Ibrahim Traoré facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ibrahim Traoré
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Traoré in 2023
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| President of Burkina Faso | |
| Assumed office 6 October 2022 |
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| Prime Minister | Apollinaire J. Kyélem de Tambèla Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo |
| Preceded by | Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba |
| President of the Patriotic Movement for Safeguard and Restoration | |
| Assumed office 30 September 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 14 March 1988 Kéra, Bondokuy, Burkina Faso |
| Alma mater |
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| Nickname | "IB" |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Burkina Faso |
| Branch/service | Burkina Faso Army |
| Years of service | 2009–present |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | "Cobra" special forces unit (disputed) |
| Battles/wars | Mali War Islamist insurgency Burkinabé coup d'etats:
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Ibrahim Traoré (born March 14, 1988) is a military officer from Burkina Faso. He has been the temporary leader of Burkina Faso since September 2022. This happened after a change in government that removed the previous interim president, Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba. At 36 years old, Traoré is currently one of the youngest leaders in the world.
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Early Life
Ibrahim Traoré was born in Kéra, a town in Burkina Faso, on March 14, 1988. He went to primary school in Bondokuy. Later, he attended high school in Bobo-Dioulasso, where people remembered him as quiet and very talented.
Starting in 2006, he studied geology at the University of Ouagadougou. He was part of student groups there. He was known for standing up for his classmates. He finished his university studies with good grades.
Military Career
Traoré joined the Army of Burkina Faso in 2009. He graduated from the Georges-Namoano Military Academy. After training in Morocco, he joined an infantry unit in Kaya, northern Burkina Faso.
In 2014, he became a lieutenant. Traoré then joined MINUSMA. This was a peacekeeping group helping in the Mali War. In 2018, he was praised for his bravery during attacks in the Tombouctou Region.
He returned to Burkina Faso to help fight against a growing jihadist insurgency. Traoré fought in several important operations in the north of the country.
He was promoted to captain in 2020. Traoré later said he became unhappy with his country's leaders. He saw soldiers lacking equipment while politicians seemed to be involved in bribery. He became a voice for soldiers who were frustrated with the government.
Rise to Power
Traoré was part of the group of army officers who supported the January 2022 Burkina Faso coup d'état. This event brought the Patriotic Movement for Safeguard and Restoration to power. From March 2022, he led an artillery group in Kaya.
Many people who supported the January change in government became unhappy with Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba. He was the leader at the time. They felt he wasn't doing enough to stop the jihadist attacks. Traoré said that he and other officers tried to get Damiba to focus more on the rebellion. But they eventually decided to remove him. This was because they felt Damiba's goals were different from what they wanted to achieve. Younger officers fighting on the front lines were especially unhappy.
When the officers launched their new plan on September 30, 2022, Traoré was still a Captain. This operation was supported by a special unit called "Cobra." After the change in government, Traoré was chosen as the new head of the Patriotic Movement for Safeguard and Restoration. On October 6, he also became the temporary President. He first promised to hold democratic elections in July 2024.
Presidency
Leading the Country
As president, Traoré has kept a calm and formal way of acting. He controls what he says to the public. He tries to show himself as a strong leader in the fight against rebels. This might be to avoid the problems his past leaders faced. During his time as president, there has been more pro-government information shared in the news and on social media in Burkina Faso.
In April 2023, he called for everyone in the country to support the military. This was because rebel groups were attacking more often. Traoré promised to take back all areas controlled by rebels. He said there would be no talks until the rebellion was much weaker.
The next month, Traoré wondered if elections could really happen in 2024. He said that elections could only be held if the rebels were pushed back and the country was safer.
On September 26, 2023, some military members tried to remove Traoré from power, but they were not successful. Meetings were held in May 2024 to discuss the future of Burkina Faso's leadership. Many political parties did not attend these meetings. The result was that President Traoré's term was extended for five more years. He was also allowed to run in the next presidential elections.
On December 6, 2024, Traoré changed his government and removed the Prime Minister.
Gold Mining in Burkina Faso
In November 2023, Burkina Faso's government approved building the country's first gold refinery. This is a big step for Burkina Faso's gold industry. The goal is to process gold within the country instead of sending it out raw. This would help the government earn more money and bring more benefits from gold. The refinery is expected to create many new jobs.
In February 2024, Traoré stopped giving out permits to export gold from small-scale mining. This was done to fight against illegal trading. Illegal trade involves secretly moving gold out of the country to avoid taxes. This suspension aims to make sure all exported gold is properly recorded and helps the government. The government hopes this will create a more organized system for gold exports.
Changing Foreign Friends
In February 2023, Traoré's government asked French forces to leave Burkina Faso. These forces had been helping to fight the local rebels. Traoré said that Burkina Faso wanted to find "win-win partnerships" with other countries. Soon after, Traoré's government supported the idea of joining with Mali and invited Guinea to join too. All three countries are led by their military. If they formed a union, it would be the largest country led by a military government. To replace French military help, Traoré made stronger connections with Turkey and Russia.
Some news reports suggested Traoré might have ties to a Russian group called Wagner Group. This was because he had expressed views against France and in favor of Russia. When Traoré entered Ouagadougou, the capital city, some supporters waved Russian flags. The government of Ghana publicly said that Traoré started working with the Wagner Group after the change in government. Traoré denied this.
On July 29, 2023, after a meeting between Russia and African leaders, Traoré said that his people support Russia. He also announced that the Russian embassy, which closed in 1992, would reopen. However, a French newspaper reported in May 2023 that Traoré's government seemed to be using its own forces to fight the rebels and had not asked for help from the Wagner Group.
Russian troops, including the Wagner Group, were eventually sent to Burkina Faso in January 2024.
Other Decisions
In January 2025, Traoré ordered that judges in Burkina Faso could no longer wear wigs that looked like old colonial styles.
See also
In Spanish: Ibrahim Traoré para niños
