EXECUTIVE SUMMARY _____________________________________________________________________ provinces, and the establishment of various funds to support activities for women and youths. It observed difficulties about: the obvious differences between proclaimed rights and their effective implementation; illiteracy among women and the population in general; the weight of tradition and socio-cultural problems that are blocking the access of women to resources, particularly land; difficulties around access to credit; and the absence of a law on quotas favourable to women. The major challenges concerning the youth are about training and employment. 3.11 With regard to vulnerable groups, there have been very few achievements. The CRM nevertheless commends the fact that the authorities are aware of the situation and have introduced a policy to support them. 4. ECONOMIC GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT 4.1 Stakes and challenges of good economic governance include: the achievement of high, sustained and equitable economic growth in development, from both the social and geographical or regional point of view; the issue of the country’s isolation, a handicap to be transformed into a development asset, given the country’s central position; the nature of the SHD to be promoted, and in that regard, the extension and consolidation of the basis of the economy; the capacity for mobilisation of financial, human, and natural and/or environmental resource; and the control of the productivity and efficiency of public expenditure. Burkina Faso should meet a number of major challenges to establish the pillars of efficient economic governance and management (EGM). They represent developmental challenges for the present as much as for the future of the country. 4.2 The challenges comprise, in particular, a definition of the Burkina Faso of tomorrow through a vision of its future. This vision is defined as “a nation united and supportive, open and integrated, prosperous and rich, blooming and respected, radiant and with excellent quality of life”. However, the success of this vision depends on the building of consensus around it and on its conversion into coherent strategies, policies and programmes. It also depends on the coordination of the structures and institutions charged with piloting the implementation of these different instruments. 4.3 The main issues and challenges are: achieving high economic growth as well as sustained and equitable development, both from a social perspective as well as a geographic or regional one; the question of the country’s landlocked status, which is a disadvantage that needs to be transformed into a development asset given the country’s central geographical position; promoting the nature of SHD and thereby expanding and consolidating the economic base; the ability to mobilise financial, human, natural and/or environmental resources; and finally, mastering the efficient and productive utilisation of public funds. 10