Here is the English translation of the provided transcript:

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**Transcript**

**0:12**
Hello and welcome to *The Great Interview*. Our guest today is the President of Burkina Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traoré. Your Excellency, hello, and thank you very much for accepting our invitation. It’s a great honor to have you on our show. Yesterday, you attended the May 9 parade. What are your impressions?

**0:31**
Hello, and thank you. We are here in Russia for the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazism. As you mentioned, yesterday we attended the ceremony, a parade, and also a wreath-laying ceremony at the tomb. I think it’s very symbolic. We learned a lot during this visit. It wasn’t just a celebration, but a commemoration of the victory of a new world, which holds great meaning for us.

**1:06**
What did you think of the quality of the parade?

**1:08**
As I said, it was perfect, absolutely perfect, and it taught us a lot. When you see the equipment that won the war, like the T-34 tanks, up to modern equipment, it shows the technological evolution of the Russian army. This inspires us to work harder to develop in the same direction.

**1:32**
Were there any things that surprised you, for example?

**1:37**
Surprised? We’re always surprised when we see technological advancements. Recently, I believe a new weapon appeared in the Russian military arsenal at Rechnik, which we saw pass by, and I think that’s very significant.

**1:54**
What is the significance of your presence as an African head of state? We know that Africans made significant contributions to the Allied victory in World War II.

**2:03**
As I said, Africans and Soviet soldiers contributed greatly to liberating the world from Nazism. If the world hadn’t been freed from Nazism, we don’t know what it would have become. Following the events, I saw that Russia alone lost 1 million soldiers on European soil fighting. Africa also contributed; our ancestors fought extensively in Europe, mainly in France, Belgium, and Italy, to liberate the world from Nazism. So, it’s a shared history.

**2:35**
How did your meeting with the Russian president go?

**2:37**
For now, we’ve had brief meetings, and in a short while, we will have a longer discussion. It’s going very well, very courteous, friendly, and fraternal, which is exactly what we want in terms of new cooperation in this world.

**2:57**
How would you describe the current state of bilateral relations?

**2:59**
Relations are doing very well. I can say that over the past two years, relations have started strongly, and we are deepening them. This includes defense and security, but also education and trade. We’ve prioritized different sectors to exchange and share experiences because we have a lot to learn from Russia, especially in education and sciences.

**3:28**
In which specific areas?

**3:30**
There are many areas in the sciences—mathematics, physics, chemistry—that interest us greatly, both for developing our military industry and for the commercial and economic development of our country. These are sectors we aim to deepen to better structure ourselves.

**3:52**
Do you think there’s a demand in Burkina Faso for Russian education?

**3:57**
Of course. There are already many Burkinabé students here in Russia at universities. I met some this morning, and I even requested an increase in the number of students here, whether through Russian scholarships or Burkina Faso funding their studies. Our goal is to establish similar universities in Burkina Faso, and with the Russian House already there, it will help us move quickly.

**4:21**
Speaking of which, you visited a Russian university today. How did that visit go?

**4:26**
It went very well. I had fruitful exchanges with the Russian Minister of Education, university rectors, and students, especially African students studying there. We had excellent discussions, particularly on scientific matters.

**4:45**
Let’s talk a bit about the economy. The volume of trade has increased tenfold in a year, but these figures don’t match the level of political dialogue. How do you explain this paradox, and how can these commercial ties be boosted?

**5:03**
As I said, it’s a new relationship that’s beginning. You know, with Russia, since the years after the unfortunate death of Sankara, relations with Russia had significantly faded. Now we’re reviving them. The embassy has been established, and commercial relations are also at the heart of our exchanges. For example, some Burkinabé products, like mangoes, used to transit through European countries before being sold in Russia. Today, they’re sold directly through Burkinabé and Russian operators. Cotton and sesame are next, along with other agricultural products we can trade directly with Russia. It’s just the beginning, and it will grow.

**6:01**
Economic forecasts indicate 5.6% growth in 2025. What are the key sectors driving this growth?

**6:10**
Until now, gold has been Burkina Faso’s top export product. However, we’ve launched an agricultural push for self-sufficiency and export. Last year, we launched an agricultural offensive with an initiative to support it. The goal is to significantly increase our agricultural production for self-sufficiency and to export cash crops to sustain this growth. We hope to exceed these figures.

**6:49**
How are these reforms going?

**6:51**
There are many challenges, and these are difficult reforms because an entrenched system exists, but it’s not impossible. For example, our cereal production has seen strong growth in 2024, and we hope to do even better in 2025. These are courageous reforms. In agriculture, for instance, through the offensive initiative, we decided to plow fields for new farmers for free. We did it last year, and this year, God willing, we’ve acquired more tractors to provide to mechanized units in various departments to increase cultivated areas. We’re also maximizing water management through a structure we created to control water and produce two or three times a year, as relying solely on rainfall is difficult. The mining sector is another area we’re boosting so the country can exploit its own resources. We’ve started acquiring mines and developing permits with our engineers and necessary machinery to exploit our resources ourselves. By leveraging these two sectors and complementing them with industrialization—processing our products locally instead of exporting them raw—we expect significant growth. These reforms are underway in agriculture, industry, and other sectors.

