framework for the introduction of the Sectoral Policy of the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF). Priority Axis No. 6 of this document is dedicated to the sound management of public finances and the fight against forgery, fraud and corruption. 65. In addition, encouraging results have been achieved with regard to the application of the financial, accounting, customs and tax regulations, monitoring of gaming regulations, quality control of products and services, genuineness of administrative deeds and financial transactions and the monitoring of public procurement regulations. Actions relating to sensitization against corruption, training sessions and monitoring are being conducted by the technical inspection units of the ministries. A biometric survey of staff of the Civil Service was carried out in 2012. This operation, the first of its kind, ensured the cleaning up of the database of the staff of the Civil Service and provided a clearer idea of the number of staff. Indeed, 113,819 staff members were found to be properly registered, while another 6,250, who could be receiving monthly salaries, were suspected to be non-existent. After subsequent checks had been done, three hundred and fifty-one (351) of them provided evidence of their status as public officers. The financial assessment of the salaries of unregistered and unjustified staff stood at about CFAF 3. 9 billion for the year 2012. 66. Concerning public procurement contracts, the 2010 report of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (ARMP) noted, among others, the reduction in the timeframe for public procurement contract – 18.52% in 2009 to 59.85% in 2010. 67. From 2008 to 2012, some mayors were removed from office for mismanagement. Law suits were initiated against top officials of State who had allegedly perpetrated acts of corruption. Besides, the Prime Minister sent a note to all members of government on 14 September, 2012 urging them to submit to him a monthly status of actions carried out to ensure transparency and good governance. 68. The Cabinet meeting of 13 March, 2013 took stock of the implementation of the decisions and recommendations of the report of the High State Control Authority (ASCE). Under the initiatives taken, one can mention the auditing of an initial batch of files for which the concerned persons have paid the amounts due (this category concerns 142 persons) and the submission of the batch of unaudited files to the Ministry of Economy and Finance for the concerned persons to be ordered to effect payment (33 persons are affected in this category). 69. On persons who are vigorously challenging the offences they are said to have committed, their files have been sent to both the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Justice. They are 92 in number. Whatever the case, all the files have been sent to the Ministry of Justice, which will in turn refer them immediately to the relevant bodies for legal action to be taken on these cases. In all, more than 367 persons were affected by the reports of the ASCE. 70. According to the reports of Transparency International, from 2008 to 2009, Burkina Faso occupied the 8th position among Sub-Saharan African countries where corruption occurs the least. It is the least corrupt among the UEMOA countries, and the 3rd least corrupt country in ECOWAS. Furthermore, it placed 83rd out of 176 countries in the area of the corruption perception index in 2012. It moved from the 100th position in 2011 to the 83rd position in 2012, moving from 30 to 38 out of 100 points. A national conference on corruption, which was attended by 650 persons and held from 19 to 21 December, 2012, made important recommendations. 22