Burkina Faso opened its first gold mine, almost coinciding with Captain Traoré’s takeover on 30 September 2022. The gold refinery, Raffinor Burkina Faso, opened in the capital, Ouagadougou, and is projected to produce an initial 164 tons of gold per year.
By Gayatri Galloway on X, Anthropologist, wife of George Galloway | Transcribed and slightly edited by NewsVoice
It’s not the only country on the African continent that has a gold refinery. There are some major ones in Uganda, Kenya, and Zimbabwe.
The biggest and most established one is right here in South Africa. What’s so groundbreaking about the gold refinery in Burkina Faso is that it is fully state-owned and covers the entire supply chain, from digging the ore to refining the gold bars. These gold bars have a QR code engraved on them, linking to data showing the purity of the metal, up to 99.99% pure gold, and, of course, the source, which is the République du Burkina.
As if this isn’t stunning enough, this mammoth achievement was reached within four years of Captain Traoré’s rule. And I’d like to paint you a picture of what Burkina Faso looked like when he took over.
At the time, in 2022, there were no refineries at all. All natural resources were exported in raw form to be processed abroad and added value there, as is the way of capitalism. Moreover, 40% of the country’s territory was in the hands of Al-Qaeda and ISIS terrorist jihadists.
Needless to say, these groups were backed by Western sources and, as is now clear, also by Ukraine explicitly. There was widespread violence and destruction of basic infrastructure, homes, and schools, causing 1.7 million Burkinabé to be internally displaced.
So Captain Ibrahim Traoré inherited a country in shatters. Today, about 74% of the national territory has been recaptured, pacified, and secured by the state. 1.3 million people have been resettled in the places of their origin.
It is still volatile, but wherever terrorist insurgencies emerge, they are met by a growing military power under Traoré, with the help of Russia.
Furthermore, Burkina Faso expanded its power grid, electrifying 160,000 households across hundreds of rural communities.
It has built roads, engaging the Burkinabé in the process. It has rebuilt schools and hospitals with radiotherapy centers. It left ECOWAS, which is the World Bank-backed institution of West Africa, and instead formed the Alliance of the Sahel States with Mali and Niger, who are in the same revolutionary boat as Captain Traoré.
The Sahel states are now set to walk out of the ICC. And why not? It’s an International Criminal Court, but the only people we see behind dogs are African leaders. Thomas Sankara, former president of Burkina Faso, who was assassinated in 1987, said, ”He who feeds you controls you.” And today, Captain Traoré has opened a tomato factory.
He has produced sufficient grain, so much so that they can now export this produce, achieving food sovereignty. The list goes on, but in short, Captain Ibrahim Traoré is leading an industrial revolution, a true post-colonial independent country and sovereign nation.
The BBC headlines: ”Burkina Faso Junta Leader Opens Big Gold Refinery in Bid to Keep Mining Profits at Home.”
One man’s junta leader is another man’s sovereignty fighter. Yes, Traoré is set to keep the maximum profits at home so his own people can reap the fruits. So cry more, BBC, and God bless Captain Ibrahim Traoré.
By Gayatri Galloway
🇧🇫 Burkina Faso was a shattered country before Captain Traore.
Four years later, he’s fought the Western-backed t*rr*rists, regained territory and is leading a true Industrial Revolution building roads, schools, hospitals, factories and even the very first state owned gold mint. He’s restoring Burkanibe dignity and African pride.
Captain, my Captain: I salute you and may God Almighty preserve you and bless Burkina Faso 🇧🇫
— gayatri 🍀 (@GayatriGalloway) October 9, 2026