The rising Star of Cpt. Ibrahim Traoré - Burkina Faso's Spirit of Sankara
The new, bold and vibrant leader of Burkina Faso, has left his continental colleagues in the dust, when representing Pan-African leadership...
The Star rose through the ranks…
Many people in the world are unaware of the towering figure of Cpt. Ibrahim Traoré, the interim President of Burkina Faso since 2022. The mainstream media does not wish to shine a light on this man, who already has enough real glow to turn many powerful heads, especially within Africa. Not only in Africa does he turn heads, but also in the powerful states of the U.S., France and the UK, for the former masters are seriously threatened by the vision of this young leader.
He was born in a small town called Bondokuy and was raised in a humble family with little privilege. From a young age he showed his quality and was talented both physically and mentally, though he also impressed his teachers with his humility, a quality that today, is essential to his character. With his mental aptitude apparent, in 2006, he attended the University of Ouagadougou (from which he graduated with honors) and took up Geology as his main subject of study, a subject that is also likely aiding him in his current role as President and this could be where he began his interests in physical economy. Then he started developing his political skills and took a bold and vocal part in the Association of Muslim Students and the Marxist Association nationale des étudiants burkinabè (ANEB). It is said that in the latter of these two parties, he became a delegate due to his strong willed but humble nature and mainly because he was such a staunch defender of his fellow classmates and they elected him duly for this.
Upon graduation, he joined the Army in 2009 and made a quick impression, rising through the ranks rapidly. Initially he was sent to Morocco for anti-aircraft training before then being redirected to an infantry unit base in Northern Burkina Faso where he was about to witness first hand the rapid growth of terrorist activity in that region. In 2014 he was promoted to Lieutenant before joining MINUSMA, a United Nations peacekeeping force involved in the Mali War, on 7 different counter-terrorism missions, for which he received several high level recommendations for courage and quality of leadership. The long-running Mali civil war with the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad, a northern region of Tuareg people that have been fighting a separatist war with the Malian government for many years now; is the war that largely helped prepare the regional instability for the oncoming horde of terrorists. It is this experience that helped him earn important knowledge in the tactics being used by the extremists and prepared him for what was to come with the increased spread of Islamist terrorism across the Sahel region. Following his time at MINUSMA and due to the increasing jihadi insurgencies, Traoré was recalled to Burkina Faso to begin assisting in the fight. He fought at Djibo, in the "Otapuanu offensive" of 2019, and several other counter-insurgency operations in the country's north before being promoted to Captain in the Army in 2020. In late 2021, an army of jihadists overran the base of a police station in Inata, Soum, killing 49 policemen and four civilians and the public outroar was enough to offset the quiet murmurings of change. It was around this time that Traoré started to lose faith and trust in the Government due to a severe lack of resources for his soldiers and just like in his University days, his fellow soldiers duly elected him as their spokesman and leader to voice their issues to the leadership back in the capital. Much to the demise of Burkina Faso, those leaders were already compromised by their masters back in London and Paris and offered no hope to the Military in their fight against this extremism. Imagine you are going out to fight and potentially die for your people and country, while suited men sit in the capital handing out "suitcases of money" to bribe local officials and would rather do the bidding of their masters on a foreign continent, in the hope that they keep their political power!
A coup was the only rational choice when faced with such circumstances…
The fake coup leads to the real coup…
And so a coup happened in January 2022 under a man named Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba. He was a colleague and fellow soldier with Traoré in the ranks of the Army and was initially supported by Traoré in the early months of the coup. But after 9 months passed it was September and very little progress had been seen in a fight that now was a battle for the nation, as 40% of Burkina Faso’s territory was under ISIS-Sahel and other extremist group’s control. While military efforts were considerable during Damiba’s eight-month reign with more than 200 airstrikes and operations in which nearly 1,300 militants reportedly were killed and over 20 militant bases destroyed; they were not enough to stop the increasing militant activities and it appeared to those around him that he focused too much on finding a political end to the war that included dialogue and reconciliation. The trouble is, who would you expect to trust in dialogue or reconciliation, when dealing with extremists. And so it appears that Damiba himself was either compromised or he was simply unable to perform the demands of the job. He was quite effective in fighting the terrorists as an operative of the Army and so it begs the question, what changed as being its leader?
