Wednesday, June 20, 2012
2 - 3:30 p.m.
National Democratic Institute
455 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 8th Floor
Washington, D.C.
Sitting on the edges of the Sahel in West Africa, Burkina Faso ranks among the bottom 10 countries on the UNDP's Human Development Index and, according to the 2005 UNDP report, had the lowest literacy rate in the world. Nevertheless, the government has made significant progress on a number of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). For example, maternal mortality rates have declined from 770 per 100,000 live births in 1990 to 560 in 2008 and, during the same time period, the percentage of the population with access to potable water increased from 41 to 76. In 2008, Burkina Faso signed a compact with the US Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and has devoted MCC resources toward reducing poverty and stimulating economic growth through investments in land management and agriculture, road infrastructure and girls education.
Six members of the Burkinabe National Assembly representing ruling and opposition parties will lead a panel discussion on a range of issues impacting their country, including the progress made to date by Burkina Faso in the achievement of the 2015 development goals, and specific contributions by the Burkinabe National Assembly to that progress. The legislators will also address a range of other issues, such as the advancement of women’s political participation in the country and efforts by the National Assembly to address issues of transparency and anti-corruption.
After opening remarks by the delegation members, the floor will be open for questions and discussion.
Please RSVP here by June 15.
The members of the National Assembly are visiting the United States as part of study mission organized by the Institute for Representative Government and the National Democratic Institute. IRG and NDI express their appreciation to the U.S. Department of State for supporting the delegation’s visit to the United States.
