On Friday 12 July 2019, in the Hall of Treaties of the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the ceremony took place for the signing of the Agreement between the Holy See and the State of Burkina Faso on the legal status of the Catholic Church in Burkina Faso. His Excellency Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States, signed on behalf of the Holy See, and H.E. Mr. Alpha Barry, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, for Burkina Faso.

The solemn act was witnessed by:

For the Holy See: His Eminence Cardinal Philippe Ouédraogo, metropolitan archbishop of Ouagadougou; H.E. Msgr. Laurent Dabiré, bishop of Dori and president of the Conference of Bishops of Burkina Faso and of Niger; Msgr. Robert Murphy, nunciature counsellor at the Secretariat of State; Msgr. Kisito Ouédraogo, official at the Secretariat of State; Dr. Barthélemy Keré, attorney and lay member of the Catholic Church in Burkina Faso;

For Burkina Faso: H.E. Mr. Robert Compaoré, ambassador of Burkina Faso to the Holy See; Mr. Der Boniface Kogda, technical advisor to the Minister; Mr. Edouard Ouédraogo, advisor to the Burkinabè Embassy to the Holy See; Mr. Lassina Bitié and Mr. N. Moussa Sawagodo, ufficials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Agreement, drafted in French and composed of a preamble, 19 articles and an Additional Protocol, guarantees to the Church the possibility of carrying out her mission in Burkina Faso. In particular, the public legal personality of the Church and her institutions is recognized. The two Parties, while safeguarding the independence and autonomy proper to each one, undertake to collaborate for the moral, spiritual and material wellbeing of the human person and for the promotion of the common good. The Agreement will take effect with the exchange of the Instruments of Ratification.