EXECUTIVE SUMMARY _____________________________________________________________________ Treatment of partners 5.23 In the face of the short-term urgency and the quasi-generalised precariousness, Burkinabe enterprises rarely treat their partners (shareholders, bankers, suppliers, clients, state and local communities) in a just and equitable manner. This situation is certainly due to the weakness of the control bodies and to the difficulties in the structures responsible for regulating the relationships between enterprises and the rest of society Corporate responsibility 5.24 Generally, economic and financial information seems to be a problem in Burkina Faso. This makes it difficult to assess and control the responsibility of enterprises and their management. 5.25 The CRM notes the need to improve the conditions for the intervention of auditors, statutory auditors and chartered accountants so as to guarantee the independence and objectivity of their judgments and the efficient execution of their missions. 6. SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 6.1 There are many challenges of SED currently facing Burkina Faso. The situation is characterised by a profound difficulty to rid the country of poverty. The economy is still dominated by the exploitation of agricultural resources (cotton and food crops). Their pressure on the soil gradually depletes natural resources. The most important challenges are: to implement successfully a development policy that combines sustained and sustainable growth; to eradicate poverty; to reduce the major social and regional imbalances; to reduce the human pressure on natural resources; to control the ‘Sahelian nature’ through an environmental and irrigation policy; to modernise the economic and family structures rapidly and resolutely; to transform the public administration into an SED instrument; to exploit the central position of the country in the West African region; and to promote collective participation in the process so that each stakeholder is mobilised and motivated despite being aware of the challenges. 6.2 With regard to international commitments on SED, Burkina Faso has ratified all the agreements and adhered to all the codes and standards recommended by the APRM. However, it needs to make greater efforts to ensure that they are published, integrated with national legislation, and popularised. 6.3 Promotion of self-reliance in the area of development and capacity building for self-sufficient development. There are numerous strategic frameworks for reference. These include the Burkina Faso 2025 study, the National Land Use Planning Scheme (SNAT), the PRSF and the regional PRSFs. To these we must add several sector-specific programmes, especially 22