In a fiery RT en français interview, Burkina Faso’s President Ibrahim Traoré confronted U.S. General Michael Langley’s accusations that Traoré misused national gold reserves for personal gain. Traoré’s retort cut deep: “Why do they always use a Black person to destroy another Black person?” This poignant question captures the heart of his critique—Western powers exploiting Black individuals to undermine African unity and leadership. Traoré sees Langley’s claims, aired during a 2025 U.S. Senate testimony, as a calculated move to destabilize Burkina Faso’s revolutionary government.
Traoré’s words evoke a painful history of colonial manipulation, from African soldiers used as “cannon fodder” by France to modern disinformation campaigns targeting African youth. His accusation frames Langley, head of AFRICOM, as a tool in a neocolonial playbook, pitting Black voices against each other to maintain Western influence. This resonates with Traoré’s Sankara-inspired mission to reclaim African sovereignty and resist foreign interference.
The backlash to Langley’s remarks fueled protests across Burkina Faso, reflecting widespread anger at perceived U.S. overreach. Traoré’s defiance positions him as a champion of African agency, urging unity against external division. For stakeholders, this moment underscores the need to support African-led narratives and challenge manipulative tactics that exploit historical wounds for geopolitical gain.
