Ibrahim Traoré is a Burkinabé military officer who has been the interim leader of Burkina Faso since the September 2022 coup d’état. Born on March 14, 1988, Traoré is currently the second youngest serving state leader in the world and the youngest serving president.
Early Life and Education
Traoré was born in Kéra, Bondokuy, Mouhoun Province. He received his primary education in Bondokuy and attended high school in Bobo-Dioulasso, where he was known for being “quiet” and “very talented.” Traoré studied geology at the University of Ouagadougou, graduating with honors.
Military Career
Traoré joined the Army of Burkina Faso in 2009 and graduated from the Georges-Namoano Military Academy. He was sent to Morocco for anti-aircraft training and later transferred to an infantry unit in Kaya. Traoré was promoted to lieutenant in 2014 and joined MINUSMA, a United Nations peacekeeping force involved in the Mali War.
Rise to Power
Traoré was part of the group of army officers that supported the January 2022 Burkina Faso coup d’état. He later became the head of an artillery regiment in Kaya and was chosen as the new head of the Patriotic Movement for Safeguard and Restoration after the September 2022 coup.
Presidency
As president, Traoré has maintained a formal behavior and presented himself primarily as a war leader. His presidency has seen an increase in pro-government propaganda, and he has declared a “general mobilisation” of the population to support the military. Traoré has also proposed criminalizing homosexuality and banned colonial-style wigs in courts.
Foreign Relations
Traoré’s government has shifted its focus from France to Russia, expelling French forces from Burkina Faso in February 2023. He has also expressed support for a federation with Mali and Guinea, and his government has collaborated with the Russian mercenary organization Wagner Group.
