OVERVIEW: The regime of the president, Blaise Compaore, has fully re-established its grip on power. Rising world cotton prices, coupled with the first exports from four new gold mines in 2008, will support strong real GDP growth of 6.8% in 2008 and 6.3% in 2009. As a result, the current-account deficit is forecast to narrow from an estimated 6.8% of GDP in 2007 to 5.6% of GDP in 2008, before rising marginally, to 6.1% of GDP, in 2009 owing to the expected appreciation of the US dollar.

Source: Burkina Faso: Country outlook