Burkina Faso: A Bird’s-Eye View of the Legal System

Sâ Benjamin Traoré is an Associate Professor of Law at the Africa Institute for Research in Economics and Social Sciences and a Faculty of Governance, Economics, and Social Sciences at the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Rabat (Morocco). He holds a PhD from the University of Neuchâtel (Switzerland) and an LLM from the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights. He previously worked as the African Coalition for Corporate Accountability project manager at the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria (South Africa). His academic works cover various subjects ranging from jurisprudence, African legal traditions, public international law, the law of international organizations, the use of force in international law, human rights, international humanitarian law, business, and human rights. He is the author of various academic publications and a seminal book on The Interpretation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions (Published in French, L’interprétation des resolutions du Conseil de sécurité des Nations Unies. Contribution à la théorie de l’interprétation en droit international, Helbing, Basel, 2020).

NOTE: This article is a complete rewrite of the previous versions authored by Kounkinè Augustin Somé.

1. Introduction

Burkina Faso is situated in the Western part of the African continent. It is a landlocked country nestled in the very heart of the Sahel, the semiarid, windswept, and sandy belt between the Sahara and the Equator. The country’s total surface is 274,200 sq. km; its capital is Ouagadougou, located in the Centre of the Country. The second biggest city is Bobo Dioulasso, on the country’s western side. Previously known as Upper Volta, it was renamed in 1983 to Burkina Faso, meaning “the country of upright people.” The country has five (5) neighboring countries: Mali (North-West), Niger (North-East), Benin (Southeast), Togo and Ghana (South), and Cote d’Ivoire (South-West). The people of Burkina Faso are called Burkinabè. In 2022, the population of the country was estimated at over 22,500,000. Like all other countries in the region, Burkina Faso’s population is essentially young, with the average age at 17. This number will rapidly increase in the coming years. The currency is the Franc CFA (XOF) [1 USD = 610FCFA]. Its primary export resources are gold (67% of exports) and cotton (17% of exports). The official language was usually French until the last Constitutional Amendment in December 2023. French is now a mere working language together, according to the Constitution, quite surprisingly, with English. The three primary national languages are Mooré (also spoken on a relatively small scale in Côte d’Ivoire due to the significant historic Burkinabè migrations in this country), Dioula (a language spoken in large parts of Western Africa, especially in Mali, Guinea, and Northern Côte D’Ivoire), and Fulfuldé (a Western and Central African language spoken by a historically nomadic group across these regions, although with significant variations).

Once considered a model of stability, Burkina Faso has fallen into a cycle of violent extremism since at least 2016. Significant parts of its territory are now under the control of cross-border insurgent groups operating in the whole Sahel region, especially in Mali and Niger. The situation has put Burkina in a severe security crisis, affecting its existence and functioning as a sovereign state.

Burkina Faso’s legal system falls into the broad Civil Law family. The reason is its colonial encounter with France, the former colonial power. However, like other African countries, Burkina Faso’s legal system can best be described as pluralistic. Although this fact is often ignored in studies, there is a considerable presence of customary and indigenous laws shaping the daily life of a large majority of the population. However, as discussed below, the coexistence of these sources of normativity with official laws is sometimes not clear-cut and is undoubtedly a matter of (con)tension.

2. Overview of Political Evolution Since 1960

2.1. From 1960 to 1991

Burkina Faso proclaimed its independence from France on August 5, 1960. Since then, its political history has been one of the most tumultuous ones on the continent. Burkina Faso is well known for the impressive recurrence of military coups, making it the top African country in successful coups, with nine coups since its independence. From 1960 to 1991, Burkina Faso experienced four regular constitutional regimes (1960, 1970, 1977 and 1991). Only six years after the independence, in January 1966, the Government led by Maurice Yaméogo was overthrown after an uprising, leading to the first military overtaking of power. A new Constitution was adopted in 1970 but was suspended again in 1974 by the army. The third Constitution was adopted in 1977 and was again suspended by a military coup in 1980. Another coup d’état (1983) installed the National Revolution Council (CNR) led by its very charismatic leader Thomas Sankara. On October 15, 1987, Thomas Sankara was assassinated in a bloody coup, and Blaise Compaoré replaced the CNR with the Popular Front (FP). In 1991, a referendum adopted a new Constitution, and Blaise Compaoré was elected President afterward.

2.2. From 1991 to 2014

The political system of Burkina Faso was relatively stabilized under the 1991 Constitution, which instituted the Fifth Republic. The new political down promised by the Fifth Republic regime echoed the systemic political changes both at the domestic level of many African countries and at the international level, especially with the end of the Cold War. The shift to Western-style liberal democracy has held the promise of an “open society” based on reaffirming liberal democratic values, a multiparty political system, adherence to human rights, and commitment to free market and economic performance. Blaise Compaoré was re-elected in 1998, 2005, and 2010.

The relative political stability during this period allowed for the normal functioning of the state and its institutions. From a legal perspective, critical legal and institutional reforms with lasting effects on the legal system occurred during that period. Legislation on the organization of the judicial system or laws on elections and decentralization are significant examples of such essential reforms. Moreover, important institutions such as the High Council on Communications, the Independent Electoral Commission, the Office of the Mediator (Ombudsperson), and others were established during this period. Finally, the Constitution was revised two times during this period, as discussed below. The 2002 Amendment is noteworthy because it concerns the presidential term limitation. Such a term limit was introduced under the 1997 Amendment. Yet, the Constitutional Council ruled in 2005 that this new clause is non-retroactive and non-applicable to Compaoré’s previous terms. President Compaoré was, thus, entitled to start afresh another two terms after his reelection in November 2005.

2.3. Since 2014: Violent Extremism and Political Instability

Despite the apparent stability in Burkina since 1991, political dissatisfaction had expanded by the early 2010s. President Compaoré failed to be wise enough to read popular demands for change. As his last term ended in 2015, he attempted to change the Constitution and remain in control. This led to the second popular uprising in the country’s history after the 1966 insurrection. Compaoré was forced to resign and fled from the country to Côte d’Ivoire where he still resides. The 2014 uprising (commonly referred to in Burkina Faso as “l’insurrection Populaire”) went on for several months through impressive street demonstrations carried out and coordinated by civil society groups and political parties. At this time, Compaoré had spent twenty-seven years in power. He was eventually forced to step down.

A political transition period started. It led to the election of a new Government in December 2015. The post-insurrection electoral cycle ended with local elections on May 22, 2016. These elections designated national as well as local governments. Rock Marc Christian Kaboré, a former close ally to President Compaoré, who had split from the latter only a few months before the uprising, was elected President of the country. Although it had a 60% participation rate, this election was hardly reflective of the will of the people due to the very low number of registered voters. Kaboré’s Government was immediately pressured to deal with effective service delivery, unemployment, and other social issues.

It was in this context that the first terrorist attacks occurred, especially in the Northern provinces of the country Burkina Faso in 2016. The first targets were police stations, schools in remote Northern areas, and mining installations. The increasing presence of Islamist insurgents in the region since the outbreak of Boko Haram in Northern Nigeria and the mushrooming of terrorist organizations in Mali and Niger was an open secret. However, Burkina Faso was poorly prepared to respond to this new reality. The situation rapidly got out of hand, and Burkina Faso has now become the epicenter of violent extremism in the Sahel region and one of the most affected countries by terrorist attacks worldwide. Burkina Faso ranked first on the global terrorism index with a score of 8.57 points. The impact of the security crisis has been catastrophic for the country. According to the United Nations (S/2024/589), “[i]n Burkina Faso, internal displacement has surpassed 2 million ….”

This situation has deeply affected all aspects of the country’s social and legal fabric. It poses numerous challenges to democracy because it became the main driver for coup d’états. Only a few months after its reelection, President Kaboré was overthrown by a military coup in January 2022 by Lieutenant Colonel Paul Henry Sandaogo Damiba. The military junta justified carrying out the coup due to the failure of Kabore’s Government to address the security situation. Not more than nine months after his coup, Lieutenant Colonel Damiba was also overthrown in September 2022 by Capitaine Ibrahim Traoré. Capitaine Traoré also played the same refrain, again pointing out the dissatisfaction regarding how his predecessor handled the security crisis. Just like the military junta in Mali (and the one who came after in Niger), Capitaine Traoré has bet on a strong military response to put an end to the security chaos. With growing geopolitical tensions in the region, the military junto terminated the traditional military cooperation with France. The new Government announced its willingness to “diversify” its military partnerships but appears to prefer strengthening diplomatic and military ties with countries like Russia.

In May 2024, Capitaine Traoré’s term as the Transition President was extended for five years after the “Assises nationales” (national conference). It was also announced that Capitaine Traoré would be entitled to run for elections at the end of these five-year periods. This is a significant move from the understanding that transitional leaders should not contest presidential elections at the end of the transitional period. Such understanding dates back to the 2014-2015 transitional period where to preserve the integrity and sincerity of the elections they oversaw, transitional leaders were not engaged in the electoral contests that followed.

The recent successive coups in Burkina Faso amid a dire security crisis have led to an over-militarization of politics and the civic space. The military junta has interdicted all political activities, and criticism of the junta is easily associated with “treason” or “supporting terrorist groups.” Political and civil society leaders have been arrested and put on trial on account of crimes against the State’s security. Others are conscripted into the army for reasons that are undoubtedly related to the expression of dissident political views. Finally, the widespread militarization and violence have affected Burkina Faso’s long-term stability and social cohesion. The military response to terrorism fuels recurrent accusations of massacre of civilians by governmental forces, raising deep concerns regarding compliance with human rights and international humanitarian law.

3. Sources of Law in Burkina Faso

3.1. Domestic Sources

3.1.1. The Constitution

Like all countries in the Civil Law tradition, Burkina Faso’s legal system has been based on a written Constitution (single document) for most of its political history. The Constitution is the supreme law of Burkina Faso. All other legal acts are derived from it and must conform to it. The current Constitution was adopted by referendum on June 2, 1991. Before that, Burkina Faso had experienced three constitutional regimes (1960-1966; 1970-1974; 1977-1980). The current Constitution has been amended eight times by the following Constitutional Amendments:

• 002/97/ADP/January 27, 1997
• 003 -2000/AN/April 11, 2000
• 001 -2002/AN/22 January 2002
• 015-2009/AN/April 30, 2009
• 023-2012/AN/May 18, 2012
• 033-2012/AN/June 11, 2012
• 035-2013/AN/November 12, 2013
• 072-2015/CNT/November 5, 2015
• 045-2023/ALT/December 30, 2023

The Constitution provides for the organization and devolution of power in the State and the relationships between the main branches of Government (i.e., the executive and legislative branches and the Judiciary). It also describes the nature of the State and its administrative organization, placing a strong emphasis on decentralization. The Constitution also establishes a few constitutional bodies, such as the High Council on Communications, the Anti-Corruption High Authority, the newly created National Council of Communities, and the National Security Council.

Importantly, it also provides for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It guarantees civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights (ESCR). The preamble of the Constitution reaffirms Burkina’s attachment to the Universal Declaration of 1948, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and other instruments such as the 2007 African Charter on Democracy, Governance, and Elections and the 2001 ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.

The most recent revision of the Constitution (December 2023) introduces essential changes in the normative and institutional architecture in Burkina Faso. Some new provisions reflect the ongoing security crisis. Worth of note in that sense is the creation under the Constitution (Art. 160.1) of the National Council of the State’s Security (Conseil national de sécurité d’Etat). This body oversees the state intelligence. One can assume that it will exercise broad power concerning the collection of intelligence information. It may also serve as a critical factor in a context where the Government is, in practice, derogating from specific human rights standards for security reasons. One can expect that intelligence operations by this body are likely to clash with the right to privacy.

Other provisions of the revised Constitution relate to the powers of the executive. While Art. 137 provides that the President will enjoy jurisdictional immunities for acts accomplished as the President, Art. 134 places the state prosecution magistrates under the hierarchical authority of the Ministry of Justice. This may raise issues regarding the principle of separation of powers and the independence of Justice. The previous version of this provision had adopted the opposite approach for that exact reason. Certain provisions of the amended Constitution have abrogated previous institutions, such as the Economic and Social Council, replaced by the Council for Communities (Art. 141). The new Constitution also abolished the Ombudsperson (Médiateur du Faso).

Finally, the explanation of some changes undoubtedly lies in the geopolitical tensions in the region and, more specifically, the tension between the transitional authorities and the former colonial power, France. In that sense, the recent overreliance on sovereignty and national identity in the narratives of the transitional regime has found its way into the amended Constitution through, for instance, the abolishment of French as an official language (Art. 35) as mentioned above.

3.1.2. Transitional Charters

Transitional Charters are a new legal category that recently appeared in the legal system of many African countries following the interruption of the normal functioning of State institutions (especially after coups d’états). The legal status of the Transitional Charter is more than uncertain. They aim to address specific legal and institutional concerns about the transition period. In that sense, they can be considered functionally (or substantially) constitutional in nature. While some of their provisions do not contradict the existing Constitution and complement it, others raise specific issues of consistency of the Constitution. At any rate, the coexistence between this suis generis type of legal instrument and the formal Constitution poses unique legal challenges.

Since the 2014 insurrection, three Transitional Charters have been adopted in Burkina Faso. This is equivalent to the number of coups that happened during the said period. The first one was adopted on November 13, 2014, by various stakeholders comprised of political actors, civil society organizations, and religious and traditional authorities (commonly referred to in Burkina as “forces vives de la nations”). The second Transitional Charter was adopted in March 2022 after the overthrow in January 2023 of President Kaboré. As a reminder, President Kaboré was elected after the 2014-2016 transitional period. The third Transitional Charter was adopted in October 2022 after the coup (within a coup) in October 2022, when Captain Ibrahim Traoré deposed Lieutenant Paul Sandoago Damiba, who was leading a transitional period following the January 2022 coup.

The October 2022 Transitional Charter, currently in force, was amended more recently on May 29, 2024. The main objective of the amendment was to extend the current transitional period for another five years. This 2024 update of the Transition Charter coexists with the Constitution, which was also amended early in December 2023. The main constitutional organs contemplated in the Transition Charter are the President of the Transition, the Cabinet, and the Legislative Assembly of the Transition.

