‘Land of Upright People’ in the Fight against Imperialism
R Arun Kumar
BURKINA FASO is a small country in the Sahel region of Northwest Africa, with a population of 20.9 million (2.1 crore). It has recently made headlines for defeating an imperialist-sponsored coup against the current government led by Ibrahim Traoré. Just a few years ago, Traoré himself, then an army officer, led a coup that brought down the previous government. To understand the differences between these two coups, we must delve into the country's history.
Burkina Faso was formerly a French colony known as Upper Volta. It gained independence in 1960 and adopted the name Burkina Faso – meaning “Land of Upright People” – in 1984. The new name symbolised the proud heritage and aspirations of its people. Despite being endowed with rich natural resources, Burkina Faso remains one of the poorest countries in the world. It possesses abundant minerals, including gold, zinc, manganese, phosphate, and limestone, along with reserves of diamonds, bauxite, nickel, and vanadium. Yet, like many African nations, its rich mineral wealth has not translated into prosperity for its people.
Today, 25 per cent of the population lives in extreme poverty (on less than $2.15 per day). Illiteracy is widespread – 41 per cent of women and 33 per cent of men aged 15-24 are illiterate. One-third of the youth – 34 per cent – are Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET). Youth unemployment stands at a staggering 52 per cent, with many actively seeking work.
Burkina Faso is a remarkably young country, with two-thirds (66 per cent) of its population under the age of 25. The average age is just 17.7 years. This is a huge demographic advantage, which is going waste as many of the post-independence rulers did not live up to peoples’ aspirations. The domination of the French continued over the country even after its independence.
In 1983, Thomas Sankara came to power through a popularly supported coup. At the time, he was just 33 years old and came to be known as “Africa’s Che Guevara.” A Burkinabè military captain, Sankara was known as a Marxist revolutionary and a pan-Africanist theorist. He served as the President of Burkina Faso from 1983 until 1987. It was Sankara who played a pivotal role in renaming the country from Upper Volta to Burkina Faso – meaning “Land of Upright People.”
Sankara quickly won the confidence of the people through his bold agenda focused on fighting corruption and ending the country’s dependence on its former French colonial rulers. He launched some of the most ambitious programmes for social and economic change in Africa. His foreign policy was firmly anti-imperialist, against the influence wielded by the IMF and World Bank. He refused to depend on foreign aid and famously called debt a “skillfully managed reconquest of Africa.”
Among his key initiatives were the nationalisation of land and mineral resources, land reforms aimed at achieving agrarian self-sufficiency, and large-scale efforts to prevent famine. He prioritised public health and education.
Sankara attended the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Delhi in 1983, where he was deeply influenced by Fidel Castro, with whom he had long discussion on the sidelines. The summit also saw the participation of other anti-imperialist leaders such as Daniel Ortega and Yasser Arafat, further shaping Sankara’s worldview.
Sankara’s policies hurt imperialist interests the most and they mobilised military officers against him. Funding to Burkina Faso was cut off, unrest was fomented, and discontent was stirred within the military. Eventually, fearing his growing popularity and radical reforms, a coup was orchestrated against him. He was assassinated in 1987. Following his death, French and US imperialist forces swiftly reasserted their influence and regained their foothold in Burkina Faso.
It is in this historical context that the policies and anti-imperialist stance of Captain Ibrahim Traoré acquire significance. Like Sankara, Traoré also rose through the military ranks and is relatively young – only 37 years old. He has openly expressed his commitment to freeing Burkina Faso from ‘the clutches of Western imperialism and neo-colonialism’. A deep admirer of Sankara, Traoré has declared his intention to follow in his footsteps.
After seizing power through a coup in 2022, Traoré ordered the French troops stationed in Burkina Faso to leave. He resented French interference in the country’s internal affairs. He declared his intention to forge a strong alliance with Russia. Traoré also radically altered the economic trajectory of Burkina Faso by reintroducing radical left-wing economic policies.
He established a State-owned mining company and mandated that all foreign mining companies operating in the country allocate a 15 per cent stake in their local operations to this State owned company. Another condition imposed on these companies was the transfer of technological expertise to Burkinabè people. The government also began taking steps towards the nationalisation of mines. Recently, two gold mines listed on the London Stock Exchange were nationalised, and efforts are underway to bring more foreign-owned mines under national control.
