Zoomlion Ghana Limited, the leading waste management company under the Jospong Group of Companies, is preparing to bring its extensive expertise to Burkina Faso in a landmark initiative aimed at transforming the country’s environmental sanitation sector.
The decision follows a high-level meeting between Zoomlion’s Executive Chairman, Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong, and Burkina Faso’s Prime Minister, Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo, held on Tuesday, June 24, in Ouagadougou.
The meeting was attended by the Burkinabe Minister in charge of the Environment, Roger Baro, and the Ambassador of Burkina Faso to Ghana, Major Colonel David Kabré.
The project is a result of discussions between Burkinabe and Ghanaian authorities, including the President of Ghana’s official visit to Burkina Faso on March 10, and is part of a south-south cooperation initiative focused on sustainable development and job creation.
Turning shared vision into action
The meeting marked a significant milestone in formalizing a strategic partnership to develop an integrated waste management system in Burkina Faso.
The upcoming initiative will include systems for waste collection, sorting, recycling, recovery, and treatment, forming a comprehensive waste management value chain. The plan seeks not only to improve sanitation and environmental health but also to create thousands of new jobs for young people in Burkina Faso.
“We are in a logic of promoting internal expertise—African solutions for African problems,” said Prime Minister Ouédraogo, who lauded the project as a vital step toward youth employment and the fight against unsanitary conditions. “The government will stand by any investor that contributes meaningfully to the country’s development,” he added.
A partnership anchored in local empowerment
Dr. Agyepong emphasized that the project would focus on building local human capital. “We are not going to import Ghanaian workers to Burkina Faso,” he stated.
“We will train young Burkinabe people who will take charge of waste management in their country.”
According to him, this capacity-building component is central to the long-term sustainability of the initiative.
As a next step, Zoomlion is expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Burkina Faso’s Ministry of Environment—an essential precursor to the commencement of infrastructure work.
“This is more than just a business deal—it’s about investing in people, in communities, and in long-term environmental solutions,” Dr. Agyepong said. He expressed confidence in the leadership of Burkina Faso’s transitional President, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, describing his development-focused agenda as inspiring and consistent with Zoomlion’s own values.
Zoomlion’s Pan-African footprint
The Burkina Faso initiative adds to Zoomlion’s growing presence across the African continent. With operations in 24 countries and more than two decades of experience, the company has become a model for how homegrown African firms can deliver world-class services while adapting to local conditions.
By exporting proven waste management technologies and models developed in Ghana, Zoomlion aims to help Burkina Faso overcome its environmental sanitation challenges while creating sustainable employment opportunities for the country’s youth.
In a continent often characterized by dependence on foreign solutions, the partnership between Jospong Group and the Burkinabe government signals a refreshing turn toward African-led innovation and mutual growth.