3.1.3. Primary Legislation

In the legal system of Burkina Faso, the ordinary modality of legislation is through acts or statutes enacted by the Parliament. A Law, or Statute (la loi) is adopted after the Parliament deliberations, duly gazette, and promulgated (Art. 97). The Parliament of Burkina Faso comprises only one house, and it is called the National Assembly. Although the Parliament passes primary legislation, it is more than often initiated by the Government. Such Government bills are called Projet de loi. When the National Assembly initiates a Law, such a proposal is called a Proposition de loi. Under Art. 98 of the Constitution, 15,000 citizens may also initiate legislation. This is called a Pétition. All initiatives (projets de loi, propositions de loi, and pétitions) can be amended by the Members of Parliament (MPs) and Government.

When agreed on and put on the agenda of the National Assembly, draft bills are discussed and then voted into Law. When a Law is adopted, the PF has twenty-one days to promulgate it, only eight days in case of an emergency declared by the National Assembly (Art. 48). During this period, the President can also request a second reading of that Law, in its entirety or some of its sections. The National Assembly may turn down such a request. If the President fails to promulgate a Law during the required period, it automatically enters into force (Art. 48).

Burkina Faso knows two types of parliamentary legislation. Ordinary acts (lois ordinaires) on one hand and organic laws (lois organiques) on the other. A third marginal category of Parliament enactments in Burkina is Parliament Regulations. Their primary aim is to set up internal procedural rules for Parliament’s daily operations. The purpose of an organic law is to complement the Constitution and detail the organization and functioning of public authorities as provided for under specific provisions of the Constitution. Organic laws in civil law systems enjoy a particular status in the hierarchy of sources of law. They are above ordinary laws but below the Constitution and constitutional laws. For instance, the functioning of institutions such as the Constitutional Council, the Independent Electoral Commission, or the High Council for Communications–to cite a few–is regulated by organic laws. Due to their utmost importance, such organic laws and the Regulations of the National Assembly shall undergo a constitutional review process before their promulgation. The Constitutional Council is the sole body responsible for such a review.

3.1.4. Administrative Acts

Administrative acts are secondary legislation adopted by the Executive branch of Government or, more broadly, administrative organs of the State. There are different types of administrative acts in Burkina Faso’s legal system. The highest Executive bodies of the State adopt the most important of them. First, the Government may adopt an “Ordinance” (ordonnance). This is a normative text prepared by the Government and signed by the President. The Government uses it to make legislation in an area which, in principle, falls under the competence of the Parliament. An Ordinance allows the adoption of certain rules or measures without having to go through the ordinary–and often cumbersome–legislative procedure. Due to the transfer of power that the process implies, Parliament must first authorize the Government to pass an Ordinance on a specific matter. It enters into force as soon as it is published (gazetted) (Art. 99).

The second category of administrative acts adopted by the Government is the Decree (Décret). There are two subcategories in this category. The “Décret simple” (simple decree) is an act signed by the President or by the Prime Minister as well as relevant members of the Cabinet (Art. 100). The Décret Issued in Cabinet Meeting (Décret pris en Conseil des Ministres) is an act signed by the President and the Prime Minister after consultation with the whole Cabinet. A recent example of the critical relevance of norm production by Decree is the 2022 Decree on National Mobilization (Décret sur la mobilization générale). This crucial text was signed by the President of the Transition and co-signed by the Prime Minister, the defense minister, the Minister of Administration (home affairs), and the Minister of Human Rights. This text allows for the conscription of any citizen in the armed forces in the context of the fight against terrorism. The lawfulness of this Decree as well as the practice that followed its adoption is doubtful.

Another common administrative act in Burkina is the “Arrêté.” This act emanates from an administrative authority other than the President of the Republic or the Prime Minister. Its most common authors are ministers when they make decisions with normative effects within their respective prerogatives. Other administrative authorities, such as administrative heads of territorial subdivisions of the States (regions, departments, or municipalities), may also make “Arrêtés.” They can only issue such orders within their competencies. In that sense, these legal instruments must be consistent with decrees, if applicable, and at any rate with relevant parliamentary statutes.

Finally, a non-negligible number of administrative acts with normative value emanate from specific administrative instructions called circulaires administratives. These are administrative texts enacted to inform the different components of a Ministry or the agents of decentralized state service. They must be published (gazetted) to be enforceable.

3.2. International Agreements

3.2.1. The Place of International Agreements in the Domestic System

The legal system of Burkina Faso fully recognizes international agreements. Under Art. 151 of the Constitution, international treaties and agreements that are regularly ratified or approved possess, upon their publication, a normative authority superior to that of all legislations. However, reciprocal application by the other state parties to such agreements is a prerequisite to their application in the legal system of Burkina Faso.

This provision suggests the endorsement by Burkina Faso of a monist approach to international treaties and international conventions. The Constitution makes no specific requirement for domestication of international agreements. Thus, duly ratified treaties apply directly when they recognize citizens’ rights or contain self-executing provisions. This means that upon publication of the instruments of ratification, judges and citizens can invoke provisions from international treaties in cases before national courts. Reliance on such instruments no longer requires a particular incorporation act or law.

In practice, however, many international agreements ratified by Burkina Faso have been incorporated into the domestic legal system by adopting specific pieces of legislation. For instance, upon ratifying the Rome Statute concerning the International Criminal Court in April 2004, Burkina Faso adopted an implementation statute in 2009 (loi n°052-2009/AN of December 3, 2009).

However, the specific ranking of international agreements in the hierarchy of norms in the domestic system of Burkina Faso is subject to some controversies. A reading of the Constitution may suggest that international law takes precedence only over domestic legislation in a strict sense, meaning only primary legislation (statutes enacted by the Parliament) and secondary legislation (administrative acts). This school of thought considers that international agreements do not trump the Constitution, which remains Supreme Law. However, another interpretation claims that international agreements are superior to all laws, including the Constitution. When a conflict occurs, the claim goes, international law must prevail over legislation adopted by the Parliament and the Constitution. The Constitutional Council of Burkina has yet to take a clear stance on this matter. Nonetheless, in a 2017 Decision (n°2017-015/CC), the Council unambiguously ruled that international treaties stand above legislation made by Parliament and belong to the “constitutionality bloc,” which suggests that international conventions have at least the same authority as the Constitution in Burkina Faso. This does not solve the issue of their eventual hierarchical superiority over the provisions of the Constitution.

3.2.2. (Sub) Regional Trade and Economic Arrangements

Burkina Faso is a member of several regional and sub-regional organizations. The mandate of some of these organizations goes beyond mere intergovernmental cooperation. They aim to strengthen political and economic integration to such an extent that they generate legislation that applies within the domestic legal system of Burkina Faso. Therefore, a correct presentation of Burkina Faso’s legal system cannot ignore these critical sources. Two such sub-regional organizations are noteworthy: the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Monetary and Economic Union of West African States (UEMOA). ECOWAS comprises fifteen member states, all from the Western African region. The organization is built on a model similar to that of the European Union (EU), although its integration policies have yet to reach the same level as those of the EU.

Nonetheless, ECOWAS has produced numerous legislations to foster free trade through the free movement of persons and goods. Its main normative acts are Regulations, Directives, and Decisions. These acts are binding directly on the Member States, and citizens can seek their application before domestic authorities and courts. Over the past three decades, ECOWAS has also been active in addressing peace and security issues in the region. It adopted several important Decisions related to countries with political instability. These Decisions have been controversial. For this reason, following various ECOWAS decisions after what ECOWAS terms “unconstitutional changes of governments” in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, these countries recently announced their withdrawal from the organization. Under Art.91 of the Revised Treaty of the ECOWAS, such a withdrawal will only come into effect one year after its notification to the ECOWAS, which will be in early 2025.

UEMOA has similar characteristics to a large extent, except that it is composed of francophone West African countries and focuses more on monetary policies. The organization comprises countries that share the use of the former colonial currency, the CFA franc. Its main objectives are to strengthen the competitiveness of the economic and financial activities of its member States and to ensure the convergence of the performance of economic policies of member States. UEMOA also adopts various legal instruments directly binding upon its member States. In that sense, alongside ECOWAS legislations, they constitute a sizable part of sources of law on economic, financial, monetary, and even taxation matters in the domestic legal system of Burkina Faso.

Although quite different in its legal nature, the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (Organization pour l’Harmonisation du Droit des Affaires and Afrique OHADA) is also worth mentioning. The primary goal of OHADA is to harmonize business law in Africa and to ensure legal and judicial security for investors and businesses and thus to propel economic development by creating a vast integrated market in Africa. For its member States like Burkina Faso, OHADA legislation is the primary source of business law. The Organization enacts two main normative instruments: Uniform Acts and Regulations. Examples of famous uniform acts are the Uniform Act relating to General Commercial Law, the Uniform Act relating to Commercial Companies and Economic Interest Groups, the Uniform Act Organizing Collective Proceedings for Clearing of Debts, the Uniform Act Organizing Simplified Recovery Procedures and Enforcement Measures, and the Uniform Act on Arbitration. These sources of law are directly applicable in domestic systems of member States without any incorporation requirement. They are critical to any legal practitioner in a country such as Burkina.

3.2.3. Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law

Other types of international conventions that are critically relevant to the current legal system of Burkina Faso are human rights and international humanitarian treaties. The ongoing dramatic security crisis makes the relevance of these instruments even more crucial. First, the humanitarian situation is dire, with millions of displaced persons due to the conflict. Second, many concerns are raised regarding how the Government’s response to the conflict accords with its human rights and international humanitarian law obligations. In addition to allegations of massive human rights violations in counter-terrorism operations, concerns also relate to the shrinking civic space as a result of the militarization of the State. Freedom of expression has suffered considerable consequences.

Burkina Faso has ratified most international human rights instruments. The country was among the first African States to make the Declaration (under Art. 34(6) of the Protocol to the African Charter on the Establishment of an African Court of Human and Peoples’ Rights), allowing direct access of individuals and NGOs to the African Court. Burkina Faso is also a party to core international humanitarian law treaties, such as the Geneva Conventions and its Additional Protocols, although these core humanitarian treaties also pertain to customary international law and are binding on the country on this account. This implies that the international legal framework for protecting civilians or those who do not take direct participation in hostilities is binding on the States and the insurgent armed groups fighting government forces. More generally, all rules relating to the conduct of hostilities are binding on parties to a conflict, including a non-international armed conflict such as the ongoing conflict in Burkina. Equally, as a party to the Protocol to the African Charter on the Protection of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa, Burkina Faso is also bound by the obligations deriving from that treaty.

However, many challenges impede the full enjoyment of the rights contained in these instruments. Some of these instruments are enforceable by international Courts, such as the African Court on Human and People’s Rights, given that Burkina Faso is one of the few countries that have accepted the competence of this Court to receive individual complaints. This also applied to the ECOWAS Court since the latter’s competence was extended in 2005 to human rights issues without requiring complainants to exhaust domestic remedies. If the country’s withdrawal from the ECOWAS were to be confirmed, this option would no longer be available to individuals from Burkina before this regional Court.

3.3. Informal Sources

Informal sources refer to sources that are not—or not entirely—recognized as such by the official State legal system but whose influence is critical on individuals’ behavior. The dominant positivist and state-centric paradigm in legal studies has often neglected the importance of such sources. At least two such sources must be considered regarding Burkina Faso.

3.3.1. Customary/Indigenous law

Indigenous laws remain vivid in many African countries, and Burkina Faso is no exception. Indigenous laws play a critical role in the historical development of African legal systems. African indigenous laws are mainly non-written laws that were formed over time through long and consolidated practices. Indigenous law varied depending on the communities and their level of organization, but it revolved around basic principles that were similar and embedded in shared cosmogonies.

The evolution of African indigenous law was heavily impacted by external factors such as the advent of Islam in some regions of the continent but, more importantly, by colonization. In Burkina Faso, although the picture is more complex, the French assimilationist style of colonization tended to erase indigenous laws. However, the colonial system itself could not deny the existence of these normative systems and sometimes tried to accommodate them. As a body of living law that evolved with time and circumstances, many indigenous laws resisted the colonial intent to abolish them or adjust. Indigenous normative vitality is perceptible in matters about people’s daily lives, such as the statute of persons, naming, marriage, succession and inheritance, dispute resolutions, and traditional modes of governance.

The relationship between official state laws and these indigenous laws has been peaceful coexistence to a large extent as many of the indigenous practices do not contravene the official laws. However, conflict exists in some instances, and despite conflictual relationships with official laws, some indigenous practices persist (contra legem). For example, the colonial prohibition of dowry was still maintained in the Persons and Family Code but is predominantly not observed. Also, traditional celebrations of marriages are not recognized in formal law despite the widespread practice. In recent years, many voices have been calling for the abrogation of these prohibitions and the recognition of indigenous practices in formal law. Such aspirations have been echoed at the highest governmental level amid the new wave of narratives related to sovereignty and the reaffirmation of identity. The Family Code is undergoing a revision procedure, and there is no doubt that the upcoming amended code will reflect many of these aspirations.

Another area where customary practices or informal law is present is in traditional modes of dispute settlements. These modes are becoming even more prevalent with the rise of non-state actors in the delivery of justice. Putting aside insurgent groups that perform this role in some parts of the country–see below regarding Islamic Law–one can think of the now well-established vigilante groups in large parts of Burkina. These groups, called Kologoweogo, are present mainly in local–but even urban peripheric–regions, mainly in the Central and Northern parts of the country. Although their existence can be traced back to precolonial times, these so-called “self-defense” groups have reemerged in a different form in recent years due to the absence of a well-functioning State and proper security service delivery. They usually assume security functions, and the Government has heavily relied on them for its military response to terrorism. They also strive to prevent crimes in communities and perform dispute settlement activities. This includes criminal justice, which raises serious concerns relating to the due process of law regarding accused persons. The rules applied in these proceedings cannot even qualify as indigenous or customary law. They appear only as new practices justified by the State’s failure and the chaotic security situation. Although they are filling a gap, the parallel legal and judicial system set up by these groups only contributes to the fragmentation of the legal system and, most generally, challenges the basic principles of the rule of law.

Indigenous norms and practices may also be relevant at the overall policy and governance level. For instance, it is worth mentioning that in its 2012 Amendment, the Constitution of Burkina affirms in its preamble that traditional chieftaincy is recognized “as a moral authority depository of customs and traditions in the society.” The exact value of such preambular affirmation is unclear. At any rate, the role, and prerogatives of traditional authorities in the functioning of the State deserve the full attention of the legal system due to the actual prevalent role of traditional chiefs in the political landscape. It will not be an overstatement to affirm that some constitutional conventions have developed over their role regarding political dispute resolutions in Burkina. For instance, the Mogho Naaba, the “Emperor of mossé” people–the majority ethnic group in Burkina Faso–and other traditional chiefs have played and continue to play a critical role in resolving political disputes, especially over the past extremely tumultuous decade.

