Burkina Faso’s transitional president, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, has announced that 2026 will be a year of intensified development and national self-improvement, calling on citizens to prepare for a renewed drive towards industrialisation and infrastructure expansion.
Captain Traoré made the remarks at the Koulouba Palace during the country’s first official flag-raising ceremony of the year. Reflecting on achievements recorded in 2025, the president highlighted notable progress in agriculture, pointing to the successful cultivation of crops previously considered unviable in Burkina Faso. These include wheat, pineapples, grapes, as well as cocoa and coffee.
He stressed that the administration’s objective is not export-led production, but ensuring food availability for domestic consumption. In this regard, he encouraged Burkinabè citizens to prioritise locally processed products, particularly those produced by homegrown chocolatiers and coffee roasters.
The president also welcomed reforms in the education sector, citing the expansion of vocational and technical secondary schools and the completion of a technological university as key milestones in building a skilled workforce.
In a further boost to scientific research, Captain Traoré announced that Burkina Faso has acquired a scanning electron microscope, described as one of the most advanced on the African continent. The equipment will enable researchers to conduct high-level scientific analysis within the country.
Turning to infrastructure and security, the president commended progress in both areas. He defended the government’s decision to adopt a self-construction model for a major highway project, led by young Burkinabè engineers under the Faso Mêbo agency. Captain Traoré said offers of foreign financing were declined, describing them as costly and ill-suited to national priorities. He noted that the project is being executed with specialised equipment unique in the region.
On security, he praised the Defence and Security Forces (FDS) and the Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland (VDP), stating that government troops have advanced to border areas that are now undergoing stabilisation efforts.
The transitional leader expressed confidence that the ongoing projects and reforms would strengthen Burkina Faso’s economic foundations and position the country as a rising hub for industrial and infrastructural development in Africa.
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