Ibrahim Traoré: From Geology Student to Interim President of Burkina Faso
Ibrahim Traoré, a military officer and politician, has served as the interim president of Burkina Faso since October 6, 2022. His journey from a student of geology to the nation's leader is marked by military training, experience in counter-terrorism, and a pivotal coup that ousted the previous interim president. This article delves into Traoré's educational background, military career, rise to power, and key policies as the head of state.
Early Life and Education
Born on March 14, 1988, in Kéra, located in western Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Traoré received his primary education in Bondokuy. He later attended a high school in Bobo-Dioulasso, the second-largest city in Burkina Faso. During his school years, he was known as being both "quiet" and "very talented."
From 2006, Traoré pursued higher education at the University of Ouagadougou, where he studied geology. During his time at the University of Ouagadougou, he was part of the Association of Muslim Students and the Marxist National Association of Students of Burkina Faso (ANEB). In 2009, Traoré graduated from the University of Ouagadougou with a bachelor's degree in science and geology.
Military Career
Following his graduation from university, Traoré joined the Burkina Faso Armed Forces in 2009. He received military training abroad, reportedly in Morocco and France. He graduated from the Georges-Namoano Military Academy.
In 2014, Traoré was promoted to lieutenant and joined MINUSMA, a United Nations peacekeeping force involved in the Mali War. In 2018, he was cited as one of the MINUSMA soldiers who "showed courage" during major rebel attacks in the Tombouctou Region. He subsequently returned to Burkina Faso where he assisted in operations against the escalating jihadist insurgency. He was promoted to captain in 2020.
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Traoré later said that he became disillusioned with his country's leadership around this time, as he saw the widespread lack of equipment of Burkinabe soldiers, while politicians were handing out "suitcases of money" for bribery.
Rise to Power
Traoré was part of the group of army officers that supported the January 2022 Burkina Faso coup d'état and brought the Patriotic Movement for Safeguard and Restoration military junta to power. From March 2022, he served as the head of an artillery regiment in Kaya.
Many supporters of the January coup became dissatisfied with the performance of Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, the junta's leader, regarding his inability to contain the jihadist insurgency. On September 30, 2022, Traoré led a coup against then-Interim President Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba and successfully ousted him. At the age of 34, Traoré became the country's youngest head of state.
After this event, Traoré was chosen as the new head of the Patriotic Movement for Safeguard and Restoration. On October 6, he became the interim president, serving as the Head of State and leader of the armed forces.
Policies and Governance
As president, Traoré has maintained the enigmatic and very formal behavior for which he was already known before rising to power. He has kept a tight control on his communication while carefully trying to present himself primarily as a war leader. His presidency has also seen an increase in pro-government propaganda in Burkinabé traditional media and social media.
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Strengthening National Sovereignty
During his tenure, Traoré has increasingly distanced Burkina Faso from France and ECOWAS, particularly by kicking out their troops, and has also increasingly aligned Burkina Faso with Russia, Turkey, China, as well as Mali and Niger. Traoré has also played a major role in the founding of the Alliance of Sahel States, an alliance consisting of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. He is known for his strong belief in his country's independence and for working with other African nations.
Economic Initiatives
In November 2023, the Council of Ministers approved the construction of the country's first gold refinery. This marked a significant development in the country's gold sector, aiming to capitalize on the nation's growing gold mining industry. Traoré seeks to gain more control over its gold resources by refining gold domestically rather than exporting unrefined materials. This would increase government revenue and economic benefits from the gold sector.
In February 2024, Traoré ordered the suspension of the issuance of export permits for small-scale private gold production, a move reportedly aimed at tackling illicit trade-which consists of smuggling gold abroad, avoiding taxes and regulations-and cleaning up the artisanal gold sector. This suspension aims to crack down on such activities and ensure that exported gold is properly documented and contributes to government revenue.
In December 2024, Traoré officially inaugurated a modern tomato-processing plant located in Pognongo, Yako department, Burkina Faso.
In the first half of 2025, Burkina Faso accelerated its state-led nationalisation of foreign-owned mining assets as part of the broader shift toward resource sovereignty. On 29 April, Prime Minister Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo announced that the government intended to continue expanding control over foreign-owned industrial mines. This followed the enactment of a revised mining code in 2024 and the creation of the Société de Participation Minière du Burkina (SOPAMIB), a state-owned mining company. By then, SOPAMIB had already taken control of two operational gold mines; Boungou and Wahgnion, previously owned by London-listed Endeavour Mining. These moves were meant to enhance national revenue and prioritise local expertise, despite investor concern. On 12 June 2025, a presidential decree finalised the transfer of five additional gold mining assets into SOPAMIB. These included two operating mines and three exploration licences from subsidiaries of Endeavour Mining and Lilium, namely Wahgnion Gold SA, SEMAFO Boungou SA, Ressources Ferké SARL, Gryphon Minerals Burkina Faso SARL, and Lilium Mining Services Burkina Faso SARL.