3.3.2. Increasing Presence of Islamic Law

The number of Muslims in Burkina Faso is around sixty-two percent, making Islam the most practiced religion in the country. Given the deep entanglement between Islamic law and the practice of Islam, many Burkinabè observe Islamic rules and principles in their everyday lives. However, Islamic law is not formally integrated into the official legal system of the State. The Islamic law framework remains unformal in various human affairs.

Historically, Islam was introduced in Burkina centuries before the colonization. Burkinabè Muslim tradition was the Sunnite tradition firmly adhering to the Malikite school of Islamic law. For this reason, the normative impact of Islamic law on people’s lives was limited, given that the Malikite tradition quickly adjusted to local traditions. Burkina Faso shares this longstanding Muslim tradition with most West African Countries. As the giant African public intellectual Hamadou Hampaté Ba once famously said, “Islam in Africa wore the colors of the land,” meaning that it adapted to the realities and not the opposite. Also, although many individuals claimed to practice Islam or Christianity, the majority still practiced indigenous religions. This is still true for a sizable number of Burkinabè.

However, Islam’s influence in Burkina’s daily life has considerably increased. Islamic law is becoming a central reference in private and public spaces. There are various reasons for that. One can mention the rapid demographic evolution of the Burkinabe society, which doubled in less than twenty-five years. However, the increasing reference to Islam and Islamic law is better explained by a growing attachment to a rather “radical” or “extremist” interpretation of Islam, which has slowly developed over the past three decades mainly due to more and more Saudi, Qatari, and Emirati influences. It is well known that these countries favor a “stricter” version of Islam that is different from previous local Muslim practices in Burkina. For instance, the Wahhabi tradition, which was hardly visible in Burkina four decades ago, is now one of the mainstream Muslim traditions in the country. Also, many non-state armed groups operating in the country are related to international terrorist organizations such as ISIS and Al Qaida and have claimed that they aim at bringing more “radical” application of Sharia Law. Some of these groups control, although temporally, entire territories and apply their understanding of Sharia Law to populations under their control. These groups are now lawmakers in these territories and openly claim to be applying Sharia Law.

This evolution is not limited to Burkina. It is part of the daily reality in other parts of (West) Africa. It raised questions on whether and under which modalities, of Islamic law should be reflected in the official state legal system. During the preparation of the 2023 Amendment of the Constitution, some religious leaders have been vocal about the need to integrate Islamic law principles into the Constitution and the recognition of Arabic as one of the countries’ official languages. Given that some Islamic principles–or the manner of interpreting them–might clash with state law, this situation poses significant challenges to the legal system. For instance, in Mali, the Amendment of the Family Code in the early 2010s raised huge controversies amid pressures from a part of the Muslim community concerning women’s inheritance, the principle of equality between men and women, and the age of marriage for girls. The influence of Islamic law in the public space is therefore only going to grow in a country such as Burkina.

4. Branches of Government

4.1. The Executive

The 1991 Constitution established what is commonly referred to in French-style political traditions as a semi-presidential regime. Deriving from a mimic of the French 1958 Constitution, it is a model that combines critical characteristics of both parliamentary and presidential regimes. While the semi-presidential regime bestowed the President with essential prerogatives that are absent in a pure parliamentarian regime, its development in many francophones African countries has given rise to a deviation and an even more critical strengthening of the President’s status in the political system both through the text of the Constitution and the practice of power. Scholars have often portrayed this as hyper-presidentialism (hyper présidentialisme négro africain).

Despite constitutional provisions limiting the President’s powers, the practice of presidential office in Burkina has contributed to forging an authoritative style of governance over the years. This is due to many factors. First, in Burkina, with an average of one coup per decade, the role of military rule left a lasting effect regarding the association of presidential office with unchecked authority. Second, the auspicious period of the Revolution (1983-1987) and the extraordinarily upright personality of the then President Thomas Sankara have contributed to creating a (mis)conception that the President is that Providential man–generally a soldier in public imaginaries–who will “save” the country. Third, President Comparoré (1987-2014) spent almost thirty years in office and ruled with an iron fist. Finally, the international context with the return of authoritarianism into fashion plays a vital role in what favored the widespread perception that a well-performing President must have broad and almost unlimited powers.

Yet, the Constitution reaffirms the principle of the separation of powers. The head of State is also the head of the Executive power, and s/he is the President (Président du Faso (PF)). S/he is elected for a five-year term and can be re-elected once (Art. 37). Since its initial version in the 1991 Constitution, Art. 37 has had a rather tumultuous history. It has been manipulated and amended sometimes to limit, other times to extend the number of presidential terms in office. It was yet another attempt to amend this article that led ultimately to the fall of President Compaoré in October 2014.

As for its prerogatives, the PF is responsible for the determination of the overall political orientations of the State. S/he embodies and ensures national unity, and preserves the integrity of the Constitution, national independence, the integrity of the territory, state continuity, and the performance of international obligations (Art. 36).

As the head of the Executive, the President is also the chief of the Cabinet (le Gouvernement). The latter is a collegial body within the Executive which should be accountable politically before the National Assembly. A Prime Minister (PM), the head of Government, leads the Cabinet. In this capacity, s/he directs and coordinates government action. The Cabinet carries out the nation’s political orientations defined by the President. To that effect, it enjoys the power of utilizing State administration as well as defence and security forces. The President may, after consultation with the Prime Minister and the President of the National Assembly, proceed with the dissolution of the National Assembly (Art.50). In the event of dissolution, the legislative elections take place at least sixty days and not more than ninety days after the dissolution. The Constitution does not predetermine the number of Ministers in the Cabinet. In practice, this number varies depending on the President and the circumstances. Currently, as per a provision of the Transitional Charter, the transitional Cabinet comprises twenty-four Ministers, including the Prime Minister Mr. Kyelem de Tambéla Appolinaire Joachimson. The President chairs Cabinet meetings.

The functions of the President are incompatible with any other elective mandate, public job, or any other professional activities (Art. 42). S/he chooses and appoints the Prime Minister within the parliamentary majority, and s/he is free to choose whomever s/he wants (not necessarily, for instance, the Leader of the majority formation in Parliament). However, suppose the PM’s government program does not receive support from the majority of the National Assembly, the President revokes him and appoints a new PM (Art. 63). The President may revoke the PM and other Ministers at his/her convenience (Art. 46). The President also enjoys considerable appointment powers. S/he appoints to high administration and military offices, as well as in companies and businesses of strategic importance. S/he appoints extraordinary Ambassadors and Envoys to foreign states and international organizations. Ambassadors who are accredited get their accreditations from him/her.

Finally, in the constitutional system of Burkina, the President enjoys so-called “crisis powers” (pouvoirs de crise). In case of serious threats to the regular functioning of institutions, the independence of the nation, and the integrity of the territory, and when the regular functioning of public authorities is interrupted, the President may take, upon deliberation with the Cabinet and consultation of the presidents of the National Assembly and the Constitutional Council, “specific measures required by these circumstances” (Art.59).

Lastly, the recent succession of coups in Burkina has considerably transformed the legal framework regulating the composition and functioning of the Executive branch of the State. Transitional Charters are mainly the locus of these transformations. They provided specific norms for the functioning of the Government during the transitional periods. As mentioned above, the 2024 Amendment of the Transitional Charter has extended the transitional period for five more years, starting from July 2024. Most of its structural characteristics remain the same as under the Constitution. However, the Charter contains essential developments regarding the composition and role of the Government. The Cabinet is now limited to a maximum of twenty-five Ministers. The Transitional Charter also created a new body called the “KORAD.” According to the Transition Charter, the KORAD is a body vested with the competence of “defining, following and overseeing the implementation of the strategic vision of the country at all levels and by all means” (Art. 7). The President appoints its members on a discretionary basis. It is unclear whether this organ is part of the Executive branch and what its role will be. More importantly, what type of relationships will it have with the President on the one hand and the Cabinet on the other?

4.2. The Legislature

Since the 2015 Revision of the Constitution, Burkina Faso’s Parliament has been made up of a single chamber called the ‘National Assembly’ (l’Assemblée nationale). The National Assembly comprises 127 members (MPs) elected directly by the people for five years. This is a particularly hectic aspect of Burkina’s political experience. The 1991 Constitution provided for a single house. The 1997 Amendment of the Constitution changed this state of affairs by providing for two chambers in the Parliament: a Senate and a Chamber of Representatives. In 2002, another Amendment suppressed the Senate. Finally, an Amendment in 2012 enacted the (re)creation of a second Chamber. The Amendment re-introducing a second Chamber, proved unpopular in 2012. Its implementation was one of the reasons for the political crisis which led to the uprising that overthrew President Compaoré in 2014. In line with the aspirations expressed during the uprising, this provision was removed by the 2015 Amendment of the Constitution.

The primary function of the National Assembly is to pass legislation, approve taxes, and oversee the Government’s actions. The Assembly holds ordinary sessions twice yearly and extraordinary sessions under specific circumstances. The fact that the President enjoys the right to dissolve the Parliament is balanced by the Parliament’s ability to engage in a specific procedure to hold the Government politically accountable and ask for its dissolution (Art. 114). This mirrors the French political system. MPs enjoy criminal immunities. No MP can be arrested, detained, or tried for his/her opinion or votes (Art. 95) except when caught during the commission of a reprehensible act (flagrant délit). No MP can be arrested for correctional or criminal matters unless this is authorized by one-third of the MPs during Parliamentary sessions or by the bureau of the National Assembly (Art. 96).

Moreover, the Constitution delimits matters of social and political life on which the Parliament can exercise its legislative prerogatives. In Burkina Faso’s constitutional system, the Parliament exercises its legislative powers only under the attributions it received from the Constitution. Although the competence to make legislation is immense and covers a wide variety of matters, a principle of attribution of powers makes it clear that the Parliament’s competence remains in the confines of these matters. This is called the “domain of legislation” (le domaine de la loi). Art. 101 lays down the exhaustive list of these parliamentary matters. Examples include matters relating to taxes, citizenship, human rights, and fundamental freedoms, nationality, the status of individuals, marriage laws and succession, the definition of crimes, criminal procedures, sentences, and amnesty, the electoral system and local government matters, the judicial organization of the State, and fundamental principles regarding the protection of the environment.

The political turmoil in Burkina Faso over the last decade has also significantly affected the nature and the functioning of the National Assembly. Each transitional period has come with its transitional legislature. Following the October 2014 uprising, the functions of the Assemblée nationale were performed by the National Transitional Council (Conseil National de la Transition (CNT)). The 2014 Transition Charter set up the CNT as the legislative body of the transition. It exercises its legislature prerogatives in accordance with the Constitution unless such prerogatives are incompatible with the implementation of the transition’s goals. Moumina Chériff Sy, a journalist member of the “Sankarist Movement” and quite critical regarding Compaoré’s regime at the time, led the CNT. The CNT played a vital role during the transition regarding the number of laws it passed and the popular aspirations that they reflected. A prime example is the Law on the Amendment of the Mining Code, imposing more taxes on mining companies to provide more resources for local development. At the end of this first transition period, the Transition Government held presidential and legislative elections with the formation of a new National Assembly.

Nevertheless, the January 2022 Coup dissolved the 2015 elected National Assembly. A Legislative Assembly of the Transition (Assemblée legislative de la Transition) was created in March 2022. The President of the Transition appointed members of this body. They are said to be a representative of national social and political forces. However, with the second coup in September 2022, the Legislative Assembly of the Transition was dissolved only seven months after the first. It was re-established with the new Transitional Charter in October 2022. The body is composed of seventy-one members. The President appoints twenty; sixteen are from defense and security forces; thirteen are from regions, twelve are from civil society organizations, and ten are from political organizations. Under the Transition Charter currently in force alongside the Constitution, the Legislative Assembly of the Transition functions continuously, unlike the regular National Assembly under the Constitution, which has only two ordinary sessions per year and potential extraordinary sessions.

4.3. The Judiciary

4.3.1. Overview

Burkina Faso’s Judiciary is similar in its character to most civil law countries’ judicial systems. According to the Constitution, judicial power is entrusted to judges; it is exercised throughout the territory. The Constitution also clarifies that the Judiciary comprises two main streams or branches (ordres de jurisdiction): the judicial and administrative branches (Art. 124). This critical dichotomy is a legacy of colonization. The traditional distinction between administrative and judicial branches of jurisdiction appeared in France and was justified by circumstances in this country. The Constitution says the Judiciary is the guardian of individual and collective freedoms. It ensures respect for the rights and freedoms defined in this Constitution.

Through the principle of separation of powers, the Judiciary typically enjoys independence from other branches of Government, especially the Executive. According to the Constitution, the President of the Republic is the guarantor of the independence of the Judiciary (Art. 131). In that sense, the Constitution creates a High Judicial Council (Conseil supérieur de la Magistrature (CSM)). In its initial design, this body was charged with assisting the Head of State in his function as responsible for the independence of the judicial authority. As such, it is primarily responsible for managing the careers of magistrates. However, like in many other countries, the willingness of the Executive to control the Judiciary has always been a high stake in Burkina’s legal system. As the chair of the CSM, the President exercised important prerogatives in the functioning of the Judiciary, including the appointment of judges and judicial actors. Under Compaoré’s regime for decades, the Judiciary has been criticized as an instrument of the Executive. This led to significant reforms after the 2014 uprising. A national pact for the renewal of the Judiciary was adopted by relevant stakeholders, each of whom pledged to assume responsibility for ensuring a credible and impartial Justice system.

The 2015 constitutional reform and the legislation passed afterward aim to address these critical issues. With this reform, the President no longer chaired the CSM. Its chair and vice-chair were, respectively, the first President of the Supreme Court of Appeal in the “judicial stream” (Cour de Cassation) and the President of the Apex administrative Court (Conseil d’Etat). In addition to these critical changes, the executive branch lost its essential role in appointing judges and prosecution magistrates. While these changes were praised and considered the right move forward, the new transitional Government recently called these developments into question. Indeed, with the 2023 Amendment of the Constitution, the composition and the chairpersonship of the CSM has changed again. The Chairperson is elected among its peers. The Amended Constitution also (re)placed the prosecution magistrates (magistrates du parquet) under the direct authority of the Minister of Justice. These news developments are perceived by many as a desire of the Executive to exercise more control over the Judiciary.

