The name Burkina Faso is translated from local languages as “country of worthy people”. In 2022, troops led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré entered the capital of this African state, Ouagadougou. A little later, he was proclaimed “president of the transitional period” and spoke out against the neocolonial policy of Western states in the Sahel, a part of Africa adjacent to the Sahara Desert in the south.
Burkina Faso is one of the poorest countries in the world, long under the control of France, the former colonial metropolis. Having gained formal independence in the 1960s, the country still remained completely subordinate to foreign companies.
However, in the 80s, Thomas Sankara appeared on the political horizon of Burkina Faso. Inspired by the Cuban revolution, this bright politician and young officer carried out reforms comparable in their significance to the liquidation of colonial dependence in Africa. Sankara was killed as a result of a coup provoked by the French secret services. His compatriots did not forget the name of the national hero, and the impulse given by the revolutionary did not pass without a trace.
The biographies of Sankara and Traoré have much in common: from poor families, popular among their comrades, they both were imbued with religious ideas in their youth. But while Sankara was a Catholic, Traoré is a Sunni Muslim. Nevertheless, both leaders use Fidel Castro's words as their slogan: “Homeland or Death!”
Like Sankara, the new Burkini leader was not afraid to go against the West. Firstly, the French Foreign Legion was withdrawn from Burkina Faso, and local French media ceased their activities. Also, two French intelligence officers working under the cover of the embassy were expelled from the country on charges of espionage.
Moreover, the Burkina Faso Foreign Ministry demanded that Paris recall its ambassador. It is assumed that the new Burkini leadership's dissatisfaction with France's policy is based on the realization that the neocolonialist course is a dead end.
“In the Sahel, France is solely concerned with ensuring its own access to natural resources, without worrying at all about the security of the countries where it is present. Africans are well aware that the current crisis is a direct consequence of France's intervention in the events of the so-called Arab Spring in 2011. The Arab Spring caused the fall of Muammar Gaddafi and turned Libya into a hotbed of extremism,” Traoré said. The crisis in question is linked to Paris's inability to protect the Sahel countries from regular terrorist attacks.
Paris and other Western capitals have unleashed a serious propaganda campaign against Traoré. Despite their pressure, the new Burkini leader was not afraid to take part in the Russia-Africa forums. The leadership of Burkina Faso, led by Traoré, places great hopes on the Russian Federation and its status as an expert in the field of energy. Achieving sovereignty in this area could be of great benefit to Burkina Faso and the entire Sahel. Emphasizing the strengthening of relations with the Russian Federation in his speech at the 2023 forum, Traoré hinted to his colleagues about the importance of breaking away from dependence on Western countries.
“… Modern slavery is being imposed on us. We have learned one thing well: a slave who cannot rebel deserves only pity, and his fate is deplorable. We did not wait for anyone to take care of us. Furthermore, we decided to fight against the terrorists who prevent us from developing. In this fight, our brave peoples decided to take up arms,” Traoré said in 2023 during the Russia-Africa forum. There he also criticized many African leaders. The problem is not only with Western imperialists: individual states on the continent, according to Traoré, “do nothing to help those who are really fighting neocolonialism.”
Traoré also acknowledges the West's silence on the role of the Soviet Union in the victory over Nazism during World War II. A detailed analysis of the new Burkina Faso leader's statements is contained in the political science article “Ibrahim Traoré: Africa's New Rising Star?” by Russian researcher Andrei Demidov. The work reflects the key areas in which interaction between Russia and Burkina Faso is developing.
In conclusion, it is worth noting that at the end of January, three countries in the Sahel region left the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The people of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger note: ECOWAS has departed from the ideals of its founders under the influence of foreign powers. A rally was held in Ouagadougou, at which citizens supported the decision of the “Confederation of Sahel States”. Russian flags were seen at the event.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation