On July 6, 2006, Standard&Poor's Ratings Services revised its outlook on Burkina Faso to positive from stable, due to the benefits expected to flow from substantial official debt relief in the context of continued prudent policies that have helped the country to weather significant economic challenges. At the same time, Standard&Poor's affirmed its 'B' long-term and 'B' short-term sovereign credit ratings on Burkina Faso. The ratings on Burkina Faso should receive significant support from the major reduction in the country's debt burden, resulting from the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI) by organizations such as the IMF. Moreover, we expect that the resources freed up by this debt cancellation will be appropriately dedicated to measures aimed at