4.3.2. General Structure of the Judiciary

The judicial system of Burkina Faso revolves around different Courts and tribunals. The details of their structuring and functioning are provided under one main legislation: the Judicial Organization Act (Loi sur l’organisation judiciaire). This piece of legislation has been revised many times to adapt to new reforms and new circumstances. The 2019 version is the latest. However, this Act only concerns courts and tribunals pertaining to the “judicial stream” of the Justice system and does not apply to the “administrative stream” and other specific jurisdictions. As a reminder, the “judicial stream” only deals with disputes of private nature (civil, commercial, or labor matters) and criminal matters. The “judicial stream” is composed of various courts ranging from the Court of Cassation (apex Court in this stream), courts of appeal, high courts (tribunaux de grande instance), commercial courts, labor courts, and departmental or district courts. Each of these courts enjoys a particular substantive (rationae materiae), temporal (rationae temporis), personal (rationae personae), and territorial (rationae loci) competence. It is worth mentioning that each high court (Tribunal de grande instance) has a specific Chamber dedicated to justice for minors. It comprises a child justice section and a child judge (Art. 37 of the 2019 Law).

The administrative stream of the Judiciary is equally regulated under specific Acts. The last version of this Act is the 2016 Law on the creation, composition, attributions, and operations of the administrative tribunals as well as the procedure applicable before them. Administrative tribunals are organically separated from judicial tribunals and are tasked with deciding on disputes involving the administrative activity of the State.

The judicial system is based on some fundamental principles. Three of them deserve quick attention. First, the courts of Burkina decide on cases based on the principle of collegiality unless otherwise provided by law Courts and tribunals decide and rule in a collegial formation by at least three judges. However, some exception to this principle exists, especially before High Courts (Tribunaux de Grande Instance). They may sit with a single judge when the number of judges assigned to the Tribunal does not allow the formation of collegiality. However, in this case, the parties must agree to allow them to proceed. In addition, single-judge courts are established in some cases for speed and efficiency. Second, except for extraordinary circumstances, the delivery of justice in Burkina is based on the principle of publicity. Hearings of all courts are public unless publicity is dangerous for public order and good morals or prohibited by law. Also, in some instances, the law also gives the judge the power to order, where necessary and for reasons of public order or good morals, the closed session. Finally, the principle of the right to appeal is sacrosanct. It is called the “double level of justice” (double dégré de jurisdiction). This entails the existence of courts of first instance responsible for judging disputes for the first time and the courts of appeals, which are called to retry the dispute a second time.

4.3.3. Apex Courts

Before the 2000 Constitutional Amendment, there was only one Apex Court in Burkina, the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court used to have different Chambers (judicial, administrative, constitutional, and auditing). Since 2000, these chambers have been transformed into standing-alone apex courts.

4.3.3.1. Court of Cassation

A specific legislation provides for the functioning of this Court. The latest version of this legislation dates from 2016. It is the highest court in the “judicial stream.” It is, therefore, the Supreme Court of Appeals for all matters pertaining to that branch of the Judiciary. It deals exclusively with “private matters” (civilian, commercial, or criminal disputes) instead of “public matters” involving State administrations. The Court of Cassation includes four chambers: a civil chamber, a commercial chamber, a labor Chamber, and a criminal chamber. However, under certain conditions, all Chambers may be involved in a dispute (Chambres reunies). The Court of Cassation’s primary role is to ensure compliance with the rule of law by lower Courts and to ensure the unitary interpretation of the law and the consistency of the jurisprudence (case law). However, in principle, the Court of Cassation does not rule on the merits of the cases before it. Its role is to assess legal arguments as opposed to controversies on facts. This well-established distinction is however not clear-cut. Given their dialectical entanglement, the separation between law and facts in a case is no less than problematic.

4.3.3.2. Council of State (Conseil d’Etat)

The consequence of the existence of two streams of jurisdiction is the establishment of an apex court for the administrative branch of the Judiciary. Administrative justice is delivered in Burkina Faso under the jurisprudential authority of such Court. According to the Act regulation this Court, the Council of State is the Superior Court of the administrative order. The Council of State has both consultative and contentious competence. The Council is also vested with limited electoral competence as it is the body that oversees the regularity of local elections. Consultative competence is critical in the existence and the mandate of the Council of State for this Court act in several instances no more as an advisor to the Government on critical administrative matters. The Council advises the Government on draft bills (projets de loi), draft ordinances (projets ordonnance), and other important administrative acts. The contentious function of the Council lies in the judicial review of administrative acts. The Council of State may hear cases initially or as an appellate body regarding judgments made by lower administrative courts. The Council reviews these acts against the enabling Laws on which they are based. This is so because, in Burkina Faso, administrative acts are considered subordinate legislation and must always be in accordance with the laws. This is very important as the judicial review is not done against the Constitution but only in reference to Acts adopted by the Parliament. Constitutional review is therefore not in the ambit of the Council of State competence. Unlike the Court of Cassation, the composition of the Council of State may include non-professional magistrates.

4.3.3.3. Court of Auditors (Cour des Comptes)

The Court of Auditors is the highest Court concerning the use of public finances issues. A specific Act lays down its attributions. It has both jurisdictional and non-jurisdictional competencies. On its jurisdictional attributions, the Court of Auditors assesses the accounts of public accountants of the State, local authorities, and other administrative bodies, as well as the accounts of de facto managers of public funds. It sanctions management misconduct by officers and anyone deciding on public expenditure. As for its non-jurisdictional competence, the Court of Auditors verifies the execution of the Public Finance Act adopted each year by the Parliament. It also publishes an annual report on the implementation of the Public Finance Act and the compliance report addressed to the National Assembly. The Court of Auditors also prepares reports to the President every two years. The Court of Auditors is composed of professional and non-professional magistrates. The later statutes are unclear. An attempt by the Parliament to align their statutes with the statute of professional magistrates of the Court was dismissed by the Constitutional Council in 2019. The quite bizarre rationale for the decision was that the Court of Auditors is not an “institution” but a “jurisdiction.” The Court of Auditors has also to face some institutional competition from the High Authority of State Auditing and the Fight against Corruption (Autorité Supérieur du Contrôle d’Etat et de la Lutte contre la Corruption (ASCE-LC)).

4.3.3.4. Constitutional Council (Conseil Constitutionnel)

The Constitutional Council is the highest body dealing with constitutional matters. Its functioning is regulated under Act n°11-2000/AN of April 27, 2000. The Constitutional Council can decide on the constitutionality of Parliament Statute/Acts, Rules and Regulations, Ordinances, Treaties, and international agreements. The Constitutional Council verifies the constitutionality of all Organic Laws before their promulgation. It regulates the functioning of public institutions and settles conflicts arising from their attributions. The Constitutional Council also ensures the regularity, transparency, and sincerity of referendums and presidential and parliamentarian elections. It decides all electoral disputes and announces the results of presidential, parliamentarian, and local elections. It administers the oath of the President (Art. 152 of the Constitution).

The Constitutional Council comprises three judges appointed by the President on the proposition of the Minister of Justice, three personalities including at least one jurist appointed by the President, and three personalities including at least one jurist appointed by the President of the National Assembly. Former Heads of State are no longer members of the Council following the amendment of the Constitution in 2015. The members of the Constitutional Council are appointed for a single nine-year term. The President of the Council is appointed by the President of the Republic (Art. 153 of the Constitution). The President, the Prime Minister, the President of the National Assembly, or one-tenth of MPs can file a petition before the Constitutional Council (Art. 157), and its decisions cannot be challenged before any other institutions (Art. 159). However, a significant change was introduced in Art. 157, and citizens can now directly petition before the Council. Also, the Constitutional Council has jurisdiction to examine any matter within its competence if necessary and at its initiative (proprio motu).

The Constitutional Council as a regulator, a shaper, and an influencer of political and institutional life has become quite critical over the past decade. The political unrest with successive interruptions of the normal functioning of institutions has called for a more intense engagement with the Council. The Constitutional Council had to assume its role in deciding on the constitutionality of many situations. Examples include the constitutionality of Transitional Charters, the possibility of accepting oath from and inauguration of a military leader after a coup, or the verification of the validity of an Amendment of the Constitution by the Legislative Assembly of the Transition. This has placed the Council between a rock and a hard place. It has to navigate the pressure of the military with the requirements of the Rule of Law under the Constitution. The Constitutional Council has made several controversial decisions in this context. Its decisions tend to “constitutionalize” military rule, which is, in essence, in contradiction with both the latter and the spirit of the Constitution and constitutionalism.

4.4. Media Governance: High Council on Communications

The media is sometimes referred to as the fourth Government branch in a democratic system. The role of media in the regulation of State institutions and political life is quite evident. Nevertheless, media does not operate in a legal vacuum without any form of control. Like many countries, Burkina Faso has a specific body in charge of media regulation: the High Council on Communication (Conseil Supérieur de la Communication). In 1995, the first body, the Higher Council for Information, was created before it changed and became the Higher Communication Council (CSC) in 2005. The functioning of the CSC is detailed under Organic Law No. 004-2018/AN, which amended Act No. 0156-2013/AN of May 14, 2013.

The CSC ensures the application of legislation and regulations relating to media and communication in Burkina and the media’s compliance with legal and ethical standards. This concerns private and public media, television broadcasting companies, newspapers, and periodical publications. Its mandate is to promote freedom of expression and the right to information, guarantee access to sources of information, and promote pluralism and diversity in the media. The body issues operating authorizations for stations or private sound and television broadcasting companies. The CSC comprises nine counselors, of which the professional media organizations designate three. The President of the National Assembly and the President of the Constitutional Council designate the six other counselors.

With the worsening security situation in Burkina and the authoritarian move made by the military junta, the CSC has made several controversial decisions. There is more and more censorship by the CSC. Most international broadcasting radio and television have been banned. Domestically, many media outlets have been fined or suspended allegedly for not complying with the legislation. All these media are the most critical of the Government, and they have raised serious concerns about freedom of expression. The CSC justifies such increasing censorship essentially by the security situation, which is also the Government’s main argument to defy some basic rule of law principles. Many citizens have been arrested for critiquing the Government on traditional media or social media. This situation is quite concerning since Burkina Faso had made significant progress regarding freedom of expression after the social and political unrest that followed the assassination of the journalist Norbert Zongo in 1998. It is also worth mentioning that Burkina Faso was found responsible for violating the freedom of expression of journalists two times before the African Court on Human and People’s Rights, especially in the Norbert Zongo and Lohé Konaté cases. Regarding the recent bans and limitations of freedom of expression, there have not been cases lodged against Burkina Faso before the African Court yet.

5. Legal Education and Legal Professions

5.1. Legal Education

For a long time, the Faculty of Law and Political Science of the University of Ouagadougou–now Université Thomas Sankara–was the leading academic institution offering law degrees in Burkina Faso. This situation has dramatically changed over the last twenty years, with many other public and private institutions offering general as well as specialized law degrees. It was created in 1975. The Faculty of Law offers degrees in different branches of law: Licence es sciences juridiques (three years); Maitrise en droit (four years); and more recently, the University offers LLM and Doctorates in Law. However, this diploma model has changed in alignment with the global License-Master-Doctorate (L.M.D.) system now adopted by all academic institutions in Burkina. Law faculties in Burkina nowadays mainly offer these three diplomas. The L.M.D. system was initiated in Burkina in the late 2000s. The Government explained that it would help solve persisting issues that academic institutions were facing, such as the overabundance of poorly managed numbers in public universities, the programs unsuitable for development needs, the high failure rate, the poverty of libraries, and the lack of proper funding. Twenty years after this reform and despite the diversification of the academic offer, with countless private universities now, most of these problems remain, especially in public universities.

As for the substance, it is not an overstatement that the legal education in Burkina has remained a duplication of French Law Faculties. This is due to obvious historical reasons. Moreover, for a very long time, almost all Law professors at the University of Ouagadougou were trained and obtained their Doctorate in French Law Faculties. This situation is still true to a large extent today. Although the situation is changing, most Burkina Lecturers and Professors in public and private Law departments are trained in France. This entails a logic of imitation and replication, mainly because the legal system was designed after the French model due to French colonization. With only a few changes, the civil and criminal codes of Burkina–as well as many other sources of legislation–replicate French codes, although they have not followed the evolution of these French laws on several issues. This similarity in the content of the law is so present in academic teachings that French handbooks and case law are still common teaching materials. Another consequence of this situation is adopting French-style academic teaching, which predominates in-class lectures where the Professor is the only actor as opposed to the interactive approach that tends to prevail in other academic traditions.

Despite the challenging environment in which they operate, public universities still enjoy a very respectable standing in Burkina. They have the reputation of being more rigorous in their teachings and examinations. Although this often implies meager success rates in Law Faculties and very low grades, they are generally considered to produce very competent lawyers. Law departments in public universities in Burkina Faso are the following: Law Faculty of Thomas Sankara University in Ouagadougou, Law Faculty of the Nazi Boni University in Bobo Dioulasso, Law Department of the Centre universitaire de Banfora (which is affiliated to the Nazi Boni University). As for private academic institutions offering law degrees, there has been a mushrooming of such institutions. Some of the most established ones are the following: Université Saint Thomas D’Aquin, Université Catholique de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (Bobo Dioulasso), Université Libre du Burkina, Université Aube Nouvelle, Université Privé de Ouagadougou, Université protestante de Ouagadougou. For their diplomas to be recognized by state institutions, these private universities must be accredited by the African and Malagasy Council of High Academic Education (Conseil Africain et Malgache de l’Enseignement Supérieur), which is an inter-state organization grouping former French colonies with important prerogatives on higher education issues in its member states.

5.2. Main Legal Professions

Most legal professions are available in Burkina Faso. Access to these professions varies depending on their nature. Potential employers are in the public and private sectors. There are also independent legal professions. Here are some of the most common legal professions in Burkina Faso.

5.2.1. Judiciary

5.2.1.1. Magistrates

Magistrates in Burkina are trained in a specific school called the National School of Administration and Magistracy (Ecole Nationale d’Administration et de Magistrature (ENAM)) upon successful admission to a rigorous entrance test. They receive two years of professional training, including one year of internship in courts and tribunals. To date, candidates for this test must hold an LLM degree or a Maîtrise en droit under the pre-LMD system (a Master in Law obtained in four years). Magistrates in Burkina Faso are either sitting judges (juge du siège) or Prosecutors (juge du parquet or Ministère public). However, they received the same training. They are recruited permanently and may sometimes serve as sitting judges and other times as prosecutors. Contrary to most common law countries where judges are recruited among experienced legal practitioners, magistrates in Burkina start their careers relatively young.

