Hey guys, I found this story about Ibrahim Traoré going around over there in Africa quite interesting. This guy is a captain, he’s only 36 years old, and he’s the president of Burkina Faso. Basically, he’s turning the tables in African geopolitics in a way that can’t be ignored.

So, Ibrahim Traoré is a geologist by training. He served as an artillery officer in the hottest parts of the north. Up close, he saw terrorism advancing, the country falling apart, and he started questioning the obvious things: why can’t billions in international aid stop the collapse? Why do foreign troops stay there while attacks keep increasing? Why do mineral riches only benefit companies from abroad?

In September 2022, Ibrahim Traoré made a heavy decision: he led a coup that removed the transitional president, Paul-Henri Damiba. The backdrop was widespread insecurity; the Western-backed institutions had lost credibility; and the young captain appeared as a hope for real sovereignty.

What happened next was kind of radical. He expelled the French armed forces, ended historic military agreements that had lasted for decades, and revoked permissions granted to NGOs and French vehicles like RFI and France 24. Basically, he said: Burkina Faso needs to be free. And he went further than that.

Now Ibrahim Traoré is closing bilateral partnerships with Russia, China, and Iran. No agreements that impose subordination. Gazprom is already involved in the exploitation of a newly discovered oil reserve, and the plan is for Burkina Faso not only to extract, but also to refine and export the derivatives. China invests in infrastructure and technology, with no military presence.

It’s like a break from decades of Western domination through puppet governments and military interference. Ibrahim Traoré is literally changing the geopolitical and economic setup of the region. Definitely worth keeping an eye on how this develops.