Burkina Faso: Ibrahim Traoré inaugurates the country's first gold refinery

On September 28, 2026, President Ibrahim Traoré inaugurated Burkina Faso’s first gold refinery, RAFFINOR-BF, in Ouagadougou. The facility, located on a five-hectare site in Ouaga 2000, can process up to 167 tonnes of gold annually at 99.99% purity, reducing the need to export raw gold. The complex also includes a foundry, analysis laboratory, secure storage area, and jewelry unit, aiming to increase local value addition in gold processing.