The entrance test to the ENAM is open to candidates aged between twenty-two and forty-five years old. Recently, in 2024, access to the magistrature test has been extended to jurists who are already serving in public administration. The act regulating all aspects of their career is: “Loi organique No 036-2001/AN portant statut du Corps de la Magistrature.” It has been amended in 2015 and 2024. In 2022, the total number of magistrates in Burkina was 694. This is a very low number compared to the population and the increasing number of cases before courts. It explains also the difficult working conditions and the long delays in Justice delivery.

5.2.1.2. Registrars

Registrars in courts and tribunals are also recruited through an ENAM test under quite similar conditions as magistrates when it comes to Chief Registrars. In addition to overseeing enforcement agents, registrars are responsible for the smooth running of the procedure and the authenticity of the acts established by the magistrates during the proceedings. They play a significant role in informing the parties regarding deadlines. Their presence is mandatory at the hearing, as is their signature on decisions. The registry is also responsible for keeping certain registers, such as the list of cases. The organization of the profession is regulated by a specific Act. There are several levels in a registrar career, the highest being Chief registrar. While they are recruited under similar requirements as magistrates the function of registrars in Burkina is not as highly regarded as the function of magistrates. There is also a huge salary difference between registrars and magistrates. There are currently 5692 registrars in Burkina.

5.2.2. Attorneys (Avocat)

In Burkina Faso, there is no equivalent distinction between Attorneys vs Advocates or Solicitors vs Barristers as it exists in certain Common Law traditions. All counselors before courts are called “Advocates” (Avocat). They are private legal practitioners and have their own professional organization: the Advocate Order of Burkina Faso (Ordre des Avocats du Burkina). The exercise of this profession requires a Certificate for practicing as an Advocate (Certificate d’Aptitude à la Profession d’Avocat (CAPA)). Application to the CAPA is open to candidates with an LLM or a Master of Law (Maîtrise en Droit). Holders of a Doctor of Law or a PhD (Law) may also be admitted, as well as magistrates demonstrating ten years of working experience.

Initially established in the nineties, the Advocates Training Center (Centre de formation des avocats) started only in 2014. The Center is responsible for the initial and executive training of advocates in Burkina Faso. Upon obtaining the CAPA, applicants are admitted for one year and another six months of internship. Upon the successful completion of this period, they take an oath as pupils in a law firm (Avocat stagiaire). Successful pupils are fully admitted to practice as Avocat after three years. Many sources provide for the organization of the profession, some are purely domestic legislation while others have been adopted at the sub-regional level by a body such as UEMOA. The main domestic Act on the profession is “loi n°016-2000/AN du 23 mai 2000, portant réglementation de la profession d’avoca.” There is also a “Décret 2000-426/PRES/PM/MJ du 13 septembre 2000 portant organisation de la profession d’Avocat au Burkina Faso” and a “Arrêté interministériel No 2002 portant organisation du certificat d’aptitude á la profession d’avocat.” There are also internal regulations adopted by the Council of Advocates of Burkina Faso. The total number of advocates in Burkina Faso is less than 300. For such a large population, this raises serious concerns in terms of access to the profession which seems to have been restricted for unclear reasons by the advocate professional organization.

5.2.3. Bailiffs and Notaries

These are private legal professions in Burkina. There are about thirty-seven notaries and forty-two bailiffs in Burkina Faso. They are recruited through a test by the councils of Bailiffs and Notaries. Applicants must hold a master’s in law (Maîtrise en Droit) or an equivalent diploma. It is unclear if the LMD Master is an equivalent diploma to the Maitrise en Droit as the former requires at least six years while the latter takes only four years. Successful applicants to the profession of a notary are enrolled as trainees’ notaries in the Order of Notaries (ordre des notaires) which is the professional Organisation of notaries. They shall complete a professional internship lasting two years in a notary firm before final admission. Candidates for the bailiff’s profession must have at least four years of legal studies. There is no prior training in a specific institution for bailiffs. The independent professional body for bailiffs in Burkina is the National Chamber of Burkina Bailiffs (Chambre nationale des huissiers de justice du Burkina Faso).

5.2.4. Jurist/Lawyer/Clerk in Public and Private Institutions

There are countless other legal professions in Burkina Faso besides the above-mentioned judicial-related professions. Many public service professions are open to individuals with a law degree. They usually require an LLM at least (or the former Maîtrise en droit). Examples include professions such as Police Commissioner (Commissaire de police), Labor or employment Inspector (Inspecteur du travail et des lois sociales), Finance Inspector (Inspecteur des finances), and Chief officer of prisons or penitentiary institutions (Inspecteur de l’administration pénitentiaire). Diplomatic careers are also available to many law degree holders. They must take a test followed by training in the diplomacy section of ENAM. In addition to these traditional avenues for access to legal professions in public administrations, there are also ad hoc recruitments. They mainly served in the legal divisions of Ministries or higher public administrations.

The private sector is also becoming an essential employer in legal professions. Traditionally, law firms offer a few law clerk positions. This avenue still exists as there has been a growing number of law firms and a critical need for law clerks to manage the overload of cases. However, the law clerk position was traditionally not very rewarding. Many law clerks used this employment opportunity to prepare for the Judiciary or enter other independent legal professions such as attorneys, notaries, or bailiffs.

With the flourishing of many private institutions in Burkina’s social and economic landscape, the need for lawyers in these institutions also grew. Institutions such as banks, private insurance companies, and, more recently, mining companies hire a sizeable number of law degree holders.

5.2.5. Academia

Academia offers some opportunities for law degree owners interested in research and teaching. As mentioned above, there was only one Faculty of Law for the whole country for a very long time. This also meant that there were fewer academic positions available. This situation has slightly changed over the last twenty years with the increase of law departments in public universities but also the proliferation of private educational institutions offering law degrees. Although most private universities have recourse to law professors from public universities as affiliate or adjunct professors, there is an increasing interest in hiring permanent Law Professors in these private universities. Moreover, the National Center for Scientific and Technological Research (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique), which is the national institution dedicated to research, has a limited number of positions relating to academic research involving researchers in Law.

The categories and the career evolution of law professors in Burkina are managed by CAMES (see above). There are three levels of professorship. The academic career for a university professor starts at the position of Assistant Professor (more or less equivalent to a Lecturer or Senior Lecturer). After that position, a professor may become a Maître Assistant (more or less equivalent to a Senior Lecturer or Assistant Professor), a Maître de conference (more or less equivalent to Associate Professor), and a Professeur titulaire (Full Professor). There is also the possibility for those admitted as Maître-Assistant to pass a specific test called Concours d’agrégation. This follows a French tradition, and admission to the Concours d’agrégation is highly regarded in the system. Successful candidates immediately reach the statute of Maître de conference, which otherwise might have taken many years of experience and publications. The procedure is quite complex and managed internationally by the CAMES Secretariat. Each member State abides by the decision made by the CAMES. However, the process’s complexity and its somewhat opaqueness have given rise to several critics.

6. Sources for Legal Information

6.1. Overview

No organ is responsible for comprehensive law reporting in Burkina Faso, making legal research difficult. Some laws applicable in the country before independence can be found in the French law collections. The Revue Burkinabè de Droit (RBD, Burkina Law Review) is a biannual publication that has been edited since 1981 by the Faculty of Law, University of Ouagadougou (now University Thomas Sankara). It contains three main parts: Doctrine, Jurisprudence, and Chronicle of legislation. However, this publication was interrupted after forty-one editions. The RBD has resumed its activity since 2020. Overall, this resource provides a rich range of scientific publications on general and specific aspects of Burkina Faso’s legal system. Unfortunately, the RBD is not yet available online. A study in 1988 by De Herdt captured, with significant exhaustivity, all studies on the Burkina legal system by that time. Although quite old, this study is beneficial for anyone who wants to get doctrinal sources of analysis of the legal system of Burkina. The book by Meyer (1988), an Introduction to the Law in Burkina, is equally valuable.

Unfortunately, today, there is no updated textbook/handbook presenting the legal system of Burkina Faso in general. Many teaching materials on the Introduction to Law in Burkina circulate, especially among law students in Burkina Faso. It is easy for anyone to buy in bookshops, universities, or even on the streets of Ouagadougou. The most authoritative among them is undoubtedly the “Polycopié du Cours d’ Introduction à l’Etude du Droit” by the late Professor Luc Marius Ibriga. However, a serious shortcoming of these sources is that they are designed and written as a mimic of French-style material and do not help the reader go beyond traditional French law concepts. They are undoubtedly useful for the colonial legacy, which is prevalent. However, they fail to capture the richness, and specificities of a legal system which, at any rate, is different from France, to say the least. There is, therefore, a need for such scholarly works.

6.2. Main Textbooks, Publishers, and Bookshops

In addition to the above-mentioned overall sources, there are several textbooks prepared by Burkinabe law professors related to their teachings. These textbooks present and discuss various aspects of a particular subject of Burkina Faso’s legal system. While some of them are published by local editors, others have not been formally published but exist in the form of a handout (polycopié). They are widely used by law students and some professionals beyond the specific class for which they were prepared. The following non-exhaustive list of textbooks is worth mentioning:

• BA Ahmed Tidjani, Droit du contentieux administratif burkinabè, PADEG, 2008, 544 p.
• BA Ahmed Tidjani, Droit administratif, Ouagadougou, campus-annales, 2012, 280 p.
• BIRBA Mamoudou, Cours d’Introduction à l’histoire du droit, Nouvelle Edition Burkinabè, 2024
• BOUGOUMA Ousmane, Droit des contrats spéciaux, Nouvelle Edition Burkinabè, 2022
• DABIRE Julien, Droit des personnes et des incapacités, Les éditions Temples du Savoir, 2022
• Dr DABIRE Julien, Droit de la famille, Les éditions Temples du Savoir, 2023
• GARANE Amidou, Cours de Droit international de l’environnement, 2023 (Polycopié)
• GARANE Amidou, Cours de droit parlementaire et légistique, 2023, (Polycopié)
• HIEN/ZERBO Mariame, Cours d’Institutions judiciaires, Edition Wend Panga, 2021
• HIEN/ZERBO Mariame, Cours de Droit Judiciaire Privé, Edition Wend Panga, 2023
• IBRIGA Luc Marius, COULIBALY Saïb Abou, SANOU Dramane, Droit communautaire ouest africain, PADEG, Novembre 2008, 510 p.
• IBRIGA Luc Marius, DJIGUIMDE and DJIGA Habib Ahmed, Cours d’Introduction Générale au Droit, édition la Réussite, 2024
• KABRE Dominique and SAWADOGO Filiga Michel, Théorie Générale des Obligations, 2020 (non-published)
• KABRE Dominique, Cours de Droit des technologies de l’information et de la communication, Nouvelle Edition Burkinabè (NEB), 2024
• LOADA Augustin et IBRIGA Luc Marius, Précis de droit constitutionnel et institutions politiques, Ouagadougou, PADEG, 2007, 648 p.
• MEYER Pierre, Droit International Privé Burkinabé et Comparé, Ouagadougou, Collection précis de droit Burkinabè, 2éme édition, 2017
• NIKIEMA (K.), Droit des biens et droit foncier, Ouagadougou, Maison du Droit, 2017 (coll. Précis de droit burkinabè), 292 p.
• OUEDRAOGO Edouard, Cours de Droit pénal des affaires, 2024 (Polycopié)
• OUEDRAOGO Edouard, Cours de Droit pénal général, Les éditions Temples du Savoir, 2022
• OUEDRAOGO Edouard, Cours de Droit pénal Spécial, Les éditions Temples du Savoir, 2022
• OUEDRAOGO Edouard, Cours de Procédure pénale, Les éditions Temples du Savoir, 2022
• OUEDRAOGO Séni, Cours de Droit Constitutionnel, (première partie), 2024 (non-published)
• SAWADOGO Roger, Code social: Règlementation du travail et Règlementation de la sécurité sociale, Ouagadougou, Collection droit Burkinabè, édition 2023
• SOMA Abdoulaye, Cours de Droit International Public, Recueil de jurisprudence et de doctrine, Ouagadougou, éditions Libes, 2023
• SOMA Abdoulaye, Cours de Droit International Public, Recueil des textes fondamentaux, Ouagadougou, éditions Libes, 2023
• SOMA Abdoulaye, Traité de droit constitutionnel général, Ouagadougou, éditions Libes, Tome 1, 2022
• TOE Souleymane et Dr KASSABO Die Leon, Cours de Méthodologie juridique, 2024 (non-published)
• TOE Souleymane, Droit commercial général et droit des sociétés commerciales, Edition Wend Panga, 2024
• YONABA Salif, Les grandes décisions de la jurisprudence Burkinabè, 3ème édition, 2020
• YONLI Thomas, Cours de Droit Administratif Général, Les éditions Temples du Savoir, 2022
• ZAKANE Vincent, Cours de Contentieux International, 2023 (Polycopié)
• ZAKANE Vincent, Cours de Contrats d’État, 2023 (Polycopié)
• ZAKANE Vincent, Cours de Droit international approfondi, 2023 (Polycopié)
• ZERBO Alain, Cours de Saisies et voies d’exécutions, 2024 (Polycopié)
• ZONGO Martial, Cours d’Institutions Internationales, Les éditions Temples du Savoir, 2024

No electronic version of these textbooks is available, unfortunately. One can consult them in the law faculties libraries in Burkina or purchase them in local bookshops.

The main bookshops where legal texts and textbooks can be found in Burkina Faso (especially in Ouagadougou) are the following:

• Centre de Recherche et d’Études Juridiques (CREJUD) (this is a bookshop based at the Faculty of Law of University Thomas Sankara, formerly University of Ouagadougoz)
• Librairie au sein de l’ufr SJP (vente exclusivement les documents de juridiques)
• Librairie Universitaire (located at Joseph Ky Zerbo University where one can find shelves dedicated to law books)
• Librairie Temple du Savoir (where one can find mainly Law books)
• Librairie Mercury, Librairie Jeunesse d’Afrique and Librairie de la Diacfa (all located in downtown Ouagadougou with shelves dedicated to law books)

6.3. Official Gazette and Other Loci for Legal Information

The primary place for acceding legislation is the Burkina Faso official gazette. It is known as the “Journal Officiel du Burkina Faso (JOBF)”. It publishes legislation passed by Parliament and other Acts taken by the Government, such as Presidential decrees and other critical administrative regulations. The JOBF is published at a high frequency. It does not only serve as a place where legislation is assembled or reported, publication of legislation in the JOBF is in some cases a legal requirement for validity. The JOBF is published under the government’s editorial responsibility.

