The CFA franc was devaluated in January 1994, and this was followed by controversy.vOuédraogo signed an agreement with trade unions to raise salaries on 12 March 1994, but the agreement fell through and Ouédraogo resigned a few days later. He then served as Ambassador to Belgium, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Luxembourg and the European Union before being appointed as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in January 1999.