Burkina Faso inaugurates first gold refinery to boost economic sovereignty
Burkina Faso's military-led government inaugurated its first gold refinery, Raffinor-BF, to process and certify gold domestically. President Ibrahim Traoré emphasized the move as a step toward economic sovereignty following the country's break from traditional Western partners.
Brève Publié le (Africa/Lagos, UTC+1) · date de l'événement : 2026-09-28
Burkina Faso inaugurated its first gold refinery, Raffinor-BF, on Monday as part of efforts to strengthen economic sovereignty under the military-led government of President Ibrahim Traoré.
Speaking at the inauguration, President Traoré declared that from now on, gold mined in Burkina Faso will also be processed, controlled, valued, and certified within the country. This initiative follows the 2022 military coup and the government’s decision to break ties with traditional Western partners.
The establishment of Raffinor-BF marks a significant step for Burkina Faso in adding value to its natural resources domestically and reducing reliance on foreign processing and certification.