Several critical codes are easy to access in bookshops and libraries in Burkina Faso in a book format. For a long time, these codes have been published under specific projects such as The European Union-supported project entitled “Programme d’Appui à la consolidation du processus démocratique, l’État de droit et la bonne gouvernance (PADEG),” a program supporting the consolidation of the democratic process, the rule of law and good governance, and the publication of Codes and other legal materials. These codes were, therefore, produced and sold at the Faculty of Law of the University of Ouagadougou. This includes, for instance, the civil code, the criminal code, the code of civil procedure, and the administrative code. Most of these codes are directly inspired by French legislation. The Project involved the Ministry of Justice and its “Codification Commission,” which ensures the harmonization of legal Acts and their publication in the form of codes. Some codes are available online: Code pénal burkinabè de 2018 (Criminal code, with detail annotations), Code de procédure pénal, Code civil (with annotations), Code des personnes et de la famille (Personal status and Familly Code), Code minier (mining code), Code du travail (labour code), and code des investissements (Investment code).

Moreover, the National Assembly also publishes a series of compendiums “Le recueil des lois de l’Assemblée Nationale,” which is a compilation of enactments made by the Parliament every year. However, this publication has been discontinued; the last publication dates to 2004 but covers a twelve years period (Répertoire général des lois votées par l’Assemblée nationale (1992-2004), 1ere edition).

As for online sources, in addition to the JOBF, which is available online, there is LegiBurkina, an online legal database that collects and disseminates legal and judicial documentation and information on Burkina Faso. Most of the documents on LegiBurkina are also available in the JOBF. However, this source is less authoritative than the JOBF. However, depending on access rights, it offers an online library of the Journal Officiel in PDF since 1954. Very interestingly, LegiBurkina also offers access to the case law of the State Council (Conseil d’Etat) and the Cassation Court (Cour de cassation). The official website of these Apex jurisdictions provides access to their decisions. These critical online resources are not always user-friendly.

Finally, the OHADA collections of Uniform Acts contain an essential collection of legal legislation on business and commercial law. These collections have been disseminated largely among practitioners in OHADA member states and are easily accessible online on OHADA’s website.

7. List of Important Sources and Other Useful Resources

General

• Constitution of Burkina Faso: Adopted on June 2, 1991; 2012 version; 2015 version; Amended provisions in 2023
• 2022 Transition Charter
• LegiBurkina
• Journal Officiel du Burkina (Official Gazette)
• Government official website
• WIPO – Burkina Faso Laws
• Citizen Documentation and Information Center
• Constitutional Council
• Council of State
• Court of Cassation
• Court of Auditors

Legislation

Below is a selection of different legislation on selected topics.

Elections

• Loi No 11/96/ADP du 26 avril 1996, portant modification de l’Ordonnance No 92-018/PRES du 25 mars 1992 portant code électoral (Journal Officiel no 31 du 13 juin 1996).
• Loi No 03/97/ADP du 28 janvier 1997, portant code électoral.
• Loi No 10/97/ADP du 12 février 1997, portant création, composition et attributions d’une Commission Nationale d’Organisation des Élections (CNOE).
• Loi 21-98/AN du 7 mai 1998, portant code électoral (Journal Officiel Spécial no2 du 29 juin 1998).
• Loi 33/99/AN du 23 décembre 1999, portant modification de l’article 214 de la Loi no 021-98/AN du 07 mai 1998 portant code électoral (Journal Officiel no 6 du 10 octobre 2000).
• Loi 03-2000/AN du 11 avril 2000, portant révision de la Constitution (Journal Officiel no 18 du 4 mai 2000).
• Loi 04-2000/AN du 18 avril 2000, portant modification du code électoral (Journal Officiel no 21 du 25 mai 2000).
• Loi 14-2001/AN du 03 juillet 2001 portant code électoral.
• Loi 013-2004 portant modification de la Loi n°014-2001/AN du 03 JUILLET 2001, portant Code electoral.
• Loi 024-2005 portant modification de la Loi 014- 2001/AN du 03 juillet 2001 portant code electoral.
• Loi 008-2009 /AN du 14 avril 2009 portant financement des partis et formations politiques et des campagnes électorales.
• Loi 010-2009/AN du 16 avril 2009 portant fixation de quotas aux élections législatives et aux élections municipales au Burkina Faso.
• Loi 019-2009 portant modification de la Loi n°014-2001/AN du 03 JUILLET 2001, portant Code electoral.
• Loi n° 003-2010/AN du 25 janvier 2010 portant modification de la Loi n° 014-2001/AN du 03 juillet 2001 portant code electoral.
• Loi n° 006-2012/AN du 05 avril 2012 portant modification de la Loi n° 014-2001 du 3 juillet 2001 portant code électoral.
• Loi n° 019-2013/AN portant modification de la Loi n° 014-2001/an du 03 juillet 2001 portant code électoral.
• Loi n° 005-2015/CNT portant modification de la Loi n° 014-2001/an du 03 juillet 2001 portant code électoral.

Freedom of Association and Demonstration

• Loi No 10/92/ADP du 14 décembre 1992, portant liberté d’association (Journal Officiel Spécial no 4 du 8 janvier 1993).
• Loi No 10/92/ADP du 14 décembre 1992, portant liberté d’association (Journal Officiel Spécial no 4 du 8 janvier 1993).
• Loi No 14/92/ADP du 14 décembre 1992, portant liberté de réunion et de manifestation sur la voie publique.
• Loi No 22/97/II/AN du 21 octobre 1997, portant liberté de réunion et de manifestation sur la voie publique (Journal Officiel no 50 du 11 décembre 1997).
• Loi n° 026-2008/AN du 08 mai 2008 portant répression des actes de vandalisme commis lors des manifestations sur la voie publique.
• Loi n° 064-2015/CNT portant liberté d’association.

Information

• Loi No 56/93/ADP du 30 décembre 1993, portant Code de l’information au Burkina Faso (Journal Officiel no 5 du 3 février 1994).
• Loi 20-2000/AN du 28 juin 2000, portant création, composition, attributions et fonctionnement du Conseil Supérieur de l’Information (Journal Officiel no 6 du 8 février 2001).
• Loi 25-2001/AN du 25 octobre 2001, portant code de la publicité au Burkina Faso (Journal Officiel no 52 du 27 décembre 2001).
• Loi 047-2004 portant Loi d’Orientation du Cinéma et de L’Audiovisuel.
• Loi n°028-2005/AN du 14 juin 2005 portant création, composition, attributions et fonctionnement du Conseil de Supérieur de la Communication.
• Loi n°061-2008/AN du 27 novembre 2008 portant réglementation générale des réseaux et services de documentations électroniques au Burkina Faso.
• Loi n° 022-2013/AN portant réglementation de la radiodiffusion sonore et télévisuelle numérique de terre au Burkina Faso.
• Loi n°051-2015/CNT portant droit d’accès à l’information publique et aux documents administratifs.

Telecommunication

• Loi 051-1998 portant réforme du secteur des télécommunications.
• Loi n° 061-2008/AN portant règlementation générale des réseaux et services de communications électroniques au Burkina Faso.
• Loi n° 045-2009/AN du 10 novembre 2009 portant réglementation des services et des transactions électroniques au Burkina Faso.
• Décret n° 2000-083/PRES/PM/MC/MCIA portant modalités d’établissement et de contrôle des tarifs des services de télécommunications.
• Décret n° 2000-087/PRES/PM/MC/MCIA portant définition des conditions générales d’interconnexion des réseaux et services de télécommunications.Décret n° 2000-407/PRES/PM/MC portant approbation du Plan national d’attribution des bandes de fréquences radioélectriques.
• Décret n° 2000-408/PRES/MCIA portant modalités de mise en œuvre d’un accès au service universel des télécommunications.
• Décret n°2000-409/PRES du 13 septembre 2000 portant institution des droits et redevances au profit de l’Autorité Nationale de Régulation des Télécommunications (ARTEL).

Security

• Loi 032-2003/AN du 14 mai 2003 relative à la sécurité intérieure (Journal Officiel no 31 du 31 juillet 2003).
• Loi n°039-2007/AN du 20 décembre 2007 portant autorisation de ratification de protocole facultatif relatif à la convention sur la sécurité du personnel des Nation Unies et du personnel associé.
• Loi n° 60-2009/AN du 17 décembre 2009 portant répression de terrorisme au Burkina Faso.
• Loi n° 61-2009/AN du 17 décembre 2009 relative à la lutte contre le financement du terrorisme.
• Loi n° 017-2009/AN du 05 mai 2009 portant répression du grand banditisme au Burkina Faso.
• Loi n° 054-2009/AN du 03 décembre 2009 portant ratification du compromis de saisine de la cour de justice au sujet du différend frontalier entre le Burkina Faso et la République du Bénin, signé à Cotonou le 07 septembre 2009.
• Loi n° 012-2014/AN portant Loi d’orientation relative à la prévention et à la gestion des risques, des crises humanitaires et des catastrophes. 
• Loi n° 022-2014/AN portant prévention et répression de la torture et des pratiques assimilées.
• Loi n°084-2015/CNT portant modification de la Loi n°060-2009/an du 17 décembre 2009 portant répression d’actes de terrorisme au Burkina Faso.
• Loi n°006-2017/AN portant création, organisation et fonctionnement d’un pôle judiciaire spécialise dans la répression des actes de terrorisme.
• Décret n° 2023-04 75/PRES-TRANS/PM/MDAC/MATDS/MJDHRJ portant mobilisation générale et mise en garde.

Migration

• Loi 030-2003/AN du 07 mai 2003, portant autorisation de ratification de la Convention internationale sur la protection des droits de tous les travailleurs migrants et des membres de leur famille (Journal Officiel no 32 du 7 août 2003).
• Loi n°059-2009/AN du 15 décembre 2009 portant autorisation de ratification de l’accord entre le Gouvernement du Burkina Faso et le Gouvernement de la République française relatif à la gestion concertée des flux migratoires et au développement solidaire signé à Ouagadougou le 10 janvier 2009.

Labor

• Loi No 11/92/ADP du 14 décembre 1992, portant Code du travail (Journal Officiel Spécial no3 du 7 janvier 1993).
• Loi No 06/97/AN du 15 avril 1997, portant autorisation de ratification de la convention no 105 de l’OIT concernant l’abolition du travail forcé adoptée en juin 1957 à Genève (Journal Officiel no 19 du 8 mai 1997).
• Loi No 11/97/AN du 15 avril 1997, portant autorisation de ratification de la convention no 173 de l’OIT concernant la protection des créances des travailleurs en cas d’insolvabilité de leur employeur, signée le 23 juin 1992 à Genève (Journal Officiel no19 du 8 mai 1997).
• Loi 13-98/AN du 28 avril 1998, portant régime applicable aux emplois et aux agents de la fonction publique (Journal Officiel Spécial no1 du 25 juin 1998).
• Loi 033-2004/AN du 14 septembre 2004 portant Code du travail au Burkina Faso (Journal Officiel Spécial no2 du 29 octobre 2004).
• Loi 015-2006 portant Régime de Sécurité Sociale Applicable aux Travailleurs salaries et assimilés au Burkina Faso.
• Loi n° 016-2006/AN du 16 mai 2006 portant création de la catégorie d’établissements publics de prévoyance sociale.
• Loi n° 028 -2008/AN du 13 mai 2008 portant Code du travail au Burkina Faso.
• Loi 015-2006 portant Régime de sécurité sociale Applicable aux Travailleurs salariés et assimilés au Burkina Faso.
• Loi 028-2008/AN du 13 mai 2008 portant Code du travail au Burkina Faso (Journal Officiel Spécial du 19 juin 2008).

Personal Statute

• Zatu An VII 13 du 16 novembre 1989 portant institution et application d’un Code des personnes et de la famille au Burkina.
• Loi No 30/94/ADP du 25 mai 1994, portant autorisation de ratification de la convention entre le Burkina Faso et la République Française relative à la circulation et au séjour des personnes.
• Loi 010-2004/AN du 20 avril 2004, portant protection des données à caractère personnel (Journal Officiel no 26 du 24 juin 2004).
• Loi n°42-2008/AN du 24 octobre 2008 portant statut des réfugiés au Burkina Faso.
• Loi n°062-2009/AN du 21 décembre 2009 portant institution d’une Commission nationale des droits humains.

Environment

• Loi No 05/97/ADP du 30 janvier 1997, portant code de l’environnement au Burkina Faso.
• Loi n°006/97/ADP du 31 janvier 1997 portant Code Forestier du Burkina Faso.
• Loi n°002-2001/AN du 08 février 2001 portant loi d’orientation relative à la gestion de l’eau.
• Loi 034 -2002/AN 14 novembre 2002 portant loi d’orientation relative du pastoralisme au Burkina Faso.
• Loi 027-2002/AN du 09 octobre 2002, portant autorisation d’adhésion du Burkina Faso au protocole de Kyoto relatif aux changements climatiques (Journal Officiel no 47 du 21 octobre 2002).
• Loi 058-2003 /AN du 22 octobre 2003 relative aux établissements de tourisme et à la promotion touristique au Burkina Faso.
• Loi 010-2005/AN du 26 avril 2005 portant sur la sûreté nucléaire et la protection contre les rayonnements ionisants.
• Loi 017-2005/AN du 17 mai 2005 portant Loi d’Orientation du Tourisme au Burkina Faso.
• Loi n°005-2006/AN du 17 mars 2006 portant régime de sécurité en matière de biotechnologie au Burkina Faso.
• Loi n°021-2007/AN du 30 octobre 2007 portant autorisation de ratification de la convention portant statut du fleuve volta et création de l’autorité du bassin de la Volta (ABV).
• Loi n°024-2007/AN du 13 novembre 2007 portant protection du patrimoine culturel au Burkina Faso.
• Loi n°014-2009/AN du 23 avril 2009 portant autorisation de ratification de la Charte de l’eau du bassin du Niger, signée le 30 avril 2008 à Niamey (Niger).
• Loi n°003-2011/AN du 05 avril 2011 portant Code forestier.
• Loi n°006-2013/AN portant code de l’environnement au Burkina Faso.
• Loi n°017-2014/AN portant interdiction de la production, de l’importation, de la commercialisation et de la distribution des emballages et sachets plastiques non biodégradables.
• Loi n°008-2014/AN portant loi d’orientation sur le développement durable au Burkina Faso.
• Loi n°036-2015/CNT portant code minier du Burkina Faso.

