Is Captain Ibrahim Traoré reviving Sankarist socialism in Burkina Faso?

President of Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso’s Captain Ibrahim Traoré has emerged as one of Africa’s most consequential and controversial figures since seizing power in a 2022 coup. Amidst the mounting insecurity and frustration over the failure of the pro-Western governments, Traore gained public support to topple the government in 2022. Traoré’s rise evokes memories of another revolutionary figure, Thomas Sankara, the legendary “African Che Guevara” who led Burkina Faso from 1983 to 1987 before falling victim to a France-backed assassination. Traoré’s rhetoric, his youthful energy, and his determination to forge a new path for his nation resonate with Sankara’s revolutionary spirit.

Like the majority of African nations, Burkina Faso is threatened and exploited by France, the USA, and their Western allies; the country is subject to Islamist insurgencies. But as Sankara tried forty years ago, will he use extreme socialist policies to change Burkina Faso from the inside out, or will he just resist on the outside? Can he spark an international Pan-African solidarity movement that would eventually liberate the continent from neocolonial control? We will get back to that, but first we need to know and understand the radical socialist policies taken by Thomas Sankara to fully grasp Traore’s policies.

Sankara's Unfinished Revolution—

Thomas Sankara

Thomas Sankara’s brief but transformative presidency (1983–1987) established the ideological foundation for Traoré’s agenda. Sankara’s revolutionary accomplishments remain staggering:

Economic Sovereignty: Nationalised land/resources, rejected foreign aid (“he who feeds you controls you”), and prioritised food self-sufficiency (wheat production doubled under agrarian reform).
Social Revolution: Vaccinated 2.5 million children, increased literacy from 13% to 73%, appointed women to 30% of government posts, and banned FGM/polygamy.
Anti-Imperialism: Reduced official salaries and publicly challenged French President Mitterrand on colonial policies.
Symbolic Decolonisation: Renamed Upper Volta as Burkina Faso (“Land of Upright People”) and ordered officials to wear traditional Burkinabe attire.

Sankara’s assassination in 1987, orchestrated by his deputy Blaise Compaoré with foreign backing (2021’s French archival declassification), halted this revolution. Traoré explicitly positions himself as Sankara’s heir, renaming Ouagadougou’s Boulevard Charles de Gaulle to Boulevard Thomas Sankara and making Sankara’s assassination date an official holiday.

Thomas Sankara with Fidel Castro.

Policies taken by Traoré so far—

Since taking power, Traoré has implemented several Sankaraist policies:

Nationalisation and Economic Self-Reliance:

Burkina Faso is rich in gold, yet for decades its people have remained impoverished as foreign corporations drained the nation’s wealth. Captain Ibrahim Traoré has made tremendous progress towards ending this exploitation since assuming office. Burkina Faso is pushing for greater control over its resources and revised its mining code last year, creating a new state mining company, Société de Participation Minière du Burkina (SOPAMIB). He nationalised three foreign-owned gold mines and demanded that the state own at least 15% of all mining activities, ensuring that a portion of profits go directly to the country, and also inaugurated Burkina Faso’s first national gold refinery (400 kg/day capacity) to capture value-added profits that were previously lost to foreign markets. Additionally he nationalised sugar industry, livestock industries and pharmaceutical companies in the country. To curb rampant smuggling and boost state revenue, his government has suspended artisanal gold export permits. In addition to mining, Traoré has started a large-scale push to become self-sufficient in agriculture. In an effort to lessen reliance on food imports, his administration has given farmers nationwide access to seeds, fertiliser, and contemporary equipment. In order to support local industry, generate jobs, and regain economic sovereignty, he has also revitalised Burkina Faso’s cotton and textile processing facilities.

Traoré, at the newly opened state-owned tomato processing factory.

Security, Sovereignty & Military Reform:

More than 100,000 Burkinabe joined the VDP to fight the Islamist jihadists.

Since taking power, Captain Ibrahim Traoré has made bold moves to reclaim Burkina Faso’s sovereignty. France was covertly supporting jihadist groups to justify its military presence. So, in 2023, he first expelled 400 French troops, ended Operation Sabre, and terminated colonial-era defence pacts. He further expelled French diplomats and shut down pro-French media outlets like RFI and France 24, curbing their political and cultural influence. To improve internal security, Traoré expanded the Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland (VDP), bringing local communities into counterinsurgency efforts. While forming new security partnerships with Russia, with Wagner Group forces reportedly deployed in early 2024, Traoré insisted, "Our Wagner are the VDP," reaffirming that Burkina Faso’s true defenders are its own citizens.

Anti-Imperialist Stance:

Traoré has taken bold steps to dismantle neocolonial structures. In January 2024, Burkina Faso withdrew from ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) and the French-backed CFA franc system, aligning with Mali and Niger. Together, they have formed the Confederation of Sahel States (AES), which is a mutual defence and economic bloc aimed at preventing Western interference.

