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In order to provide social protection to the population, Burkina Faso adopted its first National Policy for Social Protection (PNPS) in 2012, integrating the two components of social protection (social insurance and social safety nets). Based on Kingdon’s theory of currents (2003), this article shows that the PNPS was aimed at addressing the problem of the social protection deficit, a source of growing social inequalities, and the deterioration of the social and political climate. The global context of promoting a Social Protection Floor (new policy orientation) has strengthened government responsiveness to the development of a PNPS in response to the social protection gap. The international institutions spurred on by UNICEF have joined together into a network of political entrepreneurs to promote this solution which fits their mandate, and to convey social protection ideas that coincided with the expectations and needs of the government at that time (national solidarity, peace, and social cohesion). The adoption of the PNPS represents the foundation of a PS system for the country.