He was trained at the Ecole Militaire in Paris and holds a masters degree from the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers. Between 2010-20 he periodically received military training in the U.S. before returning to Burkina Faso each time. These periods include his participation in the Flintlock Joint Combined Exchange Training exercises in 2010 and 2020, while in 2013 he attended the U.S. State Department funded African Contingency Operations Training and Assistance course. In 2013 and 2014 he joined the Military Intelligence Basic Officer Course for Africa and finally in 2018 and 2019, he was trained in Burkina Faso with a U.S. Defense Department Civil Military Support Element linked to the failed G5. It is now a fact, that the region became overrun with terrorist activity during the American and French-led G5 group’s tenure, between 2014-23 and Damiba did not seek to remove them. And so, though the above information does not offer definitive proof of a traitor, it does throw up many questions; questions that I’ll leave the reader to form and make their own judgement from…
The dynamic coups swept across West Africa rapidly and it was quickly apparent in the streets of the capital cities of Ouagadougou, Niamey and Bamako, that the people were full of joy and hopeful of change. Russian flags started to appear at the rallies and billboards with support for Putin and Traoré were ever present. Russia’s fight in Ukraine against the Globalist Oligarchy seemed to align the country with the entire West African populace. The inevitable coup for Burkina Faso arrives in September 2022 and here enters Cpt. Ibrahim Traoré to the stage; a stage encased in fire and chaos and yet this young man was only 34 when he took power, faced with this seriously daunting task. He immediately showed his honor by rejecting the presidential salary and instead preferred to continue his commander salary from the Army and in doing so, made it easy to announce a pay cut of 30% for his now fellow government ministers and an increase of 50% in pay for civil servants. This was no power grab, these were the actions of a man with a real plan and vision for his nation and his first important plan for Burkina Faso, and regionally for the AES (A newly formed Alliance of Sahel States - Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali), includes the total defeat of terrorism in the Sahel region.
We need to make a list of all the achievements under his leadership that have set Burkina Faso on the path to peace by security and prosperity with economy.
In February 2023, he expelled the French forces assisting in fighting the local insurgency from Burkina Faso. "We really want to look at other horizons, because we want win-win partnerships" - Traoré.
In April 2023, he declared a general mobilization of the population to support the military. Already between October and November of 2022 a recruitment drive for the VDPs resulted in over 90,000 volunteers, exceeding the initial goal of 50,000. Under Traoré, the VDP’s role in military strategy has been significantly enlarged, not just as auxiliary forces but as a key element of the national defense strategy against terrorism.
On 29 July 2023, following the 2023 Russia–Africa Summit, Traoré said that the people of his country support Russia, and communicated that a decision had been made to reopen the Russian embassy, which was closed in 1992. In December, 2023 the Russian embassy was reopened.
In September 2023, he made the explosive announcement that Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger had come together to form the confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
He banned the use of British legal wigs and gowns in local courts in favor of traditional Burkinabé attire.
Since we are two years into President Ibrahim Traoré’s leadership, Burkina Faso has witnessed significant GDP growth. The country’s GDP has grown from approximately US$18.8 billion to US$22.1 billion.
Early on he made bold moves in rejecting the help of multinational lenders, the IMF and the World Bank stating firmly that “Africa doesn’t need the World Bank, IMF, Europe, or America”, showcasing his commitment to economic independence. This is spiritually paralleled in Sankara’s speech made to the United Nations General Assembly, 4th of October, 1984.
In November 2023, Burkina Faso's Council of Ministers approved the construction of the country's first gold refinery. The refinery is set to create 100 new jobs and 5,000 new indirect jobs, with the refinery producing roughly 400 kg of gold daily. A market-value equivalent of US$41,500,000 per day.
In February 2024, Traoré ordered the suspension of the issuance of export permits for small-scale private gold production, a move aimed at tackling illegal trade. According to the World Gold Council’s 2023 figures, Burkina Faso is the 13th-largest gold producer in the world, producing about 100 tonnes, equivalent to about US$6 billion in value, each year.
In March 2024, Burkina Faso and Russia signed a roadmap aimed at establishing cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Rosatom is leading the negotiations with the Government of Burkina Faso. In August, a delegation of technical experts from the Russian nuclear corporation arrived in Burkina Faso to negotiate the construction of a nuclear power plant.
