Let’s be trustworthy , when most Africans hear the phrase “navy chief,” our minds instantly soar to dictatorship, no freedom, and years of “we’re nonetheless in transition.” However someway, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, the 37-year-old transitional president of Burkina Faso, has managed to flip the script.
Since taking on in 2022 by means of a navy coup, you’d count on him to observe the standard playbook: silence dissent, enrich himself, and blame “the West” for all the pieces. However as an alternative, Traoré has develop into some of the in style and talked-about leaders in West Africa , not only for what he says, however for what he truly does.
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So why do folks in Burkina Faso (and past) nonetheless price this younger captain, regardless of him coming to energy with weapons as an alternative of ballots? Let’s break it down.
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Why Individuals Love Ibrahim Traoré
1. He’s younger, grounded and never flashy – Similar to the folks
In a region full of presidents who’ve been in politics since cassette tapes had been a factor, Ibrahim Traoré feels… refreshing. At simply 37, he’s Africa’s youngest chief, and he carries himself like somebody who didn’t overlook the place he got here from.
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He doesn’t reside in luxurious. In truth, Traoré nonetheless insists on taking dwelling a captain’s wage, refusing the large perks that include being head of state. He’s additionally lower down the salaries of his ministers, reportedly saying Burkina Faso can’t afford political “enjoyment” when the nation remains to be preventing terrorism and poverty. For odd residents combating excessive costs and insecurity, this humility hits dwelling.
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2. He’s taking again management of Burkina Faso’s gold -literally
Burkina Faso is wealthy in gold, however for many years, most of that wealth benefited international corporations whereas the nation stayed poor. Traoré got here in and mentioned, “Not anymore.”
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In 2024, his authorities nationalised two main gold mines , Boungou and Wahgnion , paying practically $80 million to take them again. And he didn’t cease there. He additionally revised the mining legal guidelines, rising the federal government’s share in future initiatives from 10% to fifteen%.
To place it merely: he’s making an attempt to verify Burkina Faso advantages from its personal sources, not simply international corporations cashing out and flying the earnings overseas. That sort of financial nationalism is uncommon as of late , and it’s precisely why many Burkinabè are behind him.
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3. He’s constructing the nation’s first-ever gold refinery
Sure, you learn that proper. For all its gold, Burkina Faso has by no means had its personal refinery , till now. Below Traoré, the nation launched building of its first gold refinery, able to processing as much as 400 kilograms of gold a day.
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This challenge isn’t simply symbolic. It’s a serious step towards worth addition, job creation, and stopping gold from being exported uncooked. For a rustic that’s been caught in a colonial-style useful resource economic system for many years, that is the sort of daring transfer that makes folks consider once more.
4. He’s truly doing the work – not simply speaking
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You recognize that factor the place African leaders promise to construct roads, colleges and factories… however three years later, the one factor they’ve constructed is extra excuses?
Nicely, Traoré appears to be doing issues in another way. His authorities has rolled out low-cost housing initiatives for displaced households, invested in agriculture (particularly tomatoes and cotton), and is upgrading highway networks and rural infrastructure.
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Individuals are seeing issues being constructed, not simply mentioned at press conferences. And in a time when insecurity may’ve been used as an excuse to do nothing, Traoré is proving that growth and safety can go hand in hand.
5. He’s restoring navy morale – and giving civilians a task in defence
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Since 2015, Burkina Faso has been battling jihadist insurgencies which have displaced over two million folks. One in every of Traoré’s first large strikes was to mobilise the folks themselves.
Below his management, the Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland (VDP) , a sort of civilian military , was massively expanded. In only a few months, over 90,000 civilians reportedly signed as much as assist defend their communities. It’s dangerous, little question, however it exhibits Traoré is severe about defending each inch of Burkina.
For a lot of, this was a daring and sensible answer to an issue that earlier governments simply danced round.
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6. He’s Standing As much as Former Colonial Powers With out Flinching
In West Africa, we’ve seen how troublesome it’s for leaders to really break ties with France or Western affect. Many speak the speak — Traoré is strolling it.
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He’s overtly criticised international interference, ended navy cooperation with France, and leaned into Pan-African alliances with Mali and Niger. His authorities can also be exploring cooperation with new international companions like Russia and Turkey , a part of what he calls a “multi-polar” international coverage.
To younger folks throughout Africa, this defiance looks like Sankara 2.0 , a rejection of neocolonialism and a daring step towards actual independence.
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7. He’s giving folks hope that management may be totally different
In a continent the place navy rulers are sometimes seen as power-hungry and abusive, Traoré is making an attempt to show {that a} soldier generally is a servant of the folks.
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Sure, he got here to energy by means of a coup. However as an alternative of clinging to workplace, he’s promised a return to civilian rule , after actual reforms and progress are made. And whereas critics say he nonetheless has to show that, many Burkinabè say they’ll choose him by what he does, not how he began.
He’s not good, there have been considerations about civilian casualties throughout counter-terror operations, and press freedom has come below strain. However not like many, he hasn’t tried to silence critics fully, and he appears open to studying on the job.
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Conclusion
Ibrahim Traoré is much out of your common navy chief. He’s younger, daring, Pan-African, and centered on making his nation self-reliant , not simply in phrases, however by means of insurance policies that contact actual lives.
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Whether or not you see him as a revolutionary or a reformist in camouflage, one factor is evident: a variety of Burkinabè nonetheless consider in his mission. And in a time when many African youth really feel politically deserted, that perception alone is highly effective.