Children’s Rights

• Loi No 08/95/ADP du 27 avril 1995, portant autorisation de ratification de la convention sur la protection des enfants et de la coopération en matière d’adoption internationale conclue le 29 mai 1993 à la Haye.
• Loi No 07/97/AN du 15 avril 1997, portant autorisation de ratification de la convention no 138 de l’OIT concernant l’âge minimum d’admission à l’emploi, signée le 6 juin 1973 à Genève.
• Loi 038-2003/AN du 27 mai 2003 portant définition et répression du trafic d’enfant(s) (Journal Officiel no 31 du 31 juillet 2003).
• Loi n°013- 2007 AN du 30 juillet 2007 portant Loi d’orientation de l’éducation.
• Loi 001-2009/AN portant protection des droits de l’enfant et de l’adolescent dans les médias au Burkina Faso.
• Décret n°96-412/PRES/PM/MAS/MEF du 13 décembre 1996, un Comité National chargé du Suivi et de l’Évaluation du Plan d’Action National pour la survie, la protection et le développement de l’enfant.
• Décret 98-7 du 28 janvier 1998 instituant le parlement des enfants.
• Décret n°99-80 du 6 avril 1999 portant organisation et fonctionnement du fonds de l’enfance.
• Décret n° 2009-200/PRES/PM/MESSRS/MEBA/SECU portant création, attributions, composition, organisation et fonctionnement d’un Conseil national pour la prévention de la violence à l’école (CNPVE). JO n°20 du 14 mai 2009.
• Décret n° 2009-785/PRES/PM/MASSN/ MEF/MATD portant création, attributions, composition et fonctionnement d’un Conseil national pour la survie, la protection et le développement de l’enfant. JO n° 50 du 10 decembre 2009.
• Décret n° 2009-786/PRES/PM/MASSN/MEF portant attributions, organisation et fonctionnement du Secrétariat permanent du conseil national pour la suivie, la protection et le développement de l’enfant. JO n° 50 du 10 decembre 2009.
• Kiti an VII 319 du 18 mai portant placement et suivi d’enfant au Burkina Faso.
• Décret n°2009-365/PRES/PM/MTSS/MS/MASSN du 28 mai 2009 portant détermination de la liste des travaux dangereux interdits aux enfants.
• Loi n°015-2014/AN portant protection de l’enfant en conflit avec la loi ou en danger.
• Loi n°011-2014/AN portant répression de la vente d’enfants, de la prostitution des enfants et de la pornographie mettant en scène des enfants.

Access to Land

• Loi No 14/96/ADP du 23 mai 1996, portant organisation agraire et foncière au Burkina Faso (Journal Officiel no32 du 8 août 1996).
• Loi n°029-2006/AN du 7 décembre 2006 portant opération spéciale de délivrance de titres fonciers.
• Loi n°024-2008/AN du 6 mai 2008 portant modification de la Loi No 14/96/ADP du 23 mai 1996, portant organisation agraire et foncière au Burkina Faso.
• Loi n°034-2009/AN du 16 juin 2009 portant régime foncier rural.
• Loi n°2012-034/AN du 2 juillet 2012 portant Réorganisation agraire et foncière.

Gender

• Loi 23-98/AN du 8 mai 1998 portant autorisation de ratification de la convention des Nations Unies sur les Droits Politiques de la Femme du 20 décembre 1952 (Journal Officiel no28 du 9 juillet 1998).
• Loi n°021-2005/AN du 19 mai 2005 portant autorisation de ratification du protocole relatif à la Charte africaine des droits de l’homme et des peuples relatif aux droits de la femme en Afrique adopté par la conférence de l’Union africaine le 11 juillet 2003 à Maputo.
• Loi n°043-2005/AN du 6 décembre 22005 portant autorisation de ratification de l’accord de subvention de l’USAID n°624-005-05-01conclu le 22 juillet à Ouagadougou entre les Etats-Unis et le Burkina Faso pour promouvoir l’éducation de base chez les jeunes filles.
• Loi n°10-2009/AN du 16 avril 2009 portant fixation de quotas aux élections législatives et municipales au Burkina Faso. Loi n° 061-2015/CNT portant prévention, répression et réparation des violences à l’égard des femmes et des filles et prise en charge des victimes.

Religion

• Loi No 07/95/ADP du 27 avril 1995, portant modification de la classification des Bibles, Corans et autres livres et brochure liturgiques dans le tarif des douanes (Journal Officiel no25 du 22 juin 1995).
• Loi n°019-2000/AN du 27 juin 2000, portant institution de fêtes légales au Burkina Faso (Journal Officiel no30 du 27 juillet 2000).

Health

• Loi No 23/94/ADP du 19 mai 1994, portant Code de santé publique (Journal Officiel no 41 du 13 octobre 1994).
• Loi 34-98/AN du 18 mai 1998, portant loi hospitalière (Journal Officiel no 28 du 9 juillet 1998).
• Loi n°049-2005/AN du 21 décembre 2005 portant santé de la reproduction.
• Loi n°021-2005/AN du 19 mai 2005 portant autorisation ratification de la convention cadre de l’organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS) pour la lutte anti-tabac adoptée le 21 mai 2003 à Genève.
• Loi n°022-2005/AN du 24 mai 2005 portant Code de l’Hygiène Publique au Burkina Faso.
• La Loi n° 030-2008/AN du 20 mai 2008 portant lutte contre le VIH/SIDA et la protection des droits des personnes vivant avec le VIH/SIDA.
• Loi n° 060-2015/CNT portant régime d’assurance maladie universelle au Burkina Faso.

Judiciary

• Loi No 10/93/ADP du 13 mai 1993, portant organisation judiciaire au Burkina Faso (Journal Officiel Spécial no8 du 21 juin 1993).
• Loi No 51/93/ADP du 16 décembre 1993, portant procédure applicable devant la chambre criminelle (Journal Officiel no2 du 13 janvier 1994).
• Loi No 24/94/ADP du 23 mai 1994, portant Code de justice militaire (Journal Officiel no48 du 1er décembre 1994).
• Loi No 22/94/ADP du 17 mai 1994, portant institution d’un médiateur du Faso.
• Loi No 44/94/ADP du 24 novembre 1994, portant organisation judiciaire au Burkina Faso.
• Loi No 20/95/ADP du 16 mai 1995, portant composition et fonctionnement de la Haute Cour de justice et procédure applicable devant elle.
• Loi No 43/96/ADP du 13 novembre 1996, portant code pénal.
• Loi No 17/97/II/AN du 29 juillet 1997 portant conditions d’octroi de la grâce Amnistiante (Journal Officiel no38 du 18 septembre 1997).
• Loi 11-2000/AN du 27 avril 2000, portant composition, organisation, attributions et fonctionnement du Conseil Constitutionnel et procédure applicable devant lui (Journal Officiel Spécial no1 du 14 août 2001).
• Loi 13-2000/AN du 9 mai 2000, portant organisation, attributions et fonctionnement de la Cour de cassation et procédure applicable devant elle (Journal Officiel Spécial no1 du 14 août 2001).
• Loi 15-2000/AN du 23 mai 2000, portant composition, organisation, attributions et fonctionnement du Conseil d’Etat et procédure applicable devant lui (Journal Officiel Spécial no1 du 14 août 2001).
• Loi 34-2000/AN du 13 décembre 2000, portant modification de la loi organique no 11-2000/AN du 27 avril 2000, portant composition, organisation, attributions et fonctionnement du Conseil Constitutionnel et procédure applicable devant lui.
• Loi 35-2000/AN du 13 décembre 2000, portant modification de la loi organique no 13-2000/AN du 9 mai 2000, portant organisation, attributions et fonctionnement de la Cour de cassation et procédure applicable devant elle.
• Loi 36-2000/AN du 13 décembre 2000, portant modification de la loi organique no 14-2000/AN du 16 mai 2000, portant organisation, attributions et fonctionnement de la Cour des comptes et procédure applicable devant elle.
• Loi 37-2000/AN du 13 décembre 2000, portant modification de la loi organique no 15-2000/AN du 23 mai 2000, portant composition, organisation, attributions et fonctionnement du Conseil d’Etat et procédure applicable devant lui.
• Loi 35-2001/AN du 12 décembre 2001, portant composition, attributions, organisation et fonctionnement du conseil supérieur de la magistrature (Journal Officiel no7 du 14 février 2002).
• Loi 36-2001/AN du 13 décembre 2001 portant statut du corps de la magistrature (Journal Officiel no7 du 14 février 2002).
• Loi 057-2003/AN du 22 octobre 2003, portant autorisation de ratification du Statut de Rome sur la Cour pénale internationale adopté à Rome le 17 juillet 1998 (Journal Official No 51 du 18 décembre 2003).
• Loi 006-2004/AN du 06 avril 2004, modifiant la loi no 043/96/ADP du 13 novembre 1996, portant Code pénal (Journal Officiel no23 du 3 juin 2004).
• Loi organique n°032-2006/AN du 21 décembre 2006 portant modification de la loi organique n°36-2001/AN du 13 décembre 2001 portant statut du corps de la magistrature.
• Loi n°033-2006/AN du 21 décembre 2006 portant modification de la Loi organique n°14-2000/AN du 16 mai 2000 portant composition organisation attribution et fonctionnement de la Cour des comptes et procédures applicables devant elle.
• Loi 022-2009/AN du 12 mai 2009 portant création, organisation et fonctionnement des tribunaux de commerce au Burkina Faso.
• Loi 052-2009/AN du 3 décembre 2009 portant détermination des compétences et de la procédure de mise en œuvre du Statut de Rome relatif à la Cour Pénale internationale par les juridictions Burkinabé.
• Loi n°009-2010/AN du 23 mai 2010 portant autorisation de ratification du protocole portant statut de la Cour africaine de justice et des droits de l’homme, adopté le 1er juillet 2008 à Sharm El-Shekh en Egypte.
• Décret n°2009-558/PRES/PM/MJ/MEF/MATD du 22 juillet 2009 portant organisation de l’assistance judiciaire au Burkina Faso.
• Loi n° 013-2014/AN portant création du Tribunal de Grande Instance de Pô.
• Loi n° 014-2014/AN portant création du Tribunal de Grande Instance Ouaga II.
• Loi n° 074-2015/ CNT portant création, attributions, composition, organisation et fonctionnement du Haut Conseil pour la Réconciliation et l’Unité Nationale.
• Loi n°015-2019/AN portant organisation judiciaire au Burkina Faso.
• Loi organique n° 050-2015/ CNT portant statut de la magistrature.
• Loi n°011-2016/AN du 26 avril 2016 portant création, composition, attributions, fonctionnement des tribunaux administratifs et procédure applicable devant eux.
• Loi n°018-2016/an portant composition, organisation, attributions, fonctionnement de la Cour de cassation et procédure applicable devant elle.

Transparent Public Management

• Loi No 22/95/ADP du 18 mai 1995, portant institution d’une procédure de dépôt et de vérification des listes des biens des membres du gouvernement.
• Loi 12-2000/AN du 2 mai 2000, portant financement des activités des partis politiques et des campagnes électorales (Journal Officiel no 25 du 29 juin 2000).
• Loi 14-2000/AN du 16 mai 2000, portant organisation, attributions et fonctionnement de la Cour des comptes et procédure applicable devant elle (Journal Officiel Spécial no1 du 14 août 2001).
• Loi 12-2001/AN du 02 mai 2001, portant financement des activités des partis politiques et des campagnes électorales (Journal Officiel no 31 du 2 août 2001).
• Loi 026-2002/AN du 20 août 2002, portant fixation des indemnités des députés (Journal Officiel no 40 du 30 octobre 2002).
• Loi n° 020-2009/AN du 07 mai 2009 portant institution d’une fonction publique parlementaire.
• Loi n°033-2008/AN du 22 mai 2008 portant régime juridique applicable aux emplois et aux agents des établissements publics de l’État.
• Loi n°008-2013 /AN portant code de transparence dans la gestion des finances publiques au Burkina Faso.
• Loi n°010-2013/AN portant règles de création des catégories d’établissements publics.
• Loi n°004-2015/CNT portant prévention et répression de la corruption au Burkina Faso.

Political Participation

• Loi No 27/94/ADP du 24 mai 1994, portant organisation du droit de pétition d’initiative législative.
• Loi No 02/97/ADP du 27 janvier 1997, portant révision de la constitution.
• Loi 40-98/AN du 3 août 1998, portant orientation de la décentralisation au Burkina Faso (Journal Officiel no38 du 17 septembre 1998).
• Loi 07-2000/AN du 25 avril 2000, portant statut de l’opposition politique (Journal Officiel no30 du 27 juillet 2000).
• Loi 32-2001/AN du 29 novembre 2001, portant charte des organisations et des partis politiques au Burkina Faso (Journal Officiel no 1 du 3 janvier 2002).
• Loi n°065-2009/AN du 21 décembre 2009 portant modification de la loi n°055-2004/AN du 21 décembre 2004 portant Code général des collectivités territoriales au Burkina Faso.
• Loi n°066-2009/AN du 22 décembre 2009 portant découpage des communes urbaines à statut particulier au Burkina Faso.
• Loi constitutionnelle 015-2009/AN du 30 avril 2009 portant modification de la Constitution.
• Loi 009-2009 /AN du 14 avril 2009 portant statut de l’opposition politique.
• Loi n°10-2009/AN du 16 avril 2009 portant fixation de quotas aux élections législatives et municipales au Burkina Faso.
• Loi du 17 décembre 2013 portant modification de la loi 009-2009/AN du 14 avril 2009 portant statut de l’opposition.
• Loi n° 016-2015/CNT portant modification de la loi n°055-2004/an du 21 Décembre 2004 portant Code général des collectivités territoriales au Burkina Faso.
• Loi constitutionnelle n° 071-2015/CNT portant révision de la Charte de la Transition.
• Loi constitutionnelle n°072-2015/CNT portant révision de la Constitution.

