Information For Participants

Dear participant,

Welcome to the Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development preceded by the meeting of the Committee of Experts, which is being held by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) from 10-15 May 2006 at the Ouaga 2000 Conference Centre, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The Conference is being held back to back with the African Development Bank (ADB) annual meetings.

Please find below some general information on meeting arrangements which you may find useful. If you have any questions or if there is any way we may be of assistance, do not hesitate to contact the ECA Conference Coordination Unit (email: ccu@uneca.org, telephone: +251 11 551 49 45, fax: +251 11 551 31 55).

1. General Information

1.1 Entry visa requirements

All visitors to Burkina Faso must have a valid passport, or an identity or travel document recognized by international conventions.

Citizens of the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS) countries, Chad, Cameroon and Morocco do not need a visa and can enter the country for a period not exceeding three months provided they have a valid passport and a return ticket.

Nationals from other African and non-African countries need an entry visa obtained from the Burkina Faso diplomatic mission in their countries of origin.

Delegates from countries where there are no Burkina Faso diplomatic missions may obtain their visas on arrival at Ouagadougou Airport. In such cases participants should inform ECA well in advance, to ensure that a visa could be issued on their arrival at the Ouagadougou International Airport. They should forward their surnames and names, nationality and passport references as soon as possible to: The ECA Conference Coordination Unit (email: ccu@uneca.org, telephone: +251 11 551 49 45, fax: +251 11 551 31 55.

1.2 Customs formalities

Visitors may enter Burkina Faso with four litres of alcohol. Reasonable quantities of personal effects (cameras, photographic equipment, watches, pens, lighters and cosmetics) can be imported duty free. Other items (video recorders and other electronic gadgets) are taxable. Payment is required on the spot. Illegal drugs are not allowed in Burkina Faso. Press equipment is allowed into the country temporarily, provided an exhaustive list is submitted beforehand.

1.3. Air travel to /from Ouagadougou

International airlines currently flying to/ from Ouagadougou are as follows:

Afrikqiyah, Air France, Air Algerie, Air Burkina, Air Ivoire, Air Senegal International, Ghana Airways, Point Afrique and Royal Air Maroc.

Please take your ticket with you when you visit the travel agent for reconfirmation.

1.4 Information and protocol desk

An information and protocol desk will be set up at the Ouagadougou International Airport to facilitate entry and departure formalities for delegates.

1.5 Local transport

The Government of Burkina Faso will put a vehicle and chauffeur at the disposal of each member country's official delegation.

Buses will run shuttle services between the Airport and the hotels, and between the hotels and Ouaga 2000 Conference Centre.

2. Hotel Accommodation

Arrangements have been made by ECA to assist participants with accommodation bookings at their expense in various hotels, provided they forward their request to the ECA Conference Coordination Unit not later than 25 April 2006. You are strongly advised to send your request for hotel room as soon as possible to take advantage of the preferential rates obtained by ECA. Payments are in CFA Francs only, preferably in cash, even though some hotels accept VISA Credit card.

Listed below are the selected hotels options with room types and rate.

HOTELS SELECTED FOR ECA DELEGATES

3. Registration of Participants

The registration desk at the Ouaga 2000 Conference Centre will open from 8 to 15 May 2006, daily from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 14:30 p.m. to 18:00 p.m. All delegates and participants are encouraged to register as soon as possible upon arrival in Ouagadougou.

Each delegate or participant will be given a badge for the purpose of identification during the period of the meetings.

To expedite procedures, delegates and participants are requested to report at the registration desk with their passports or other means of photographic identification.

For information regarding substantive issues of the Conference, please contact:

Mr. Robert Okello
Director, Office of Policy and Programme Coordination Division
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
Tel: + 251 11 544 30 40
+ 251 11 551 15 25
Fax: + 251 11 551 44 61
Email: rokello@uneca.org

For any other issues pertaining to protocol and logistics, please contact:

Mr. Patrick Chiumya
Director, Conference and General Services Division
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
Tel.: + 251 11 551 90 95
Fax: + 251 11 551 58 31
Email: pchiumya@uneca.org

For all issues pertaining to the Government of Burkina Faso, please contact:

Mr. Isidore NABALOUM
Coordonnateur Général
Comité National d'Organisation de la Conférence des Ministres africains des finances, de la planification et du développement économique
Tel: +226 70 20 08 71 or +226 50 42 26 04
Fax: +226 50 42 26 02

4. Burkina Faso: Geographical information

Burkina Faso covers an area of 274 200 km² and is bounded to the South by Benin, Togo, Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire, and to the North by Niger and Mali. Burkina Faso has a population of nearly 14 million. The capital, Ouagadougou, is located right in the heart of the country.