Many commentators have condemned France’s alleged exploitation of Burkinabe gold while turning a blind eye to the activities of Russia’s Wagner Group in Burkina Faso and the failings of Captain Traoré’s regime. It is important to set out the facts.
Gold
Even before it was expelled from Burkina Faso in 2022, France was not a significant importer of Burkinabe gold. The majority of Burkinabé gold exports went to Switzerland (48%), the UAE (27%), South Africa (18%) and Mali (mostly for re-export). France’s substantial gold reserves derive primarily from post-war dollar-to-gold conversions, former French gold mines and the seizure of gold from the former French Royal Family. They are not the result of colonial exploitation.
In contrast, Russia’s Wagner Group extracts 20-40 tonnes of Burkinabé artisanal gold each year while Russian firms benefit from opaque mining deals with Captain Traoré’s regime. For example, the Perkoa Zinc Mine, expropriated from Canadian owners in January 2025 on “national security” grounds, is now reportedly under negotiation with Russian-aligned entities. These concessions are granted by Traoré in exchange for regime support. Russia gets the gold while Burkina Faso gets the ammunition it needs to fight the jihadists. Despite this support, the country’s debt has ballooned to 65% of GDP – a 20% increase since Traore took over.
Security
Regionally, Traoré’s Alliance of Sahel States (AES) has withdrawn from ECOWAS despite facing increasing jihadist violence, with Burkina bearing 62% of the fatalities. Jihadists now control nearly half of Burkinabé territory, and the conflict has displaced over 2 million people. Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa has warned that Niger and Burkina Faso might collapse in the next six months if left unsupported, with Nigeria as the next target. This further exacerbates the situation in the West African sub-region.
Moreover, since Traoré seized power civilian fatalities have surged with both government forces and insurgents responsible for committing atrocities. In the April Karma massacre soldiers executed 156 Burkinabe villagers. According to unsourced reports by the villagers, the soldiers shouted “Traore cleanses traitors!” during the massacre, which was followed by no investigation. Amnesty International reported that among the victims were children, with some as young as 10 to 14 years old, found still clinging to their mothers.
The Traoré model
Traoré’s regime epitomizes a paradigmatic shift towards authoritarianism and regime survival, veiled by an anti-colonial discourse serving as a façade for a dictatorship entrenched in Russian neo-colonialism. The aim is regime survival, not genuine national liberation nor the welfare of Burkinabé citizens. Meanwhile, the security situation deteriorates and the economy falters.
Rather than achieving authentic sovereignty, Traoré’s regime has merely substituted French influence with Russian patronage. Is this really a victory for Pan-Africanism? It is galling to discover that Africans don’t see Russia as a colonizer, apparently forgetting the struggles of nations like Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and currently Ukraine. It’s sheer foolishness to think that embracing Russian neo-colonialism will bring about either genuine sovereignty or economic justice. Africa deserves better than this.
Furthermore, the “Traore model” poses an existential threat to the fragile democratic fabric of West Africa, a region increasingly disillusioned with democracy. Take Nigeria, for instance. If President Tinubu were to embrace Russia’s influence, elections would be cancelled, opposition would be silenced, and he’d be coronated a lifetime leader. The very thought of it is infuriating.
Traoré model undermines the prospects of genuine progress and stability, and also perpetuates a vicious cycle of crisis, dependency, and underdevelopment, with far-reaching implications for regional security. It is a cancer that must be excised from our continent if we hope to achieve true freedom and prosperity.
Further critiques of the Traoré junta can be found in Lucky Kutsanzira’s Facebook post titled “He Fought France, Then Bowed to Moscow” and the Africa Report article titled “People’s Captain”.
ESS Donli