If not physically present in the country, a U.S. business should consider carefully selecting a local agent who speaks French and is familiar with local customs.  Having a skilled and dedicated local agent on the ground that can follow up on business proposals and seek out business opportunities is imperative for doing business in Burkina Faso.  A hard-sell approach to promoting products or services, without taking the time to build relationships with potential customers or partners, will likely be seen as aggressive and backfire.

U.S. firms are encouraged to submit competitive bids as government tenders become available.  Some foreign firms, primarily European consulting, building, and engineering contractors have established offices in Burkina Faso.  However, the establishment of a local branch office is not required to do business in the country.

Investors or exporters can also contact the U.S. Embassy’s Economic and Commercial section to ask about commercial services, including Gold Key Services, which arrange meetings with government officials and the private sector for companies visiting Burkina Faso.  The Embassy can also assist with an International Partner Search and obtain information on a particular company with an International Company Profile (ICP).  Please refer to the U.S. Embassy’s Business Tab for more information.