Do you know who Ibrahim Traore is? If you don’t know, then you must read this blog: The Rise of Ibrahim Traoré: From Captain to President. Ibrahim Traoré was born on March 14, 1988, in Kéra, a town in Mouhoun Province. He is a military officer and politician from Burkina Faso, and he is now serving as the country’s interim president. He took power in September 2022 through a military coup, removing the former interim president, Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba. This happened because many people were unhappy with the government’s failure to stop the jihadist attacks harming the country.
At 37 years old, Traoré is one of the youngest leaders in the world. Since taking power, he has shown himself to be a strong leader during a time of war, focusing on improving security, protecting the country’s independence, and changing Burkina Faso’s international partnerships.
Traoré was a hardworking student and began showing signs of becoming an activist early in life. He studied geology at the University of Ouagadougou and took part in student groups, including the Association of Muslim Students and the National Association of Students of Burkina Faso, which had Marxist ideas. He was known for standing up for other students and graduated with honors. In 2009, he joined the military. Over time, he moved up in his career by fighting on the front lines against jihadist groups.
He was especially praised for his work with the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali. But as time went on, he became more frustrated, mainly because soldiers did not have the support they needed and because of the corruption he saw in political leaders. These experiences played a big role in his decision to become a leader himself.
Before becoming the country’s leader, Traoré was a Captain in the Burkinabé Armed Forces. This role was very important in building his reputation and shaping his ideas for the country’s future. He was posted in dangerous areas like Djibo in the north, where he led artillery teams fighting on the front lines against jihadist fighters. He became well-known as a field officer because of his direct combat experience and his strong complaints about how poorly the soldiers were supported, even though they risked their lives every day.
As a Captain, he saw things from both sides—he earned the trust and respect of the soldiers and also saw clearly how badly the top leaders in the capital, Ouagadougou, were doing their jobs. During this time, Traoré became a trusted leader among younger officers, and when they lost hope in Damiba’s leadership, he helped bring them together to take action. The title “Captain” is still used to refer to him today in chants and slogans. It represents both his military background and his rise as a leader shaped by Burkina Faso’s ongoing conflict.
Traoré took part in the January 2022 coup that brought Damiba to power. But later, when things did not improve, he turned against Damiba. Traoré led a group of young officers who were unhappy because their military pay was delayed and the fight against the insurgents was not working well. On September 30, 2022, with the help of the elite “Cobra” forces, Traoré started a second coup and took control. After taking power, he promised to bring back democracy by July 2024. But as the security situation got worse, he began to doubt if this was possible. In May 2024, a national consultation was held, which many political parties boycotted. This consultation extended his rule for five more years and allowed him to take part in future elections.
As president, Traoré shows a calm and careful public image. He is influenced by Marxism and pan-African ideas. He called for the whole country to come together to fight the insurgents and promised to take back areas controlled by rebels without making deals. During his time in power, Burkina Faso changed its foreign policy. Traoré moved the country away from France, asked French forces to leave, and worked to build closer relationships with countries like Turkey and Russia. His government reopened the Russian embassy and allowed Russian troops to come, including members of the Wagner Group, though he has said they do not work together directly.
In the economy, Traoré has worked to improve the mining industry, especially gold mining. During his time as leader, Burkina Faso allowed its first gold refinery to be built. This is meant to increase money coming into the country and create more jobs. He also stopped private small-scale gold miners from exporting gold to fight illegal trading and to make the rules stronger.
Though his presidency remains transitional in name, Ibrahim Traoré continues to consolidate power amid one of the most complex and dangerous insurgencies in West Africa. Some people support him because of his strong nationalist and anti-colonial views. But others worry that he might weaken democracy and rely too much on the military. His future is still being decided as Burkina Faso faces war, changes in the economy, and new relationships with other countries under his leadership.