Burkina Faso: Key Update on President Ibrahim Traoré

 Burkina Faso’s military leader, Ibrahim Traoré, has made several bold moves in recent days, tightening his grip on power and shifting the country’s political direction.

Traoré became the first leader to receive the new AES biometric identity card, a symbol of the alliance between Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. The government also dissolved the national electoral commission, placing elections and political control directly under state authority.

In another major step, Traoré ordered public institutions to cut ties with Western media, accusing them of spreading harmful narratives. His administration also backed Morocco’s position at the recent Rabat Terrorism Conference, strengthening foreign alliances outside traditional Western influence.

On the domestic side, the government approved a bill to restore the death penalty for crimes such as terrorism, treason, and espionage — a decision critics say could increase state repression.

With these moves, Traoré continues to centralize power, reshape alliances, and redefine information control in Burkina Faso.