For almost two years, Ibrahim Traore has made efforts to stabilise a nation that is in much need of a fresh political approach. Traore’s pan-Africanism and anti-imperialist statements elevated him in the eyes of his countrymen to the point of even describing him as an African ‘messiah’. With the expulsion of French troops from the country and the isolation of Burkina Faso from ECOWAS, the ideological aspirations of Traore will meet with political pragmatism. Can the young leader of Burkina Faso successfully navigate between the West and the East?
Since his rise to power, Ibrahim Traore made his political vision crystal clear; he denounced Western colonialism and promised to bring an end to the reign of terror and poverty that has loomed like a plague over Burkina Faso for decades. In my view, he directs his words and actions against a specific European country, France. France first colonised Burkina Faso in 1896 as part of French West Africa. The country only managed to gain independence in 1960, but even after that, it was clear that the French influence would not vanish from the country. Traore understands that French influence is still visible in West Africa and his homeland, Burkina Faso. As a result, after seizing power, he sought to establish his political goals immediately.
After the withdrawal of French troops from the country, Traore notified France of the expulsion of the embassy's military attaché for "subversive activities". The French side denied these activities, but the effect was clear towards their influence. By cutting any diplomatic and military relations with France, Traore demonstrated clearly his anti-imperialistic motives to his fellow countrymen, who anticipated for years some political figure stepping up and hearing their voices. Simultaneously, Traore exposed the failed anti-terrorism operations that France had conducted over the years, with little to no results.
Since 2015, after the escalation of violence in neighbouring Mali, the jihadist threat spread into north Burkina Faso, claimed the lives of thousands of civilians, destroyed houses and infrastructure, and specifically targeted the Christian communities of the country in an attempt to exterminate them. Some might suggest that these facts could be an attempt from Traore to exaggerate the situation in order to elevate his political persona, but in reality, France indeed showed a tremendous lack of effort and results in their fight against terrorism.
Take for example the opinion of Dr. Jonathan R. Beloff, a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Department of War Studies at King’s College in London. In his article, “How France's Lack of a Strategy in West Africa Indirectly Led to the Coups D’états”, published by the Military Strategy Magazine, Dr. Beloff points out that the anti-French sentiment in Burkina Faso and the Sahel region in general comes from a handful of causes dating back from its colonial history in West Africa. His research, however, focuses on the ineffectiveness of the French military in combating the Islamic jihadist threat that has spread all over the Sahel region. By examining the historical context of the French presence in the area and the recent developments in combating extremism since 2014, Dr. Beloff stressed out the fact that:
“France’s recent failures in stabilizing the region was its lack of a clear, defining public policy, which led to a muddled strategy when fighting the irregular Islamic jihadist forces. Despite France’s superior military might, it failed to stop insurgent forces in asymmetric wars throughout the Sahel. France’s lack of a clear strategy to combat Islamic jihadists resulted in neither short nor long-term stability or the furthering of French interests in the region”.
As a result, it is clear why protests erupted all over the Sahel region, particularly in Burkina Faso. In my view, the question was never the military capabilities of France against the Islamic jihadists. The real question was how is it possible for France to deliver minimum to no results in its operations in the region. It’s obvious that the end goals did not meet the evident means that France possessed. It comes as no surprise that the growing protests two years ago had an obvious target at the French military, which was considered more of an occupational force rather than a force that would deliver a blow to Islamic jihadism. Given the expulsion of the French, it is evident that Burkina Faso requires international aid to fill the vacuum. That aid seems to be coming from the East and one of the most antagonizing forces against France. Russia.
For years, Russia has been developing and promoting its influence over the African continent. From the North, all the way to West and Central Africa, Russia has left its footprint in regions that are swelled with violence, political instability, and visible traces of a troubled past that reeks of colonialism and political games between imperial powers. The Russian approach differs substantially from the approach of the French, particularly in Burkina Faso, the country that is under the microscope at the moment. While France held on to its colonial past through a common language and a continuous military presence, Russia approached the concerns and problems that troubled the country more pragmatically. It deployed mercenary and security groups, expressed political support for coup leaders that preached the notion of pan-Africanism and anti-imperialism, and completed various arms and resources deals that had a direct impact on both sides.