In August 2024, Burkina Faso nationalized two gold mines at a cost of about US$80 million. The Boungou and Wahgnion mines were sold last year by London-listed Endeavour Mining to Lilium Mining for US$300 million. On August 27, the mines were purchased by Burkina Faso’s government.
In August 2024, Burkina Faso built its first pharmaceutical production plant, specializing in the production of generic drugs. Named Propharm and certified by an independent Spanish organization, it will start producing paracetamol 500 mg, phloroglucinol, an antispasmodic, as well as a "kit of oral rehydration salts and zinc, for the treatment of diarrhea", explained Propharm's General Manager, Armel Coéfé. "Our production capacity, at present, meets the local need and solves the problem of drastic rupture," he added, noting that the list of molecules to be produced will grow, especially "with the production of drugs for the management of malaria.”
In August 2024, Moroccan group CIMAF inaugurated a new industrial unit in the Burkinabe capital, Ouagadougou. This opening comes as part of Morocco’s “win-win” strategy in its relations with African countries. This investment is likely to not only boost local manufacturing capabilities but also facilitate technology transfer and knowledge sharing between Morocco and Burkina Faso. More South-South cooperation like this will bolster the African economy long-term.
In November and December of 2024, the government, through APEC and Société Faso Tomates (SOFATO), facilitated the launch of two tomato processing units in Bobo-Dioulasso and Yako. These facilities have a combined capacity to process 11 tonnes of tomatoes per hour. One factory cost US$8.9m, covers 1 ha and has a processing capacity of 100 tonnes of tomatoes per day (5 tonnes of tomatoes per hour). The facility has created 100 direct jobs and more than 1,500 indirect jobs, with these numbers expected to rise as operations expand. Expected to generate 7 billion FCFA or US$12.1 million in the first year. In 2022 alone, the country produced 313,500 tonnes of fresh tomatoes, yet it imported around 23,600 tonnes of tomato puree due to a lack of local processing capacity.
In February 2025, a new flour mill with a daily capacity of 220 tonnes of flour and 80 tonnes of bran was inaugurated in Gampéla, Burkina Faso, as part of national efforts to boost domestic production and reduce reliance on wheat and flour imports. The Moulin Double Star Mill (M2S) was constructed by the Zidnaba Group at a cost of 15 billion CFA francs (US$23.6 million). Burkina Faso imported 270,300 tonnes of wheat and 16,700 tonnes of wheat flour to meet domestic demand in 2023. Burkina Faso does not yet produce wheat. The government announced in October the country had dedicated 5,000 hectares to the grain for the 2024-25 season to enhance food security and begin to reduce dependency on imports.
He distributed over 400 tractors, 239 tillers, 710 motor pumps and 714 motorcycles to boost production and support rural stakeholders. Access to improved seeds and other farm inputs was also provided to maximize agricultural output. As a result, tomato production increased from 315,000 tonnes in 2022 to 360,000 tonnes in 2024. Millet production rose from 907,000 tonnes in 2022 to 1.1 million tonnes in 2024, while rice production increased from 280,000 tonnes in 2022 to 326,000 tonnes in 2024.
In March 2025, Burkina Faso inaugurates a new cement plant, CISINOB SA, with 2,000 tonnes-per-day capacity. The plant is a mutually beneficial partnership between Burkina Faso and China. “It is with legitimate pride that I inaugurated today, March 20, 2025, in Laongo, the cement plant of CISINOB SA. With a production capacity of 2,000 tonnes per day, it will provide employment opportunities for hundreds of young people in our country,” Traoré stated on his official X handle
New Cement Plant in Burkina Faso Now rebranded as SOFITEX, the reopening of the iconic FASO FANI textile factory in Koudougou, which once symbolized the nation’s industrial pride, has been completed this April, while two newly launched cotton processing plants in the economic hubs of Bobo-Dioulasso and Ouagadougou, equipped with modern equipment, have opened too. For years, the nation exported over 95% of its raw cotton without processing it locally.
