In 2022, Burkina Faso and Canada celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Burkina-Canada cooperation. On this occasion, RSE Mines Magazine gave the floor to Her Excellency, Lee-Anne Hermann, Canadian Ambassador to Burkina Faso and Benin. She talks about the relations between the two countries, presents the new Corporate Social Responsibility strategy based on the notion of Responsible Business Conduct and gives details on Canada’s contribution to the development of Burkina Faso. https://minesactu.info publishes the parts of the interview that concern the mining sector.
RSE Mines Magazine: Could you introduce yourself to our readers?
I am Lee-Anne HERMANN, Canada’s ambassador to Burkina Faso and Benin, a position I have held for the past year. I am a professional Canadian Foreign Service Officer and I have been posted in Africa, Asia and Europe. I am here in Ouagadougou with my husband and our son. Burkina Faso is my third posting in Africa.
How do you assess these years of cooperation?
Canada is proud to have established a 60-year diplomatic and cooperative relationship with Burkina Faso. It is safe to say that, over all these years, relations have been fruitful and mutually beneficial. The General Cooperation Agreement signed in 1986 was an important turning point in relations between Canada and Burkina Faso. This agreement has allowed for structured and continuous cooperation that benefits the development of the people of Burkina Faso, particularly vulnerable communities and populations. After many policies and documents that have guided Canada’s Official Development Assistance, including “Sharing our Future…”, “Canada making a difference in the world…”, etc., in 2017 Canada adopted the Feminist International Assistance Policy, which today defines our cooperation priorities in Burkina Faso as well as around the world. These priorities are based, among other things, on gender equality and the promotion of women’s and girls’ empowerment, while working for human dignity through access for all to education and health, green economic growth, peace and social cohesion. Based on our actions in Burkina Faso in relation to these priorities, I am proud to say that Canada is a leading development partner through its bilateral development program.
Canadian companies are predominant in the industrial mining sector in Burkina Faso. What does Canadian Foreign Direct Investment in Burkina Faso represent compared to other African countries?
Indeed, Canadian companies are quite present in the Burkinabe mining sector. According to data from our ministry in charge of natural resources, there will be more than 1.9 billion Canadian dollars (editor’s note: more than 860 billion FCFA) of Canadian mining investment in Burkina Faso in 2021. This makes Canada the leading source of private foreign investment in Burkina Faso. Compared to other West African countries, Burkina Faso is the third largest recipient of Canadian mining investment, after Mali and Mauritania. About 15 Canadian mining companies are active in Burkina Faso. In addition, there is a vast ecosystem of Canadian mining suppliers working in partnership with Burkinabè SMEs and thus contributing to the national local content strategy adopted by the government of Burkina Faso. Partnerships between Canadian and Burkinabè suppliers promote the transfer of know-how and technology.
Can you measure the socio-economic impact of these Canadian companies on the socio-economic development of Burkina Faso?
As I mentioned earlier, Canada is an important source of foreign direct investment in Burkina Faso, particularly in the mining sector. Today, these investments are an important economic lever that supports trade relations between the two countries and contributes to the economic development of Burkina Faso. This is done through the creation of jobs for young people and women, the contribution to state budget revenues, the integration of Burkinabè SMEs into the mining supply chain which creates more positive externalities for the Burkinabè economy, the transfer of know-how and so on. Canada’s history shows that extractive industries can contribute to building a country. Canadian companies active in the extractive sector and in the provision of mining goods and services contribute significantly to Canada’s prosperity, as well as to the economic development of the countries where they operate, including Burkina Faso. Indeed, the mining sector can serve as a catalyst for economic growth, job creation and the socio-economic empowerment of women and youth, thereby helping to meet the socio-economic needs of the Burkinabe population. But to achieve this, it is necessary to ensure virtuous governance, and respect for the rules and the environment.
Canada has adopted a new Corporate Social Responsibility strategy based on the concept of Responsible Business Conduct. Could you tell us more about it?
