Burkina Faso’s Military Administration Dissolves All Political Parties Amid Ongoing Security Crisis

On Thursday, January 29, 2026, the Council of Ministers in Burkina Faso, under the leadership of Captain Ibrahim Traoré, officially ratified a decree mandating the total dissolution of all political parties and organizations within the nation. This drastic measure is presented by the authorities as a fundamental component of a broader "State Restoration" initiative, deemed necessary to consolidate authority while the country grapples with persistent armed conflicts. By moving away from a multiparty framework, the government aims to streamline its response to the severe security threats posed by insurgent groups linked to Al-Qaeda and ISIS.

Minister of Territorial Administration Émile Zerbo defended the decision, arguing that the proliferation of political entities—which numbered more than one hundred prior to the September 2022 coup—had exacerbated social divisions and undermined national unity. Under the new decree, all assets previously held by these dissolved parties will be seized and transferred to state ownership. Furthermore, a legislative proposal to formally revoke party statuses and eliminate public funding provisions is set to be submitted to the Transitional Legislative Assembly for final approval.

Alongside these political shifts, the Traoré administration has launched an ambitious "Recovery Plan" spanning from 2026 to 2030, with a projected budget of 36 trillion CFA francs, roughly equivalent to 54.9 billion euros. Minister of Economy and Finance Aboubacar Nakanabo highlighted that nearly two-thirds of this massive investment will be generated through domestic revenue streams. The plan outlines specific socio-economic benchmarks, including a target to reduce poverty levels from 42% to 35% and an increase in average life expectancy from 61 to 68 years, signaling an effort to pair political centralization with long-term developmental goals.

The leadership of Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who assumed power in September 2022 after ousting Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, is widely viewed as a definitive pivot away from traditional neo-colonial ties, particularly with France. In their place, Burkina Faso has sought to strengthen strategic partnerships with nations like Russia. Traoré has successfully cultivated a public image as a champion against Western interference, a narrative that has gained significant traction among a population weary of chronic instability. This support was recently evidenced in early January 2026, when a reported coup attempt was thwarted with visible public backing for the current administration.

In pursuit of industrialization and infrastructure modernization, Traoré announced a series of major development projects on January 27, 2026, including the establishment of new medical facilities, schools, and a specialized technological university. Significant progress has already been reported on the highway connecting Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso, where over 70% of the land clearing was completed in just 40 days using a fleet of more than 100 bulldozers. Additionally, the energy sector is poised for a major overhaul through a partnership with Russia’s Rosatom to construct a small-scale nuclear power plant by 2030, part of a strategy to expand the nation's power capacity from 685 MW to over 2,500 MW.