#HandsOffBurkinaFaso
Chairman Wicker: I can imagine a situation, though, in which the ruling elite of a country is receiving gratuities on the side, that in order to the benefit of the strong man leader and not to the populace of the country. Does that sort of corruption and bribery go on with regard to the Belt and Road?
General Langley: Absolutely, Chairman. You know, I see this, and I don't mind calling him out, but Captain Traore in Burkina Faso. You know, as they know that both, you know, whether it's their gold reserves, all those proceeds are just in exchange to protect the Junta regime.
Following these words on April 3, 2025 by Michael Langley, social media erupted as many expressed both their outrage at his comments and support for Captain Ibrahim Traoré, President of Burkina Faso. This united outpouring culminated global mass mobilizations as supporters of President Traoré held rallies across Burkina Faso, Africa and the world on April 30, 2025.
In the midst of this mobilization, as it tends to happen, there have been many slogans and buzz words thrown around. Many are certainly hearing of Captain Traoré, AES and even Burkina Faso for the first time. Many others may have heard of them but are only now paying attention. On behalf of those who don't know much about the situation, I'm writing here to provide some clarity and detail that has been missing from most of the commentary you're likely to read or hear. Let's start from the top:
Who is Michael Langley?
Langley is a general in the US Marine Corps. He was nominated for promotion to the rank of 4 star general in 2022, a nomination that required confirmation by the US Senate, which he received that same year. Langley became the first 4 star general in the history of the US Marine Corps (USMC). He was then assigned as the head of AFRICOM (Africa Command), also in 2022.
According to USMC, Langley has had a very accomplished military career as a commander and deputy commander of USMC forces in different capacities in the Atlantic region and in hot zones including Afghanistan and Somalia.
What is AFRICOM?
According to their official website, africom.mil, the U.S. supports partners in Africa using a "3D" approach - that is "Diplomacy, Development, and Defense." Whereas embassies use diplomacy and development to enable African governments, U.S. Africa Command helps those governments with "Defense." U.S. Africa Command supports African governments by helping build capacity in their armed forces, which are necessary for a government to counter violent extremists and respond to crisis.
U.S. Africa Command, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, is one of 11 U.S. Department of Defense combatant commands, each with a geographic or functional mission that provides command and control of military forces in peace and war.
Who is Mr. Wicker?
Roger Wicker is a Republican US Senator representing Mississippi and the Chair of the US Senate Armed Services Committee.
What was the nature of Gen. Langley's comments before the US Senate?
The US Senate Armed Services Committee met to discuss the posture of the United States European Command (EUCOM) and United States Africa Command (AFRICOM). Transcript here https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/download/4325-full-transcript. The hearing was in review of the Defense Authorization Request for fiscal year 2026 and the Future Years Defense Program. Witnesses included General Christopher Kovaleic, Commander, U.S. European Command and Supreme Allied Commander Europe, and General Michael Langley, Commander, U.S. Africa Command.
In short, these commanders answered questions and gave testimony on their activities in their respective areas, the challenges they face and the effectiveness of their methods, hoping to justify to the Senate the massive budgets they are requesting that the Senate will have to decide whether to sign off on.
The dialogue between the 2 commanders and the committee primarily revolved around countering the influence and perceived threats posed by Russia and China. With respect to Africa, the sharp increase in terrorist-affected areas was also discussed. The inflammatory comments by Gen. Langley should be understood in the context of a conversation about the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (short for Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Initiative) and its influence on African countries compared to the now discontinued USAID projects on the continent.
It's here that General Langley fixed his mouth to accuse Burkina Faso's President Ibrahim Traore of using his country's resources to protect his junta regime. Before adding my commentary, I'll make a few quick observations:
1. Burkina Faso, under the previous president who was overthrown in a coup before Traore ultimately took power, entered into an agreement with China's Belt and Road Initiative in 2021. However, since Traore took power, it's unclear whether that agreement is still in effect or if China is directly involved in major infrastructure projects with China, as Burkina Faso has leaned more on the support of Russia. Particularly, one will not find information about Chinese owned or funded gold mining projects as Gen. Langley implied.
2. In the same committee hearing, Langley expressed concern about the coups d'etat and military run governments (referred to as juntas) in the Sahel region. Notably, in 2023, there was another coup d'etat in Gabon about which Langley didn't express the same concern. On the contrary, he celebrated joint military exercises between the US and Gabon militaries. Is the message here that some coup d'etats and unelected governments are OK as long as they cooperate with the West?
3. Many have conflated Gen. Langley's comments and views on Burkina Faso as being those of President Trump's administration. While I hesitate to jump to that conclusion, I wouldn't rule it out. Without prejudice, let's look at a brief timeline:
August 2022: General Langley is appointed commander of AFRICOM (Notably under Joe Biden's presidency and a Democrat controlled Senate).
April 3, 2025: Langley makes his famous comments.
April 22, 2025: Burkina announces a foiled coup plot and accuses the brains of the plot of all being located in Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast).
April 28-29, 2025: At the height of the protests and outrage regarding his comments that same month, General Langley and his staff make a high profile visit to Cote d'Ivoire "to reinforce the longstanding partnership between the United States and the Ivoirian government."
While this is only the latest of many reported plots to assassinate or otherwise remove President Traore, he had already publicly identified Cote d'Ivoire as a hostile government in 2024 so these tensions are not new, nor is US support for Cote d'Ivoire and their disdain for Captain Traore and Burkina Faso's allies in the AES.
