Ibrahim Traore Expels French Troops and Leaves ECOWAS

Captain Ibrahim Traore, who seized power in a 2022 coup, is restructuring Burkina Faso as a sovereign state resistant to foreign influence. He has expelled French troops, strengthened ties with Russia, and withdrawn the nation from the Economic Community of West African States.

Domestically, Traore has shifted focus toward local industry and agriculture while expanding the Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland civilian force. His administration has simultaneously restricted political freedoms by dissolving political parties and suspending political activities. Traore also initiated a crackdown on Muslim scholars accused of promoting religious extremism.

Despite government claims of territorial recovery, Burkina Faso remains unstable. Groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIL continue to operate within the country, leaving more than two million people displaced.