This approach is met in Burkina Faso with open arms. A year ago, on July 27, 2023, Ibrahim Traore gave a historical speech at the second Russia-Africa summit that was held in Saint-Petersburg. In his speech, Traore denounced Western global hegemony and instead praised the growing support for a multipolar world where the Global South nations will be seen as equals to the West. Parts of his speech praised the new relationship of cooperation between Burkina Faso and Russia, while other parts extensively presented a reminder of the troubles that Burkina Faso and the whole African continent faces. In his own words:
“We are here together because we are here to talk about the future of our people, about what is going to happen tomorrow, about this free world to which we aspire, this world without interference in our internal affairs. We have the same perspectives and I hope that this summit will be an opportunity to forge very good relations with the aim of a better future for our people. As far as what concerns Burkina Faso today, for more than eight years we’ve been confronted with the most barbaric, the most violent form of imperialist neo-colonialism. Slavery continues to impose itself on us. Our predecessors taught us one thing: a slave who cannot assume his own revolt does not deserve to be pitied. We do not feel sorry for ourselves, we do not ask anyone to feel sorry for us. The people of Burkina Faso have decided to fight, to fight against terrorism, in order to relaunch their development”.
I believe his words reflected the changing attitude of his people. People who are tired of being miserable and pitied, people who want to take action in their hands and help their country. It comes as no surprise that Ibrahim Traore is in such high regard in Burkina Faso at the moment. Nevertheless, the situation in Burkina Faso will need more than inspiring words to change. On practical matters, other than a few hundred advisors and no official presence of the Wagner mercenary group that used to be the influence hand of the Kremlin in Africa, Russia is keen to change the situation and increase its presence. After the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of Wagner, it appears that Russia’s policy in Africa is changing, indicating a direct involvement of Russia in Burkina Faso, similar to what we witnessed in the Syrian civil war where the Kremlin was directly supporting President Bashar Al-Assad.
The newly established Africa Corps serves as a direct extension of the Kremlin’s presence in the area. With the clear advances in Ukraine, Russia seeks to elevate its power on the African continent following a similar playbook that we witnessed in Libya or the Central African Republic. However, what strikes me the most in this situation is the fact that the people of Burkina Faso are welcoming these recent developments with a clear sense of sensation and joy. A simple message of the turning point in the relationship between Burkina Faso and Russia.
However, there are still voices from political activists who believe that the country simply changed rulers, instead of France there is Russia. I personally do not believe this is the case. In international relations, cooperation between two states always has some beneficial outcomes for one or both sides. With Russia, any military presence in the area will increase the Russian influence in the Sahel region, either financially or militarily, by establishing Russian military bases. The Central African Republic exhibits a similar case scenario. With that being said, I believe the biggest reason Burkina Faso is now close to Russia is the dissociation from the inner state politics of France. We have to keep in mind that France is a liberal state that allows same-sex marriage, has just made abortion one of its constitutional rights and it has become a country that distances itself away from religion. All the reasons why Burkina Faso cannot associate itself and align with France anymore. That’s where Russia comes in, a country that feels more familiar to Burkina Faso because of its policies and the direct effectiveness of its military.
I do not see France gaining its influence back in the Sahel at the moment. France might push for power through ECOWAS, but Russia clearly has outmanoeuvred the French in the game of political influence. As a result, we see a delusional Emmanuel Macron trying to wage war against Russia in Ukraine in an effort to save the embarrassment they suffered in West Africa. At present, Ibrahim Traore’s position as the President of the country is being secured with Russian help. However, he will have to show results soon in order to hold that grip of power. The die is cast in Burkina Faso.
Image: EKokou
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