The popularity of Ibrahim Traoré (born March 14, 1988), the charismatic leader of Burkina Faso, is growing enviably not only in his own country, but also in neighbouring countries. Even world powers, like France, Russia and the US, are keeping a close eye on the Interim President of Burkina Faso.

Burkina Faso was a French colony for more than six decades (from 1896 to 1960). Although it gained independence from France in 1960, true freedom remained elusive for the people of this West African nation as France continued to influence Burkina Faso. Former President Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba did not snap ties with Paris even though his countrymen were facing extreme poverty and other crises. In fact, Burkina Faso was forced to use the West African CFA franc, a currency controlled by the French treasury, after its independence. While the CFA system itself does not involve money laundering, its historical requirements and neo-colonialist criticisms have created suspicions about French financial control over its former colonies, including Burkina Faso.

Foreign companies used to control the uranium and gold mines of Burkina Faso in the 20th Century. They also enjoyed the right of everything, from mining to export. Hence, the economic condition of Burkina Faso remained the same and the common people had been deprived of basic rights, from infrastructure to health and education, for a long period of time. Former President Damiba initially rose to power promising to improve security, a key concern for the populace, but was ultimately overthrown for his perceived failure to do so.

Anti-government protests rocked the country in 2015, with numerous clashes claiming thousands of lives in the following years. The situation prompted the UN peacekeepers to evacuate at least 550,000 people. Then, Burkina Faso witnessed a military coup and Captain Ibrahim Traoré (b. March 14, 1988), a military officer, became the Interim President of the country in 2022. Ideologically known for his Pan-Africanist, anti-Western and anti-Imperialistic views, Traoré is currently the third youngest Head of State in the world.

Traoré is determined to free his country from the clutches of Western imperialism and neo-colonialism. His message has resonated not only in Burkina Faso, but also in Africa and beyond. Followers of Traoré consider him as the rightful successor of Thomas Isidore Noël Sankara (December 21, 1949 – October 15, 1987), a Burkinabè military officer and revolutionary who served as the President of Burkina Faso from 1983 until his assassination in 1987. Often called Africa’s Che Guevara, Sankara is remembered for his radical pan-Africanist policies of self-reliance, anti-imperialism and social justice. The Kenyan politicians have repeatedly mentioned Traoré’s name in recent times.

Traoré attended a commemoration in Moscow on May 9, 2025, to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany. It may be noted that he had asked the African leaders to stop acting like “puppets who dance each time the imperialists pull on our strings” while speaking at the 2023 Russia-Africa Summit. With this message, the young leader of Burkina Faso attracted the attention of the rest of Africa. The Russian media widely covered his speech, triggering a sensation. According to political analysts, Traoré’s speech solidified his image among the people of Africa.

Following the 2022 coup, Traoré severed ties with former colonial power France and forged a strong military, as well as economic, alliance with Russia. This shift in foreign policy has led to several developments, including the deployment of Russian military personnel, nationalisation of foreign-owned mining assets and increased tensions with some Western nations. He also requested Russian assistance and training for his country’s workforce in the mining and industrial sectors. This request for “knowledge transfer” is a key element of his wider strategy to increase Burkina Faso’s control over its mineral wealth.

Traoré also built the first gold refinery of Burkina Faso in an attempt to process gold locally and to generate profit from its mineral wealth, instead of exporting it raw. In 2024, the Government of Burkina Faso nationalised two gold mines – the Boungou and Wahgnion mines – which were previously owned by the London-based Endeavour Mining. The President also plans to take control of more foreign-owned mines in the coming days. These moves have made Traoré the most popular African leader. His countrymen, too, have started considering him as their saviour. His growing popularity is evident on social media, too.

According to a section of the people of Burkina Faso, their country is gradually improving under the leadership of Traoré as the young leader has focused on strengthening education, healthcare, roads and other infrastructures. His supporters have claimed that the President has started building 1,000 homes for marginalised people. He has also promised to provide people with adequate housing by the end of 2030.

Traoré is aggressively pursuing a policy of economic self-sufficiency, reducing dependence on Western aid and increasing national control over key resources. Since seizing power in 2022, his regime has implemented several economic reform programmes, with a special focus on agriculture, mineral resources and fiscal management. He has publicly rejected financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB), showing his commitment to self-reliance.

Saudi Arabia reportedly offered to build 200 mosques in Burkina Faso in early 2025. However, Traoré rejected the offer, urging the Saudi officials to invest in schools, hospitals or businesses that would create more employment opportunities. He argued that Burkina Faso already had a sufficient number of mosques and many of them remained unused. The decision has further increased Traoré’s popularity. As expected, the Western powers have branded his style of leadership as authoritarian and controversial.

Meanwhile,

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Published by Koushik Das

Koushik Das (born on May 16, 1976 in Kolkata) is a career journalist. Based in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Koushik writes mainly about foreign policies and current geopolitical issues, and rarely about other topics. His own political ideas are highly influenced by Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott and others. English philosopher and political theorist Oakeshott (Dec 11, 1901-Dec 19, 1990) says that “in political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea. There is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place, nor appointed destination. But we have to keep afloat”. (Rationalism in Politics, 1962) As a student of Political Science, Koushik loves to share his views on issues, which have great impacts on his thought process (and also on India, South Asia and of course on the global community), with his readers through his website – Boundless Ocean of Politics. By doing so, he tries to keep himself afloat. You will find some of his articles in https://inserbia.info/today/ (https://inserbia.info/today/author/kou_das13_i/), as he has been trying to assess the global geopolitics since 2003. You can also mail him at kousdas@gmail.com View all posts by Koushik Das