Analysis of the Support Mechanism: for CONFEJES' Youth Entrepreneurship Promotion Program in Burkina Faso

Youth unemployment is a pressing issue in many African countries, particularly in Burkina Faso. This situation stems from the economic recession of the 1980s, one of the consequences of which for developing countries in Africa was the imposition of Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs) by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB). These programs led to a drastic reduction in government spending, resulting in hiring freezes and the withdrawal of government funding from sectors other than those falling under the realm of sovereignty and social services. The private sector also felt the adverse effects of this crisis and experienced business closures or restructurings that significantly reduced employment. In response to this situation, the Francophonie Conference of Ministers of Youth and Sports (CONFEJES), in collaboration with member countries-including Burkina Faso-established the Youth Integration Fund (FIJ) in 1994, which became, in 2013, the Youth Entrepreneurship Promotion Program (PPEJ) to finance youth projects through grants.