By John Ikani
Burkina Faso’s junta leader, Captain Ibrahim Traore, has in a television interview denied that the country severed diplomatic ties with its former colonial power France.
“The end of diplomatic relations? No!” Captain Traore stated firmly. “There is no break in diplomatic relations or hatred against France.”
The junta leader went on to deny claims that the infamous Russian mercenary group, the Wagner Group, had been deployed in Burkina Faso.
Despite nurturing ties with Moscow, Captain Traore said the rumors of Wagner’s presence were simply a tactic to distance other countries from Burkina Faso.
“We’ve heard everywhere that Wagner is in Ouagadougou, but it’s just a rumor created so that everyone would distance themselves from us,” he stated.
“We have our Wagner, it is the VDP that we recruit. They are our Wagner.” The VDP, or Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland, are civilian auxiliaries that help to defend the country.
Captain Traore’s statements come after France confirmed last month that its special forces, which had been deployed to help fight the years-long jihadist insurgency, would be leaving Burkina Faso within a month.
Anti-French sentiment had been growing in Burkina Faso, a development which influenced Paris’ decision to withdraw its ambassador from the country.
Despite the political tensions, Captain Traore emphasized that the people of Burkina Faso simply want to live with dignity and sovereignty.
“All the people want is their sovereignty, to live with dignity. It doesn’t mean leaving one country for another,” he stated.
Burkina Faso, a landlocked country in the heart of West Africa’s Sahel, has been grappling with a jihadist insurgency that swept in from neighboring Mali in 2015.
The conflict has claimed the lives of thousands of civilians, troops and police, and has forced over two million people to flee their homes.
With around 40 percent of the country outside of government control, anger within the military sparked two coups in 2022, the most recent of which was in September when Captain Traore seized power.
The junta leader is standing by his predecessor’s pledge to stage elections for a civilian government by 2024.
The forced departures from Burkina Faso, as well as Mali and the Central African Republic, underline the growing anti-French sentiment in the region.
Despite these challenges, Captain Traore remains steadfast in his commitment to bring stability and dignity to the people of Burkina Faso.
