At 37, Burkina Faso’s military ruler Capt Ibrahim Traoré has crafted a charismatic and commanding image as a pan-Africanist leader determined to liberate his country from what he sees as Western imperialism and neo-colonial control.
His message has resonated widely across Africa and beyond, with admirers likening him to legendary African figures such as Thomas Sankara — Burkina Faso’s former Marxist revolutionary leader often referred to as “Africa’s Che Guevara.”
“Traoré’s impact is enormous. I’ve heard politicians and writers in countries like Kenya say, ‘This is it. He is the man,’” Beverly Ochieng, a senior researcher at global risk consultancy Control Risks, told the BBC.
“His rhetoric reflects the times we’re in, where many Africans are questioning ties with the West, especially in light of ongoing poverty in a continent rich in natural resources,” she added.
After taking power through a 2022 coup, Traoré’s regime distanced itself from former colonial power France, instead forging a strategic alliance with Russia. This partnership includes the deployment of a Russian paramilitary force and the implementation of socialist-style economic policies.
These reforms include the creation of a state-owned mining company, requiring foreign investors to allocate a 15% share to the Burkinabé government and to transfer skills to the local workforce.
This rule applied even to Russian mining giant Nordgold, which was granted a new license in late April to operate in the country’s gold sector.
As part of his so-called “revolution” aimed at ensuring Burkinabé control over national resources, the junta is also constructing a gold refinery and creating Burkina Faso’s first national gold reserves.
In contrast, Western companies appear to be facing setbacks. Australian-based Sarama Resources initiated arbitration proceedings against Burkina Faso in late 2024 after losing its exploration license.
The government has already nationalized two gold mines previously owned by a London-listed firm and announced plans to take over more foreign-owned operations.
Enoch Randy Aikins, a researcher at South Africa’s Institute for Security Studies, told the BBC that these sweeping reforms have significantly boosted Traoré’s appeal across the continent.
“He is arguably Africa’s most popular — if not favorite — president,” said Aikins, noting that his popularity is amplified by an aggressive social media presence, including misleading posts designed to strengthen his revolutionary image.
AI-generated videos have falsely shown global music stars like R. Kelly, Rihanna, Justin Bieber, and Beyoncé singing in praise of Traoré — though none have done so in reality.
According to Ochieng, Traoré first gained pan-African attention during the 2023 Russia-Africa summit, where he urged African leaders to “stop behaving like puppets who dance every time the imperialists pull the strings.”
Russian media widely circulated the speech, helping build his image as a bold anti-Western voice.
Last week, Traoré attended commemorations in Russia marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory in World War II. Posting on X, he said he and military leaders from Mali and Niger were inspired “to win the war against terrorism and imperialism at all costs.”
His messages, amplified by a savvy social media campaign, have gained global traction — even among African-Americans and Black Britons.
“Anyone who has lived through racism, colonialism, or slavery can relate to what he says,” said Ochieng. She noted that American rapper Meek Mill had once praised Traoré’s “energy and heart” on X — although he mistakenly referred to Traoré as “Burkina Faso” and later deleted the post after facing backlash.
France’s President Emmanuel Macron, however, has openly criticized Traoré, labeling him part of a “baroque alliance between self-proclaimed pan-Africans and neo-imperialists.”
In a 2023 speech, Macron accused Russia and China of encouraging military coups in former French colonies under the guise of fighting colonial exploitation.
Despite Traoré’s soaring popularity, his government has failed to quell the decade-long Islamist insurgency that has intensified ethnic tensions and spilled over into neighboring countries like Benin.
His administration has also clamped down on dissent — targeting the media, opposition parties, and civil society groups — and punishing outspoken professionals such as doctors and judges by deploying them to front-line combat zones.
Rinaldo Depagne, Deputy Africa Director at the International Crisis Group, believes Traoré’s appeal lies in his youth and ability to resonate with a young nation — where the median age is just 17.7.
“He is media-savvy and invokes the legacy of Sankara to boost his image. He’s a skilled politician who knows how to give hope to a nation traumatized by conflict,” Depagne told the BBC.
Sankara himself came to power at age 33 in a 1983 coup, energizing the nation with the motto “Fatherland or death, we will win!” before he was assassinated in a coup four years later that returned Burkina Faso to France’s sphere of influence — until Traoré’s rise in 2022.
Ghanaian security analyst Professor Kwesi Aning, formerly of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, sees Traoré’s ascent as part of a broader political shift, particularly in West Africa.
A 2024 Afrobarometer survey of 39 countries showed declining faith in democracy, although it remained the preferred system overall.
“Democracy hasn’t delivered — no jobs, no improved education or healthcare,” said Aning. “Traoré is offering an alternative, one that taps into the legacies of post-independence leaders like Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah and Zambia’s Kenneth Kaunda, and later figures like Sankara and Jerry Rawlings.”
Traoré made headlines at the January 2025 inauguration of Ghana’s President John Mahama, arriving in military fatigues with a pistol holstered at his side.
“There were 21 heads of state there, but when Traoré walked in, the place erupted. Even my president’s security team ran after him,” Aning recalled.
Traoré stood in stark contrast to aging leaders who cling to power despite health struggles and electoral manipulation. “He’s stylish, confident, speaks well, and projects an image of being truly for the people,” Aning said.
On the economic front, his Russian-aligned government has made some progress. In April, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected that despite ongoing security and humanitarian challenges, Burkina Faso’s economy would remain “robust” in 2025. The IMF praised improvements in domestic revenue collection, wage bill control, and increased investment in education, health, and social protection.
Meanwhile, the World Bank noted that although inflation rose from 0.7% in 2023 to 4.2% in 2024, the extreme poverty rate dropped by nearly two percentage points to 24.9%, driven by strong growth in agriculture and services.
Despite these developments, ties with the West — particularly France and the U.S. — remain strained.
Tensions flared in April when U.S. Africa Command head Gen. Michael Langley suggested that Traoré was using Burkina Faso’s gold reserves to sustain his junta, rather than benefit the people — echoing a U.S. concern that Russia is trading protection for a share of the country’s gold industry.
The comments sparked outrage among Traoré’s supporters, especially after the junta announced it had foiled a coup plot allegedly organized from Ivory Coast — where Gen. Langley soon made an official visit.