International Instruments

• Loi No 02/97/AN du 26 mars 1997, portant autorisation de ratification de la convention d’extradition A/P1/7/92 relative à l’entraide judiciaire en matière pénale de la Communauté Economique des Etats de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (CEDEAO) signée à Abuja le 06 août 1994.
• Loi 01-98/AN du 24 mars 1998, portant autorisation de ratification du Pacte International relatif aux droits économiques, sociaux et culturels, adopté le 16 décembre 1966 à New York par l’Assemblée Générale des Nations Unies (Journal Officiel no21 du 21 mai 1998).
• Loi 02-98/AN du 24 mars 1998, portant autorisation de ratification du Pacte International relatif aux droits civils et politiques, adopté le 16 décembre 1966 à New York par l’Assemblée Générale des Nations Unies (Journal Officiel no21 du 21 mai 1998).
• Loi 03-98/AN du 24 mars 1998, portant autorisation de ratification du Protocole facultatif se rapportant au Pacte International relatif aux droits économiques, sociaux et culturels, adopté le 16 décembre 1966 à New York par l’Assemblée Générale des Nations Unies (Journal Officiel no21 du 21 mai 1998).
• Loi 04-98/AN du 24 mars 1998, portant autorisation de ratification de la convention contre la torture et les autres peines ou traitements cruels, inhumains ou dégradants, adopté le 10 décembre 1984 à New York par l’Assemblée Générale des Nations Unies (Journal Officiel no21 du 21 mai 1998).
• Loi 47-98/AN du 14 octobre 1998, portant autorisation de ratification du protocole relatif à la charte africaine des droits de l’homme et des peuples portant création d’une Cour africaine des droits de l’homme et des peuples (Journal Officiel no49 du 3 décembre 1998).
• Loi 01-2001/AN du 6 février 2001, portant autorisation de ratification de l’acte constitutif de l’Union africaine, signé le 11 juillet 2000 à Lomé au Togo (Journal Officiel no 11 du 15 mars 2001).
• Loi 03-2001/AN du 24 avril 2001, portant autorisation de ratification du protocole relatif au mécanisme de prévention, de gestion de règlement des conflits, de maintien de la paix et de la sécurité (Journal Officiel no 25 du 21 juin 2001).
• Loi 28-2001/AN du 21 novembre 2001, portant autorisation de ratification de la convention contre la criminalité transnationale organisée et ses protocoles I et II adoptés par l’Assemblée Générale des Nations Unies le 15 novembre 2000 à New York et son protocole no III adopté le 31 mai 2001 (Journal Officiel no 1 du 3 janvier 2002).
• Loi 030-2002/AN du 17 octobre 2002, portant autorisation de ratification de la Convention de l’OUA sur la prévention et la lutte contre le terrorisme adopté à la 35eme Conférence des Chefs d’État et de gouvernement à Alger le 14 juillet 1999 (Journal Officiel no50 du 12 décembre 2002).
• Loi 059-2003/AN du 23 octobre 2003, portant utilisation et protection des emblèmes de la croix rouge et du croissant rouge (Journal Officiel no 52 du 25 décembre 2003).
• Loi n°003-2006/AN du 14 mars 2006 portant application de la convention sur l’interdiction de la mise au point, de la fabrication, du stockage et de l’empLoi des armes chimiques et sur leur destruction adoptée à la conférence de Genève le 03 septembre 1992.
• Loi n°004-2006/AN du 17 mars 2006 portant autorisation de ratification de la de la convention de l’UNESCO pour la sauvegarde du patrimoine culturel immatériel adoptée le 17 octobre 2003 à Paris.
• Loi n°030-2007/AN du 27 novembre 2007 portant autorisation de ratification de la convention internationale contre le dopage dans le sport.
• Loi n°034-2008/AN du 27 mai 2008 portant autorisation d’adhésion à la convention internationale pour la réglementation de la chasse à la baleine et son protocole.
• Loi n°004-2009/AN du 31 mars 2009 portant autorisation de ratification du pacte de non-agression et de défense commune de l’Union Africaine adopté le 31 janvier 2005 à Abuja et signé le 11 mai 2005 à Addis Abeba.
• Loi n°011-2009/AN du 21 avril 2009 portant autorisation de ratification de l’accord portant création de la facilité africaine de soutien juridique signé le 24 septembre par le Burkina Faso.
• Loi n°028-2009/AN du 15 juin 2009 portant autorisation de ratification de la convention n°142 de l’organisation internationale du travail sur la mise en valeur des ressources humaines, adoptée le 23 juin 1975 à Genève.
• Loi n°029-2009/AN du 15 juin 2009 portant autorisation de ratification de l’amendement constitutionnel de l’organisation internationale du travail, adopté le 19 juin 1997 à Genève.
• Loi n°030-2009/AN du 15 juin 2009 portant autorisation de ratification de la convention n°183 de l’organisation internationale du travail sur la protection de la maternité, adoptée le 15 juin 2000 à Genève.
• Loi n°031-2009/AN du 15 juin 2009 portant autorisation de ratification de la convention n°184 de l’organisation internationale du travail sur la sécurité et la santé dans l’agriculture, adoptée le 21 juin 2001 à Genève.
• Loi n°032-2009/AN du 15 juin 2009 portant autorisation de ratification de la convention n°122 de l’organisation internationale du travail sur la politique de l’emploi, adoptée le 09 juin 1964 à Genève.
• Loi n°043-2009/AN du 05 novembre 2009 portant autorisation de ratification de la convention sur les armes à sous munitions, signée à Oslo le 3 décembre 2008.
• Loi n°018-2009/AN du 05 mai 2009 portant autorisation de ratification du Traité révisé de l’Organisation de l’Harmonisation du Droit des Affaires (0HADA), signée le 17 octobre 2008 à Québec (Canada) par le Burkina Faso.
• Loi n°042-2009/AN du 03 novembre 2009 portant autorisation de ratification du protocole facultatif se rapportant à la convention contre la torture et autres peines ou traitements cruels, inhumains ou dégradants, adopté à Nez York le 18 décembre 2002.
• Loi n°044-2009/AN du 05 novembre 2009 portant autorisation de ratification de la Charte africaine de la démocratie, des élections et de la gouvernance, adoptée le 30 janvier 2007 à Addis Abeba.
• Loi n°030-2013/AN portant autorisation d’adhésion du Burkina Faso au deuxième protocole relatif à la convention de La Haye de 1954 pour la protection des biens culturels en cas de conflit armé, adopté à La Haye le 26 mars 1999. 
• Loi n° 002-2014/AN portant autorisation de ratification de la convention sur l’assistance en cas d’accident nucléaire ou de situation d’urgence radiologique, adoptée à Vienne le 26 septembre 1986.
• Loi n°001-2014/AN portant autorisation de ratification de la convention sur la notification rapide d’un accident nucléaire, adoptée à Vienne le 26 septembre 1986.
• Loi n°004-2014/AN portant autorisation de ratification du traité sur le commerce des armes, adopté le 02 avril 2013 à New York.
• Loi n 003-2014/AN portant autorisation de ratification de l’amendement à la convention sur la protection physique des matières nucléaires de 1979, adopté le 08 juillet 2005.
• Loi n 033-2013/AN portant autorisation de ratification du traité révisé de la Communauté des États sahélo-sahariens adopté le 16 février 2013 à N’Djamena, République du Tchad.
• Loi n°031-2013/AN portant autorisation de ratification du traité de Beijing sur les interprétations et exécutions audiovisuelles signé le 26 juin 2012.
• Loi n°029-2013/AN portant autorisation d’adhésion du Burkina Faso au protocole portant sur les questions spécifiques aux matériels d’équipement aéronautiques à la convention relative aux garanties internationales portant sur des matériels d’équipement mobiles, adopté le 16 novembre 2001 au Cap, en Afrique du Sud.
• Loi n°028-2013/AN portant autorisation d’adhésion du Burkina Faso à la convention relative aux garanties internationales portant sur des matériels d’équipement mobiles, adoptée le 16 novembre 2001 au Cap, en Afrique du Sud.
• Loi n°001-2013/AN portant autorisation d’envoi d’un contingent Burkinabè au Mali dans le cadre du déploiement de la force de la Mission Internationale de Soutien au Mali (MISMA).
• Loi n°002-2013/AN portant autorisation de ratification des statuts du centre international pour le génie génétique et la biotechnologie, adoptés à Madrid le 13 septembre 1983.
• Loi n°004-2013/AN portant autorisation d’adhésion du Burkina Faso à l’accord multilatéral portant création d’un groupe de réflexion international sur les pays en développement sans littoral, adopté à New York le 24 septembre 2010.
• Loi n°009-2013/AN portant autorisation de ratification de la convention portant statuts de l’Agence panafricaine intergouvernementale pour l’Eau et l’Assainissement pour l’Afrique signée à Ouagadougou, le 08 décembre 2011.
• Loi n°010-2014/AN portant autorisation de ratification des amendements à la constitution de l’Organisation Internationale pour les Migrations (OIM), adoptés le 24 novembre 1998.

Peacekeeping

• Loi n°24-93/ADP du 16 juillet 1993 portant autorisation d’envoi d’un contingent d’observateurs militaires en République togolaise.
• Loi n°55-93/ADP du 28 décembre 1993 portant autorisation d’envoi d’un contingent militaire au Burundi.
• Loi n°01-95/ADP du 12 avril 1995 portant autorisation d’envoi d’un contingent militaire de sécurité au ex-Zaïre.
• Loi n°008-97/ADP du 04 février 1997 portant autorisation d’envoi d’un contingent militaire Burkinabé au Liberia.
• Loi n°009-97/ADP du 04 février 1997 portant autorisation d’envoi d’un contingent militaire Burkinabé en République Centrafricaine.
• Loi n°17-2000/AN du 26 juin 2000 portant autorisation d’envoi d’officiers des forces armées nationales en qualité d’observateurs militaires en République Démocratique du Congo (RDC).
• Loi n°16-2008/AN du 22 avril 2008 portant autorisation d’envoi d’un contingent militaire Burkinabé au Darfour dans le cadre de la mission hybride organisation des Nations Unies–Union Africaine au Darfour (MINUAD).
• Loi n°002-2010/AN du 22 janvier 2010 portant autorisation d’envoi d’un contingent militaire Burkinabé au sein de l’opération des Nations Unies en Côte d’Ivoire.
• Loi n°001-2013/AN portant autorisation d’envoi d’un contingent Burkinabé au Mali dans le cadre du développement de la force de la Mission Internationale de Soutien au Mali (MISMA).
• Loi n° 025-2013/AN portant autorisation d’envoi d’un contingent Burkinabè au Mali dans le cadre de la Mission Multidimensionnelle Intégrée des Nations Unies pour la Stabilisation au Mali.

Persons with Disabilities

• Loi n°51-2008/AN du 13 novembre 2008 portant autorisation de ratification du protocole facultatif se rapportant à la convention relative aux droits des personnes handicapés.
• Loi n°012-2010/AN du 1er avril 2010 portant protection et promotion des droits des personnes handicapées.
• Décret n° 2010-212/PRES promulguant la loi n°012-2010/AN du 1er avril 2010 portant protection et promotion des droits des personnes handicapées.
• Décret 2005-343 du 22 juin 2005 portant création et attribution du comité multisectoriel de réadaptation et d’égalisation des chances des personnes handicapées (COMUREC/handicap).
• Zatu (ordonnance) n°86-005/CNR/PRES du 16 janvier 1986 qui accorde aux enfants handicapés des avantages sociaux.
• Décret n°2009-530/PRES/PM/MTSS/MASSN/MS du 17 juillet 2009 fixant les conditions d’emploi et de formation des personnes handicapées.

HIV/AIDS

• Loi n°030-2008 /AN du 20 mai 2008 portant lutte contre le VIH/SIDA et protection des droits des personnes vivant avec le VIH/SIDA.

Public Policies and Other Strategic Documents

• La Stratégie de croissance accélérée et de développement durable (SCADD)–Accelerated and sustainable development strategy.
• La politique nationale des droits humains et de la promotion civique (PNDHPC) 2013-2022– National policy for human rights and civic promotion.
• La politique nationale genre (PNG)–National policy on gender.
• La Politique nationale de l’Emploi–National Employment policy.
• Programme spécial de création d’emplois pour les jeunes et les femmes (PSCE/JF) 2012-2014 –Special job creation program for youth and women.
• La Stratégie nationale de micro-finance–National microfinance strategy.
• La Politique nationale de santé 2011-2020–National Health Policy.
• La Charte de solidarité nationale–National solidarity Charter.
• La Politique nationale de la justice 2010-2019–National justice policy.

Miscellaneous

• Loi organique n° 018-2013/AN portant organisation et fonctionnement du parlement. 
• Loi organique n° 015-2013/AN portant attributions, composition, organisation et fonctionnement du Conseil Supérieur de la Communication. 
• Loi n° 013-2013/AN portant réglementation de la profession de commerçant au Burkina Faso.
• Loi n° 020-2013/AN portant régime juridique du partenariat public-privé au Burkina Faso.
• Loi n° 046-2013/AN portant modification de la loi n°009-2009/AN du 14 avril 2009 portant statut de l’opposition politique.
• Loi n° 016-2014/AN portant statut du personnel de la garde de sécurité pénitentiaire.
• Loi organique n°003-2015/CNT portant attributions, composition, organisation et fonctionnement de la Commission de la Réconciliation Nationale et des Réformes.
• Loi organique n°017-2015/CNT portant modification de la koi organique n°20/95/ADP du 16 mai 1995 portant composition et fonctionnement de la Haute Cour de Justice et procédure applicable devant elle.
• Loi n° 019-2015/CNT portant statut général des personnels des forces armées nationales.
• Loi n°020-2015/CNT portant conditions d’avancement des personnels d’active des forces armées nationales.
• Loi n°021-2015/CNT portant création, organisation et fonctionnement de l’académie nationale des sciences, des arts et des lettres du Burkina Faso.
• Loi n° 062-2015/CNT portant statut de pupille de la nation.
• Loi n°104-2015/CNT portant statut du personnel du cadre paramilitaire des douanes.

Case Commentary

• Salif YONABA, Les grandes décisions de la jurisprudence burkinabé: droit administratif, Collection Précis de droit burkinabé, Université de Ouagadougou, UFR Sciences juridiques et politiques, 2004 (this publication contains selected decisions on administrative justice).
• Avis et décisions commentés de la justice constitutionnelle burkinabè de 1960 à 2007; document réalisé sous la direction du Pr Augustin Loada, professeur titulaire de Droit public et de Sciences politiques, directeur exécutif du CGD.