; and to formulate recommendations on how to improve the rule of law taking into account a holistic approach to security and development. As a key development partner within the area of human rights in Burkina Faso, Denmark will participate in the follow up to the study in close cooperation with all relevant stakeholders. The synergy between the foreign affairs, security policy, human rights activities and development cooperation is expected to provide strategic insights into how best to engage in a two-pronged and multi-level (national, regional, and international) strategy of creating both development and stability in the West African region.

Commercial collaboration, development assistance and a public-private partnership between Aarhus-Karlshamn Denmark A/S and the government of Burkina Faso Aarhus-Karlshamn Denmark (AAK) imports shea nuts from Burkina Faso for their production of vegetarian oils – a product utilised by international companies, including l’Oreal, just to mention one of many.  With a view to increasing quality and quantity of shea nuts from Burkina Faso, AAK has over the past 3 years build a CSR-based model for organising women groups in three regions in Western Burkina Faso. To offer incentives for collecting and introducing new ways of treating the nuts, the women groups are offered pre-harvest advance payments on a contracted quantity of nuts, and post-harvest additional bonuses for quality treatment. AAK provides the women with training in both nut collection and treatment. With a view of scaling up the model considerably AAK and the Government of Burkina Faso are working together to establish one of the first public-private partnership in Burkina Faso. The first mile stone is involvement of 30.000 women by 2013. The shea nut represents the third largest agricultural export product from Burkina Faso presently amounting to export of 50-70 kiloton shea nuts per year. The Danish Embassy in Ouagadougou and the Danish Export Council have provided commercial assistance to AAK during the formulation of the public-private partnership. As a key development partner for agricultural development in Burkina Faso, Denmark will provide support to the development of the shea nut value chain – to private Burkinabe operators as well as to public investments needed for the development of the shea nut production and export. The synergy between the commercial collaboration and the development cooperation is expected to go a long way in harvesting the potential of the shea nut production in Burkina Faso – allowing the shea nuts to be for Burkina Faso what cocoa is for its neighbouring countries Ghana and the Ivory Coast.