08/28/2026
He speaks as the leader of the Country, Burkina Faso as he should.
Burkina Faso’s leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, has laid out his government’s position in blunt terms: foreign partners are welcome, but only on equal footing.
In a recent speech, Traoré said: “Anyone who wants to cooperate with us is welcome… but now in Burkina Faso, the resources belong to us 100%. If they come with the spirit of a master to treat us like slaves, we will expel them.”
He made it plain that the old model where outsiders take the bulk of the country’s mineral wealth and leave little behind is finished. Partners who arrive ready to negotiate fairly and treat Burkina Faso as an equal can do business. Those who show up with a superior attitude or expect to walk away with most of the value will be shown the door.
The comments fit the pattern of Traoré’s government since taking power: pushing for greater control over gold and other resources, reviewing mining deals, and insisting on sovereignty in economic partnerships.
