Burkinabe President Ibrahim Traoré has rejected recent claims by U.S. AFRICOM Commander Michael Langley, who told the U.S. Senate that Burkina Faso’s gold is being used to finance military operations.
In an interview with Russian media outlet Sputnik, Traoré dismissed the allegations as lies and reaffirmed his country’s sovereignty in matters of international cooperation.
He emphasized Burkina Faso’s right to form partnerships of its choosing and highlighted that his government was the first to reserve gold for the national treasury, countering claims that state gold reserves are being misused.
Traoré also criticized what he described as Western diplomatic hypocrisy and the manipulation of African officials to discredit African governments.
He drew parallels to Libya, warning against foreign strategies that pit Africans against each other. The president defended his administration’s record in socioeconomic development, pointing to progress in healthcare, agriculture, and military modernization.
Traoré concluded by demanding public corrections from those spreading what he called a disinformation campaign, affirming his commitment to reforms despite international pressure.
