EXECUTIVE SUMMARY _____________________________________________________________________ benefits of growth are distributed equitably if it is to succeed in reversing the ‘major social deficits’. 2.11 The third challenge is to control the ‘Sahelian nature’ through a dynamic environmental policy aimed at transforming the Burkinabe Sahel into a fertile land for agriculture and cattle breeding. The policy should be directed at developing and controlling the resources of nature and the environment, particularly water. The fourth challenge is to upgrade the public department responsible for managing economic and social development so that it can protect the welfare of the people. 2.12 Historical and cultural problems and challenges. These challenges are associated with the country’s people, their civilisations and cultures. The first challenge is to deal with a diverse population in order to plan for a sustainable future. The country needs to build a coherent nation that reflects a smooth and promising amalgamation of various civilisations and cultures that originate from a variety of nationalities. These were brutally merged into a single territorial entity, with foreign values, by the colonial administration. 2.13 The second challenge arises from imbalances in population demographics. Population growth is high, with an annual rate of 2.9%. The population is dominantly rural (79.7%). Women comprise 51.7% of the population while 67% of the population is 35 or younger. An emerging Burkina Faso by 2025 needs young people who are prepared to accept their responsibilities, the dynamic participation of women – who comprise more than half of the Burkinabe population – and a better prepared rural population, who make up the largest part of the workforce. 2.14 Despite these challenges, Burkina Faso has undeniable assets. At the diplomatic level, Burkina Faso has become a hub for the resolution of subregional crises because of the respectability of its leaders, the emblematic nature of the country, its political stability and its progress on the democratic front. 2.15 Moreover, Burkina Faso has demonstrated its capacity for cultural ingenuity. In this regard, the country is known for its cultural performances. These have become African and international events. They include: (i) the Ouagadougou Pan-African Film Festival (FESPACO), which has turned the country into the first world capital of African cinema; (ii) the Salon de l’Invention et de l’Innovation Africaine de Ouagadougou (SIAO), which has become the international fair for African invention; (iii) the national culture, which has also become an African culture; and (iv) the Laongo site for stone sculpture, which has also become a world site for stone sculpture. 2.16 There is confidence in the capacities of its people. Burkina Faso has managed to develop faith in its own capacities and a love for the country, even among its citizens living abroad. They constitute an important force for the development of the emerging country of tomorrow, and the country should capitalise on this resource. The country’s central position in West Africa, as 7