I have an interesting observation to share with you about what’s happening in Africa. Have you heard of Ibrahim Traoré? The guy is only 36 years old and is already changing the entire geopolitical game on the continent.

Traoré is a former artillery officer and a geologist by training. He has seen firsthand what is happening in the Sahelu—growing terrorism, poverty, foreign troops everywhere. And he started asking himself questions that nobody had previously raised out loud. Why haven’t the billions in foreign aid solved the problems? Why were foreign armies there, while security deteriorated? Why were Africa’s mineral riches enriching outsiders instead of local people?

September 2022— Ibr​ahim Traoré carries out a coup. He overthrew the West-backed interim president and ushered in a new era. Since that moment, things have changed drastically. France withdrew its troops, old colonial-era military agreements were shelved, and Western NGOs and media were restricted.

And this is where it gets interesting—new alliances. Burkina Faso has established cooperation with Rosja, Chiny, and Iran. Gazprom is helping develop the country’s first oil reserve. China is investing in infrastructure and technology, but without a military presence. This isn’t begging anymore—it’s negotiating from a position of strength.

Traoré says: “Burkina Faso must be free.” And importantly—he’s not just saying it, he’s doing it. By observing these changes, I can see that Ibrahim Traoré represents something bigger—a new Africa that no longer wants to be a second-string player in the geopolitical game. This is a turning point worth watching closely.