In 2025, Burkina Faso's President Ibrahim Traoré turned down Saudi Arabia's offer to construct 200 masjids in his country, stating that Burkina Faso already has enough masjids. Instead, he requested that Saudi Arabia invests in infrastructure projects such as schools, hospitals, and job-creating businesses, which he believes are more crucial for the nation's development and long-term sustainability.
In the essential department of infrastructure development, Traoré’s government is constructing new roads, widening existing ones and upgrading gravel roads to paved surfaces. A new state-of-the-art airport, the Ouagadougou-Donsin Airport, is also being built, expected to be completed in 2025 with a capacity to handle 1 million passengers annually.
Thomas Sankara (L) & Ibrahim Traoré (R)
The spirit of Sankara is reborn…
Ibrahim Traoré is a threat to the West because he is a true Pan-African leader, who wants to defeat terrorism and restore real, lasting sovereignty for the nation and security across its borders. Like Sankara before him and, as clearly witnessed in the achievements listed above, Traoré wishes to and has already begun restoring the national economy via the building of the productive powers that will unlock the value that has laid dormant due to the generational corruption. He dreams of a national education standard where every Burkinabe is not only literate in reading, writing and math but scientifically and culturally uplifted by knowledge too.
Left to succeed, he is a dangerous force for anyone who seeks to dominate or control Africa any longer. His 18 or more assassination attempts only succeed in increasing his popularity and icon and demonstrate the almighty fear he puts into those who want to continue the current status quo. Right now, the entire youth of Africa that has access to the internet, knows about this man and they wholeheartedly support his leadership with a renewed vigor. This was made apparent at a recent rally for the new President of Ghana, John Mahama (a fellow Pan-Africanist), when amongst other welcomed leaders, it was Traoré who received a celebrity like welcome from the crowd, with everyone celebrating his attendance like he was a superstar. The world would do well to watch this man because he is a star that only seeks to rise and with it, will rise a nation from the dust to the heavens…
Sankara poetically said this - “While revolutionaries as individuals can be murdered, you cannot kill ideas”.
It would appear that Traoré is lit by the very same flame, so long may he light up this world with more visionary Pan-African ideas and may the African youth continue to unite around this Pan-African spirit…
Absolutely superb – and also thank you on a writer-thinker level, you just helped me solve a problem I was having, trying to figure out how to make a very important, but all too often dismissed, point.
The way people with genuine long-view ideas are perceived in the west is almost always based on how they disrupt patterns (of exploitation) and challenge foreign parasites. The really weird thing is that, as your excellent list of development projects makes clear, the path toward advance for many nations remains incredibly clear (not rocket science) – steadily reduce reliance on malign and manipulative powers – even while steadily empowering locals to empower each other increasingly, over time.
The weird part is that it is so obvious, and yet so incredibly rare (even in the west, where we sometimes pretend it really is rocket-science, despite VAST basic agreement in the working class of both factions – hence the need for uniparty consensus, to consistently deny the workers’ common aspirations).
The point I was struggling to make (and will now make reference-use of your piece, to bolster) is about how many leaders from around the world are exactly what they need to be, to resist OUR EVIL.
The way we in the west have been trained to not even be able to see our outrageous violence and exploitation (even by things like trade policy) means many end up with criticisms about politeness, while failing to recognize that first, you have to literally survive repeated assassination attempts! (manners are definitely great, don’t get me wrong – but that is a first-world kind of priority, for sure)
Of course I noted (and appreciated) your references to his personal modesty also – a sign of someone for whom leadership is earned and given, rather than stolen and connived, as for so many others.
Anyhow – thank you once again for excellent detail and a story many more should know about!
(I’ll do my best to send more readers your way)
Also curious (please correct me, if you know I’m wrong on this) my understanding is that Idi Amin and
Col Qaddafi were both favoured early by British Intelligence. Seems to me that there is something in being enough of an insider to really understand how evil and corrupting they are, and then also have enough character to reject that model entirely, even while understanding the beast you are up against.
For many moderns, especially “well” educated people, it is outright impossible to imagine how calculating and destructive some institutions really are. (how we end up with demented power lusters like Gates and the Clintons being held up as heroes, while those who resist them are demonized).
Realism is the foundation of all practical positive action!
(as I often say – hope is a PLAN – not a fever-dream, as the bourgeois left here, keeps insisting).
Cheers, man – delicious and nutritious, as always!