Until now, my focus has been on the context of the comments by General Langley, but this wouldn't be a story if not for how Ibrahim Traore has inspired the people of Burkina Faso, Africa and the African Diaspora as a whole, which is beyond anything the Black world has seen in at least 50 years:
Who is Captain Ibrahim Traore?
His Excellency, Captain Ibrahim Traore, President of the Faso and Chief of State, affectionately referred to as I.B. (pronounced "ee-bay" according to the French pronunciation of the alphabet) took power of Burkina Faso's government in September 2022. Prior to his rise to the presidency, he served in the Burkinabe Army from 2009, serving in a UN led counter-insurgency mission in Mali in 2014 and later in Northern Burkina Faso, where the jihadist terrorist presence is its strongest.
Capt. Traore (pronounced "trah-oh-ray") overthrew Col. Henri Damiba, who himself had come to power in a coup that January. These coups were in response to the growing presence of al Qaeda and ISIS terrorists in the country and the government's inability to stop it with the help of the French military. Traore had been a major participant in Damiba's coup and took it upon himself to seize power after Damiba went to the UN to beg for Western assistance rather than take matters into his own hands.
Widespread unrest and discontent with the Burkina government had started to come to a head in late 2021, when a French military convoy passing through Burkina Faso from Niger to Mali was held up and slowed down by protestors on several occasions along its path through the country. Burkinabe accused the French troops of supplying the jihadists with weapons. The French maintained that their purpose and destination was to support the Malian army around the city of Gao.
Shortly thereafter, the first coup took place, and then a second. I will note here that both coups took place exclusively at the presidential palace to expel the president and each took place over night. Neither involved a civil war or even casualties being reported. In neither case were there ANY protests about the coups within the country. The Burkinabe had become so disillusioned with their leaders and their deference to France that they took to the streets to celebrate the coups and the possibility of a different direction by their new leaders.
Since taking power, in addition to pushing back the jihadist insurgents, who continue to be a persistent threat, Traore has undertaken many significant reforms. Notably:
Announcing a "Day of Customs and Traditions" for traditionalists to display their ceremonies and technologies. He has emphasized the importance of reclaiming traditional capabilities that can make the country more self-sufficient, both in its counter-insurgency efforts and other areas
Expelling of the French military and severing diplomatic and economic ties with France
Removing French as the official language of the country
Replacing France with Russia as its main ally outside the continent
Continuing to receive the salary of a captain instead of that of a president and using the difference to invest in infrastructure for the country
Investing in farming equipment and inputs to increase agricultural production and reduce dependence on foreign crops
Taking control of the mining industry and selecting which foreign companies to allow to operate mines
Prohibiting the export of raw gold ore while building a refinery to refine gold in the country in order to sell it at a higher price for the benefit of the country
Together with the military governments of Mali and Niger, formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) to counter the terrorists and enhance mutual cooperation
Together with the AES, left the West African economic bloc, ECOWAS and embarked upon the creation a new currency to replace the Central African Franc (fCFA)
In addition to his reforms, Traore has been outspoken on the world stage, affirming that Burkina Faso is in the midsts of a revolution to break the chains of slavery and dependence on their former colonial masters, particularly France, who continue to attempt to exert their influence over African countries and their governments. He has frequently called out African leaders who are submissive to France as "salon slaves" or as we would call them in the US, "house negroes". His voice has given pride to African descendants worldwide who see in him a leader who can finally unite the continent and its people.
It is in this context that the claims made by General Michael Langley are so ridiculous and hypocritical that discerning minds can only interpret them one way: Our beloved IB is being targeted by the US and French military industrial complex, just as Col. Moammar Qaddafi was in 2011, with the end result being his brutal and very public lynching at the hands of al Qaeda and ISIS jihadists.
These same jihadist groups, after being funded and armed by France and the US to take out Qaddafi, then proliferated throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, commiting unspeakable atrocities and driving populations from their land, creating countless humanitarian crises. General Langley himself in this same April 3rd hearing claimed that the jihadist presence in Africa went from 2% of the continent's lands in 2007 to currently over 40%. A claim which he conveniently did not associate with his military's own contributions.
To bring the tale of treachery full circle, this same General Langley, himself a descendant of Africa, is the one to blow the first horn and beat the first drums of war against Burkina Faso. It's statements like his that put the ideas in the minds of lawmakers, officials and the public that something needs to be done to bring the country back under Western control, and that whatever means they choose will be justified.
Therefore, the Burkinabe and African descendants worldwide joined together on April 30th to declare, in one loud and clear voice, "HANDS OFF BURKINA FASO!"
If Captain Traore uses the country's resources, whether gold or whatever else to protect his government so it can continue to service the needs of the people, as long as the Burkinabe are standing behind him, is that not democracy? AFRICOM and the US should be celebrating and working to establish partnerships with the strong leaders of the AES in the common stated goal of fighting terrorism in Africa, if in fact that's the goal. Their current stance reveals to the world that their concern is more with having direct control over countries on behalf of the collective West, rather than any concern about the security of the people of Africa's Sahel region.
We must not trick ourselves into thinking the West can be shamed into changing its priorities and objectives and its means of achieving them. Our only practical option is to invest in building our own world. Captain Traore and the AES leaders have made that commitment, but it's time to call all hands on desk to stand in solidarity, not only through protest, but through action. For now the Black World has succeeded in putting humanity on notice, but this fight is far from over.
"Motherland or Death, We Will Win!"