Since seizing power in 2022, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, Africa’s youngest leader at just 37, has boldly redirected Burkina Faso’s political and economic future, severing deep-rooted colonial ties and championing national sovereignty. His leadership marks a sharp departure from decades of foreign domination—particularly by France—and signals a transformative era for the gold-rich West African nation.
One of Traoré’s first actions was to end the French military presence, dismantling Operation Sabre and removing foreign bases. He followed this with a bold nationalization of gold resources, reclaiming mines valued at $80 million and launching Burkina Faso’s first gold refinery, ensuring wealth generated benefits its citizens, not foreign corporations.
Determined to decolonize the economy, Traoré created a national postal bank to reduce reliance on the CFA franc, banned secondhand clothing to uplift local industries, and opened a tomato processing factory to combat import dependency.
His cultural policies are equally symbolic: colonial-era British wigs for judges have been replaced with traditional African dress; school uniforms and language priorities have been redefined to reflect indigenous identities.
On the ground, Traoré is investing in self-sufficiency—distributing tractors and fertilizers to farmers, offering free cataract surgeries, expanding mobile clinics, reviving Air Burkina, and improving national infrastructure.
Regionally, he co-founded the Alliance of Sahel States with Mali and Niger, aiming to build a joint military, establish a central bank, and introduce a new passport independent of ECOWAS.
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