1st summit of the AES

Traoré also reopened Russia’s embassy after a gap of 32 years and initiated nuclear energy cooperation, signalling a shift towards sovereign, multipolar partnerships.

Apart from Russia, he has formed an alliance with Turkey, Iran, Guinea, and Algeria and also engaged with China for strategic infrastructure and energy projects. By aligning with nations historically targeted by Western imperialism, Traoré isn’t merely practicing diplomacy; he’s building a political front of resistance. In September 2024, Traoré expressed his keen interest in joining BRICS to break free from dollar dependence. His alliances mark a return to the Pan-African, anti-imperialist principles that were once sought by Sankara to unite the continent against external exploitation.

Opening of a new state-operated cement factory with China.

Housing, Land, and Cooperatives:

Traoré started a free housing project in 2024 with the goal of constructing 1,000 social homes for displaced families (nearly 800 have already been constructed), with a long-term goal of constructing 50,000 more (by 2030). In order to fund infrastructure and affordable housing initiatives, he also lowered the price of cement. Funds from administrative waste were diverted by the government to support necessities like agriculture, housing, and water. His government has also advocated land reforms and community cooperatives, redistributing farmland to peasants.

The Socialist Programs Traoré Must implement —

These are the kind of policies I think Traoré must implement in order to fulfil Sankara’s unfinished dream.

The country requires a comprehensive land reform program, transferring ownership from wealthy landlords and multinational corporations to peasant cooperatives.
Agricultural state-owned farms can promote food security by reducing reliance on foreign imports and resisting famine-inducing sanctions.
It is essential to nationalise more infrastructure, telecommunications, and gold mines. Despite Burkina Faso’s wealth in gold, its citizens continue to live in poverty as a result of foreign companies embezzling their profits. Wealth can be redirected toward infrastructure, healthcare, and public services through state ownership and locally run businesses.
“Comrades, there is no true social revolution without the liberation of women.” — Sankara was a pioneer in promoting women’s rights, outlawing forced marriages and polygamy, and appointing women to leadership roles. Traoré should revive these policies, ensuring gender equality in education, healthcare, and employment.

History shows that no anti-imperialist leader is immune from foreign plots. Traoré must therefore create a powerful, ideologically loyal, and disciplined revolutionary army modelled after Sankara’s Popular Revolutionary Defence Committees (CDRs). These local militias, combined with national forces, can protect against both foreign incursions and internal sabotage.
People’s direct participation, a corruption-free justice system, and establishing an internal and foreign intelligence system to expose collaborationists, corrupt officials, and imperialist agents are also essential.

Traore's popularity has increased over the years.

Obstacles to the Revolutionary Transformation Traoré Shouldn’t Avoid —

Between January and August 2024, Al-Qaeda-based Islamist armed groups killed 1,004 civilians in 259 attacks and 1,185 civilians in 413 attacks in 2023, according to Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED). Several attacks targeted communities that had joined the Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland (Volontaires pour la défense de la patrie, VDPs). Islamist armed groups continued to besiege dozens of towns, cutting people off from food and supplies.

Jama’at Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin—The biggest internal threat to Burkina Faso

Externally, the most dangerous obstacles remain the imperialist powers themselves. France, the United States, the United Kingdom and their regional allies are unlikely to accept the loss of influence in Burkina Faso without retaliation. Already, Burkina Faso faces the threat of economic sanctions, diplomatic isolation, and destabilisation through proxy militias and terrorist groups operating in the Sahel. This tactic has always been used by imperialist powers. They fund insurgencies, plan coups, and manipulate regional blocs like ECOWAS to dominate anti-imperialist states.
While mining reforms are progressive, dependence on Russian capital risks new dependency. As Sankara warned, "We cannot repay debts while our people die of hunger."

Will Traoré Revive the Sankarist Socialism in Burkina Faso? —

We have now returned to the question we began with. Capt. Traoré is at a crucial stage towards a socialist transformation of Burkina Faso. Will he be able to achieve it? Time alone will tell. But, judging by his revolutionary spirit, it is clear that Capt. Traoré has already won the hearts of many Africans by expelling imperialist forces and speaking the language of defiance. But to become the true heir of Thomas Sankara, he must enact bold socialist policies that transform Burkina Faso’s economy, uplift its people, and foster Pan-African unity.

The path forward demands three pillars:

Empowering Burkina Faso’s workers and peasants by seizing the means of production.
Transforming the AES into a vehicle for continental unity.
Balancing anti-imperialism with human rights accountability.

If Traoré embraces this trinity, Burkina Faso could revive Sankara’s dream. More importantly, Traoré must remember that revolution is a process, not a persona. It is not the work of one man but a collective, popular struggle that must be carried forward by the people themselves. Imperial powers will not surrender their interests easily. Yet if Traoré can unite the masses, militarise the revolution, and build continental solidarity, he may finally achieve what Sankara could not—a genuinely liberated, socialist Africa.

Sources —

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