In April 2022, Canada launched the Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) Strategy. This five-year strategy (2022-2027) sets out priorities for the Government of Canada, through the Trade Commissioner Service and its partners, to help Canadian companies abroad adopt world-leading responsible business practices; gain a competitive advantage; mitigate risks; and contribute to a strong and inclusive economic recovery. The Strategy reinforces Canada’s balanced approach to RBC, which includes preventive measures, legislation in certain areas, and access to dispute resolution. The strategy applies to all Canadian companies operating abroad, regardless of size, sector or scope. The strategy includes the development of a risk mitigation tool and a due diligence standard. The strategy reaffirms Canada’s expectation that Canadian companies will contribute to sustainable development and support Canada’s commitments to human rights by integrating responsible business practices into all their operations, including international supply chains.
What are the concrete implications of the new Responsible Business Conduct strategy for Canadian companies operating in Burkina Faso and the private sector in general?
The new strategy is still recent. It was only announced in April 2022. But what is certain is that the Government of Canada expects it to help Canadian companies in all sectors to put the management of risks to the environment, people and society at the centre of their activities. This is especially important because the consideration of responsible business conduct (RBC) helps to mitigate risk, building business resilience to current and future disruptions. As such, RBC represents a competitive advantage.
Moreover, it is aligned with Canada’s international commitments and is therefore central to many of Canada’s priorities. Of course, this new strategy does not come out of nowhere. It follows other strategies, which is why we call it a new strategy. It will help us to build on what has already been done and which has earned Canadian companies the right to be cited as examples wherever they operate. Indeed, they are known to be generally good corporate citizens who apply the highest standards in their sector, in this case, the mining sector, in the case of Burkina Faso. You will agree with me that Canadian companies have played and continue to play a pioneering role in promoting and advocating for CSR, which we now call Responsible Business Conduct (RBC), including the promotion of local procurement of mining goods and services. The Government of Canada, through its actions, has accompanied the integration of Burkinabè SMEs into the mining value chain by resolutely opening up the facilitation of business contacts between Canadian and Burkinabè companies through the regular organisation of trade missions and other networking activities. This makes Canada, it seems to me, an ideal partner for the integration of local SMEs in the supply of mining goods and services as required by the national strategy for local content in the mining sector. As part of their social responsibility, some Canadian mining companies have carried out joint projects with the Canadian government. These include the construction and commissioning of a water treatment plant for the people of the Sahel, notably the commune of Dori, through the ECED-Sahel project with a significant contribution from Iamgold. A second phase of this project has been approved by Canada for 30 million CAD (more than 14 billion FCFA), again with the participation of Iamgold, with a view to extending drinking water services among many other actions planned for the communes of Gorom-Gorom and Falangoutou. The same applies to the ECED-Mouhoun project – Energy and Sustainable Economic Growth in the Boucle du Mouhoun, where SEMAFO has worked alongside Canada and other local partners such as ABER and SONABEL to strengthen the environment for electrification and associated economic development. I would like to commend the efforts of Canadian mining companies and encourage them to continue to demonstrate exemplary behaviour in terms of transparency and community involvement in their daily practices. In this way, they will continue to be the best ambassadors of the “Canadian brand” and will be recognised for their commitment to local development projects, for their good practices in corporate social responsibility and, above all, for their business ethics. In line with this vision, we have supported the creation of the Burkina Faso Alliance of Mining Suppliers (ABSM) from the outset, along with other stakeholders such as the Chamber of Mines, the Burkina Faso Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Iamgold Essakane. Furthermore, our support to ABSM has remained constant over the years. In addition, recognising the importance of the mining sector to Burkina Faso, Canada has been involved in strengthening public governance of the sector and improving the socio-economic benefits of the extractive sector for communities, particularly women and youth. This has been done respectively through the Extractive Industry Monitoring Improvement Project in Sub-Saharan Francophone Africa (PASIE), which has worked mainly in Burkina Faso with the Court of Auditors, and the Support for Governance and Sustainable Economic Growth in the Extractive Sector project, particularly for communities in the Boucle du Mouhoun and Hauts-Bassin regions.
A final word?
As a long-standing partner and a country that has been present in Burkina Faso for 60 years, Canada is committed to standing by the people of Burkina Faso in their efforts to achieve peace, security, stability and sustainable development. We are committed to continuing to work to strengthen our commercial relations, increase investment between our two countries and ensure the development of win-win partnerships in a stable, secure, predictable and rules-based business environment. We are also pleased that Canadian mining companies are leading the way in responsible business conduct in Burkina Faso. This is truly a source of satisfaction and pride for me.
Summary by Elie KABORE
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