Who Is Ibrahim Traoré: The Pan-Africanist Leader ?(image-X/CapitaineIb226)

Determined to free the country from Western influence and neo-colonialism, 35-year-old pan-Africanist leader Captain Ibrahim Traoré emerged as Burkina Faso’s interim president after leading a military coup in September 2022. He ousted Burkina Faso’s then-interim president Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, who had himself come to power through a coup just eight months earlier. Ever since then Traore had emerged as a trending figure in African geopolitics.

Moreover, the Africa’s youngest leader was able to build a strong public image, drawing comparison to former Burkinabe leader Thomas Sankara. Ever since taking power, he has been transformed from an obscure military officer to an anti-Western icon on the continent. The Traoré regime has ditched colonial power France in favour of a strong alliance with Russia. This included setting up a state-owned mining company and requiring foreign firms to give it a 15% stake in their local operations, along with transferring skills to Burkinabè workers.

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Alongside the coup-hit nations of Niger and Mali, Burkina Faso has severed ties with the regional bloc Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) — widely criticised by many young Africans for representing the interests of leaders rather than citizens. Traore’s radical reforms had increased his popularity in Africa.

His rising prominence has also been amplified through social media, where many misleading posts have emerged bolstering his revolutionary image. Traoré first caught broader international attention when he spoke at the Russia–Africa Summit in 2023, where he urged African leaders to stop behaving like puppets “who dance every time the imperialists pull the strings.” This message was widely publicised by Russian media, helping to build his pan-Africanist image.

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However, allegations of propaganda do not fully explain the excitement that has built up around Africa’s youngest ruler, according to Chidi Odinkalu, an Africa analyst and professor at Tufts University. “Traoré articulates a revolutionary message that is appealing to a young population frustrated by the thievery of what passes for ‘democracy’ in their own countries,” said Odinkalu.