Traoré led government is determined to move beyond being a mere exporter of raw materials to developed countries. To that end, it has initiated the construction of a gold refinery to process raw materials domestically and export finished products. For the first time in its history, Burkina Faso has established national gold reserves.
Another major domestic policy initiated by the Traore government has been the prioritisation of agriculture. The government distributed tractors, motor pumps, and farming equipment to a large number of farmers, leading to increased production of key crops such as cotton, millets, and tomatoes. This agricultural revival has also spurred industrial growth, particularly in agro-processing industries, alongside the development of critical infrastructure. These developments are contributing to a reduction in unemployment and a growing demand for educated workers. A corresponding rise in demand for education has also been observed. Most importantly, these initiatives are resulting in increased purchasing power and improved living conditions for the people.
International financial institutions like the IMF and World Bank have been compelled to acknowledge these positive developments. In a statement issued in early April, the IMF noted that “despite a challenging humanitarian and security environment, the economy is expected to remain robust in 2025, and the regime has made commendable progress in raising domestic revenue, containing the public wage bill, and increasing spending on education, health, and social protection.” Similarly, the World Bank reported that the poverty rate had declined by two percentage points, because of the “robust growth in the agriculture and service sectors.”
There is another significant step taken by Traoré, which irked imperialist powers. Along with Niger and Mali, Burkina Faso has ordered the French troops to leave their countries immediately. The three countries withdrew from the regional trade and security bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and established a new alliance – the Alliance of Sahel States. They also ended free trade within the region by imposing a 0.5 per cent tariff on goods entering their countries. Justifying these moves, Traoré declared: “This continent has suffered and continues to suffer from the fire of the imperialists. These imperialists have only one cliché in mind: Africa is the empire of slaves.” Walking out of the imperialist embrace, he said, was a necessary condition for building an independent and developed region.
These developments rattled imperialist powers. They reportedly instigated another coup attempt against Traoré on April 22, following a failed attempt in November 2024. Evidence suggests US involvement in these coup plots.
In response, the people of Burkina Faso rallied in large numbers to oppose the failed coup. Solidarity demonstrations were also held in several Western cities, including London. The Communist Party Marxist, Kenya (CPMK) condemned the attempt, stating: “This cowardly imperialist attack once again proves Sankara’s words: imperialism is a bad student; it never learns from its failures. It continues to repeat the same tired tactics to depose any government that refuses to submit to its domination.” The party called upon “the progressive peoples of Africa, and all lovers of justice across the world, to stand in unwavering solidarity with the people of Burkina Faso and the Alliance of Sahel States.”
The South African Communist Party (SACP), also condemning imperialist intervention in the Sahel, identified a transformative potential in the recent developments. “The actions by the Senegalese, Burkinabè, Nigerien, and Malian states and governments have a decisive transformational potential… The developments in the Sahel region are emblematic of a revolutionary sentiment present across the African continent… It is in the interest of revolutionaries in Africa and everywhere else that these developments be supported and protected from external interference. This is because the region now effectively represents an anti-imperialist resistance frontline, coupled with a real exercise of State power for the advancement of the people.”
Expressing gratitude for the widespread support, Traoré posted: “Together, in solidarity, we will defeat imperialism and neo-colonialism for a free, dignified, and sovereign Africa.” He urged African leaders to “stop behaving like puppets who dance every time the imperialists pull the strings.” Echoing these words, Burkina Faso’s Prime Minister, Rimtalba Jean-Emmanuel Ouédraogo, stated: “To cut the cord of imperialism … this will not be done by the tender hands of a midwife, but by an axe.”
We are all witnessing the brutal imperialist involvement in the genocide being carried out by Israel in Gaza. We are aware of continued imperialist attempts to strangulate Cuba. We know how the United States seeks to destroy the economies of developing countries around the world. The only path to asserting our independence and sovereignty is to “stop behaving like puppets” and to “cut the cord of imperialism.” Burkina Faso is moving forward on this path today – and we hope it continues to do so.
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