The Burkinabè Prime Minister, Apollinaire Joachimson Kyélem de Tambèla, on Wednesday welcomed the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which has always had good relations with Burkina but also questioned the relevance of the interventions of this financial institution in the country.'Since the independence of Upper Volta, the country of honest men has always had good relations with the IMF. However, the population still remains poor, despite the intervention of various projects financed by several institutions, including the IMF, noted the head of government to an IMF delegation received in audience in Ouagadougou.'We must therefore question the relevance of the intervention of these institutions in our countries,' Kyélem de Tambèla told the director of the IMF's Africa department, Abebe Aemro Selassie, according to the Prime Minister's communications services.He hoped to see IMF interventions that bear fruit, particularly in rural areas, in order to help Burkina Faso raise the standard of living of its po pulations.The Prime Minister recalled that Burkina Faso is not focused on economic growth in macroeconomic figures but is working to have growth that concretely improves the daily lives of the most vulnerable groups.'When the Bretton Woods institutions talk about growth, it is generally at the macroeconomic level. What we want is for our citizens to feel this growth.We want growth that will boost the standard of living of the entire population. We want harmonized growth which leads the entire population towards a higher standard of living,' he explained.The Prime Minister also invited the IMF to support Burkina Faso in the energy and infrastructure sectors.'The Head of State, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, signed the 'Alliance of Sahel States' confederation treaty last week. We are planning a highway and a Bamako-Ouagadougou-Niamey railway. So, the project is immense and the IMF is expected on this site. We will also need to reactivate the Noumbiel hydroelectric dam to increase the country's energy capacit y,' he said.As for improving Burkina Faso's image on the international stage, the Prime Minister could not have been clearer.'We have big communications agencies against us. The experiment we are currently carrying out does not please the former colonizing countries who have many more means of communication than us and who get their messages across more easily. So, whatever the means we are going to use, we will not be able to have the same capacity as them,' argued Kyélem de Tambèla.He subsequently developed the vision of the country of honest men to gain international respect.'The best means of communication for us is our economic success, that's what will speak for us. If we succeed in doing this, whether you like it or not, you will be brought to recognize reality.This is why we highlight economic promotion. We want our economy to speak for us. You see that the Head of State is setting up agricultural product processing industries, mining industries, etc. and the path will continue,' he revealed .The head of the IMF delegation, Abebe Aemro Selassie, declared that a new program whose overall objective is to facilitate economic growth and job creation was recently approved for Burkina Faso.This program, he mentioned, will also take into account the issue of internally displaced persons (IDPs).'I came with my team to discuss with you the concerns that you and your Government are facing, in order to see to what extent we can help you provide solutions,' indicated the head of the IMF delegation.Source: Burkina Information Agency