Burkina Faso’s transitional president, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, has called for national unity and greater sovereignty as the country marked 39 years since the assassination of former president Thomas Sankara.
Speaking at a commemorative ceremony in Ouagadougou on Thursay, Traoré said Sankara’s legacy remained relevant to Burkina Faso’s pursuit of security, food self-sufficiency and economic independence.
He warned that internal divisions and personal ambition could undermine a political movement, urging supporters to remain united and continue what he described as Sankara’s struggle for national liberation.
Traoré also called for increased domestic production, invoking Sankara’s principle of producing what the country consumes and consuming what it produces. He praised members of the armed forces, volunteers, farmers, workers, entrepreneurs and young people for their contributions to the country.
The president also highlighted the Thomas Sankara Memorial, which recorded more than 200,000 visitors between May 19, 2025, and September 30, 2026, according to figures presented in the address. The visits generated approximately 130 million CFA francs for the memorial’s infrastructure project.
Sankara, who led Burkina Faso from 1983, was assassinated on October 15, 1987, during a coup. His legacy remains central to the country’s current political discourse, particularly on sovereignty, self-reliance and economic transformation.