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Policies Towards Freedom of the Press
Traoré's government has faced controversy over its policies towards the freedom of the press. In March 2023, his government banned France24 from broadcasting in the country after the network aired an interview with the leader of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, several months after banning Radio France Internationale on grounds of having aired a threat issued by a terrorist leader. In June 2024, four prominent Burkinabé journalists who had criticised the government were detained, with the government announcing several months later that three of the journalists had been forcibly conscripted into the Burkinabé military.
Efforts to Counter Islamist Insurgency
The Islamist insurgency in Burkina Faso has been a major focus of Traoré's presidency. In his first month, his government started a big campaign to recruit 50,000 people for a volunteer defense force (VDP). In April 2023, Traoré called for everyone to help the military. This was because armed groups were increasing their attacks. Traoré promised to take back all areas controlled by these groups. He said there would be no talks until the armed groups were much weaker. In July 2023, his government added new taxes to raise money for the military.
On 23 May 2024, Traoré called on the Burkinabe population to assist the military in digging trenches around settlements. On 24 August 2024, jihadists from Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) killed up to 600 civilians digging trenches around the town of Barsalogho in Sanmatenga Province. They had been ordered by the military to dig the trenches as part of a plan by the Minister of Civil Service. According to ACLED, the Burkinabè military and VDP militias killed over 1,000 civilians between January and July 2024. The military summarily executed at least 223 civilians, including 56 children in the Nondin and Soro massacres on February 25, 2024.
International Relations and Alliances
In February 2023, Traoré's government expressed support for a federation with Mali and both invited Niger. In August 2025, Ghanaian entertainer, Lil Win, premiered his movie Captain Ibrahim Traoré: The Last African Hero in honour of the leadership style of the Burkinabé leader.
Challenges and Controversies
Traoré's position is much more precarious. Most military officers did not participate in either his coup or the one led by Damiba, underscoring the fragmented state of Burkina Faso’s armed forces. Traoré’s junta has claimed there have been multiple attempts at destabilisation or coups. To shore up his position, Traoré has launched a restructuring drive. This has included redirecting revenues from taxes, the mining sector, and other sources of public revenues into defence coffers. He has also mobilised volunteers to fight violent extremists as part of the Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland, a junta-sponsored civilian militia. There are reports that forced conscription has been used to send “volunteers” to the front lines of battle.
Traoré may not be as popular among ordinary people as he is often portrayed. This is inferred from the violent repression of critics, multiple alleged coup attempts as well as the ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis. He has cracked down hard on independent voices. Journalists, civil society leaders, political party leaders and even judges have been targeted by the junta with its forced conscription tactics and other forms of violent repression.
The September 2022 coup d’état got the attention of Russian foreign information manipulation and interference campaigns. The campaigns were linked to the shadowy Russian mercenary outfit, the Wagner Group. Other Russian information campaigns employed fake social media accounts that pose as Africans with a genuine interest in Burkina Faso. These accounts promote divisive rhetoric that places blame on France and other western countries for local grievances such as ongoing insecurity.
Aiming to boost support for himself immediately following the coup, Traoré trained his sights on capturing the anti-French sentiment. He blamed the French for many of the country’s woes and cast Damiba as a close French ally. Within a few months, Traoré demanded the French withdraw its security presence from Burkina Faso altogether. Since the French withdrawal, Russian mercenaries have been seen providing protection for Traoré and reportedly supporting operations near the border with Mali. However, only some 100-300 Russian forces have gone to Burkina Faso.
Traoré’s actions have not improved the security situation in the country. There have been at least 3,059 violent events linked to militant Islamist groups since he came to power in October 2022. This is a 20% increase in comparison to two years preceding the coup. The number of fatalities linked to militant Islamist violence nearly doubled from 3,621 in 2022 to 6,389 in 2024. The violence has also spread throughout the country to affect nearly every region and increased along Burkina Faso’s southern border. It’s likely that the data is under-reported.
The junta has claimed to have foiled several coup plots since Traoré’s power grab. A foiled plot came in September 2024 only a few weeks after the deadliest massacre the country has ever suffered. Violent extremists killed hundreds of civilians outside the town of Barsalogho. Civilian fatalities linked to militant Islamist groups have increased from 721 in 2022 to 1,151 deaths in 2024.
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