Traoré Accuses Côte d’Ivoire, Benin Of Destabilising Burkina Faso

On Thursday, July 11, Burkina Faso’s junta leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, accused neighbouring countries Côte d’Ivoire and Benin of attempting to destabilise Burkina Faso.

Traoré, 36, claimed he had evidence of an operations centre in Côte d’Ivoire aimed at undermining Burkina Faso’s stability.

In a speech over 90 minutes at the Palais des Sports in Ouagadougou, Traoré outlined his political vision for the next five years and criticised forces he described as imperialist that aimed to destabilise targeted countries in West Africa.

He said the problem was not with the people of Côte d’Ivoire but with its leaders.

Traoré, a strong critic of French influence, criticised Côte d’Ivoire for its close ties with France and accused Benin of hosting French military bases that he claimed are platforms for terrorist operations against Burkina Faso. These accusations have been denied by the governments of France and Benin.

Traoré also discussed the formation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a confederation comprising Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali, which collectively withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in January.

Addressing the mining industry, Traoré said there was a need for Burkina Faso to take control of its mining licences and manage its resources, including gold.

He also highlighted the importance of positive communication about Burkina Faso.

“It is possible that you do not like me, but it is essential to have affection for the homeland. We will not tolerate Burkinabe citizens spreading negative messages about our country,” he said.

Traoré’s speech on Thursday reaffirms his unflinching stance against foreign influence.

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Emmanuel Ejiofor

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