Burkinabè MPs adopted a bill on Monday, 19 October, banning the total or partial privatisation of public enterprises of a strategic nature, according to the session report published by Lefaso.net. The text redefines the criteria for classifying economic, commercial and industrial entities in that category.
The reform also provides that the state may take a stake in the capital of private companies deemed strategic or increase its holding in them. Presenting the text to the Legislative Assembly of the People, Industry Minister Serge Poda said it was intended to strengthen the means of supervision, control and monitoring of the entities concerned.
The classification rests in particular on considerations of national sovereignty and State security, as well as on the importance of companies for the country's social and economic balance, the minister said.
The bill sent to Parliament after the Council of Ministers on 8 October added the benefit of a monopoly among the criteria for recognising strategic character. The government's report had already presented the ban on privatisation and the state's right to take a stake in capital as the main innovations of the reform.
The text revises the law of 20 December 1993 on strategic companies and enterprises. Serge Poda considered that this framework, designed during the period of privatisations, had shortcomings given the current orientations of the state.