Centre-Est Region
Centre-Est Region mines gold in Koulpélogo while absorbing displaced populations from the violent eastern border, VDP auxiliaries creating contested governance.
Centre-Est Region occupies the transition zone between Ouagadougou's hinterland and the increasingly insecure eastern border with Niger. Tenkodogo serves as regional capital, historically a center of Mossi political organization that predates colonial boundaries. The region's agriculture—sorghum, millet, groundnuts—supports subsistence needs while cotton provides cash income in areas with sufficient rainfall.
Gold mining at industrial scale operates in Koulpélogo Province, contributing to the extractive sector that now accounts for 17% of national GDP. Artisanal mining employs additional thousands, often in conditions that escape formal regulation. The government's 2025 nationalization of five major gold mines affects operations in this region, with state-owned SOPAMIB taking control from foreign operators.
Security deterioration has intensified since 2020. The region receives displaced populations from the more violent Est Region to its east, creating humanitarian pressure on communities already facing food insecurity. The Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDPs)—civilian auxiliary forces—operate extensively, sometimes creating as much tension as they resolve. Centre-Est represents the contested middle ground where functioning government and jihadist influence overlap.