**8:29**
Do you think Russia can support the implementation of these reforms?

**8:31**
Of course, a lot of support. Technical and vocational training alone is already a great thing. If we set up industries, we need people to maintain and operate them, and Russia is helping us in this area. That’s why I say we have excellent cooperation with the Ministry of Education. They will help us train technicians and engineers to maintain what we’re doing and create our own industrial units, which is very important. In trade, as I mentioned, things are going very well with Russia, and there’s no reason we can’t deepen this further.

**9:10**
Let’s talk a bit about security. What is the current security situation in your country and the region?

**9:13**
In the region, as you know, the security situation is evolving on the battlefield. That’s the first thing, as several factors come into play. From 2023 to today, we’ve made progress, recovering and pacifying many areas. However, the enemy is also strengthening, with many foreign fighters joining their ranks.

**9:39**
Can you clarify what you mean?

**9:42**
The terrorists are reinforced by many foreign fighters who come from elsewhere. In Burkina Faso’s case, there are many criminals who aren’t Burkinabé, as well as trainers from various countries teaching them techniques.

**10:00**
But what’s their interest?

**10:02**
It’s not terrorism; it’s imperialism. Their goal is to keep us in a permanent state of war so we can’t develop and they can continue to plunder our resources. They have every interest in bringing specialists in mines, explosives, and even drones for combat. These are professionals from certain countries teaching them these skills to keep us in insecurity. But we’re taking stock, adapting to their methods, and will continue fighting until we recover the entire Sahel.

**10:37**
Are there specific countries financing these fighters?

**10:43**
All imperialist countries finance these fighters. There are many, and we can’t name them individually. Some are hidden, and you wouldn’t imagine them, but there are many. Some openly declare it, like the recent scandal of terrorism support in Mali.

**11:02**
What’s your view on what happened in Mali?

**11:06**
It’s unfortunate. They openly declared they support terrorists. We’ve also noticed, with certain technologies the terrorists have, that it comes from them. It’s very unfortunate, but we don’t dwell on our fate. We’ve taken the measure of the situation, we’ll adapt, we’ll fight them, and they won’t win. That’s what’s most important.

**11:32**
How is humanitarian cooperation between Burkina Faso and Russia progressing?

**11:37**
It’s progressing very well. There are many exchanges in various areas, like health, because we have displaced people, and displaced camps often face complicated sanitary conditions. I think health services are cooperating well to support humanitarian action. In 2023, Russia made a wheat donation to Burkina Faso for displaced people. However, we promised President Putin that we no longer want to rely on wheat imports because we’re producing our own in sufficient quantities. This cooperation is helping us develop and boost many things.

**12:32**
Amid current geopolitical tensions, particularly the trade war between the U.S. and China, how is Burkina Faso adapting its economic and diplomatic strategy?

**12:41**
The world is constantly changing, and it’s often chaotic. You have to stay alert and adapt at all times. We follow the news, and there’s an economic battle everywhere. For now, we trade with China without issues. We buy a lot from China, and the Chinese also buy from us. Chinese companies are setting up in Burkina Faso despite attempts to discredit us. It’s the same with Russia. We try to collaborate better with countries fighting for economic independence because imperialism is a form of oppression. The oppressed must unite to face this hegemony, so we adapt to the situation.

**13:41**
Mr. President, what’s your view on the recent deterioration of relations with Algeria?

**13:44**
You’ve followed the events, and I think everyone understands how it works. We regret the incident at the Algerian border with the drone they shot down. Let’s be clear: it’s not friendly, it’s not clean. You don’t shoot down an aircraft like that when everyone knows the protocol. If an aircraft crosses your border, you identify it with radar, you know which country it belongs to, and there are diplomatic channels for that. You contact the embassy, the defense attachés, and there are many mechanisms to confirm if it’s their aircraft or not. It might need help, it might have lost its way due to weather or technical issues. There are many factors that can lead an aircraft into foreign airspace—you don’t systematically shoot it down. We’ve had cases where an American aircraft entered our territory for reconnaissance. We didn’t shoot it down; we contacted the U.S. embassy, they confirmed it was theirs, and they cleared the airspace. Shooting down an aircraft is a deliberate, unfriendly act, and it’s regrettable.

**15:33**
But if I understand correctly, you’re not closing the door to dialogue?

**15:35**
Leaders must understand that we have no choice but to unite against this so-called terrorism, which is a complex phenomenon. In 2012, Burkina Faso was watching Mali, and the regime in place was friendly with those people. Some even lived in Ouagadougou—Iyad Ag Ghaly lived in Ouagadougou, that’s the reality. But now, they’ve turned against us. These aren’t free people; they’re manipulated by imperialists who give orders to their criminals on the ground. We must understand that we need to unite to face this. There’s no negotiation possible with these people.

**16:30**
Speaking of unity, let’s talk about the integration happening within the AES (Alliance of Sahel States). Where are we at now?

**16:36**
It’s going well, it’s progressing. We’re in the confederation phase, and as I said, there are many things to put in place. We don’t want to rush and do things poorly. We’re moving progressively, setting up structures and aligning various sectors in the three countries. Economically, we’re not at the same level, and militarily, there are many areas to balance. This requires establishing many structures, holding meetings, and ensuring free movement, which involves aligning several parameters. You may have seen we’ve done significant work to create a unified security document for travel. It’s evolving, and it’s going very well.

**17:36**
On the economic front, is the creation of an AES-specific currency still on the agenda?

**17:41**
Yes, it’s definitely on the agenda, and the process continues. There are many details to iron out, but it’s a priority. If we talk about sovereignty, we need that kind of sovereignty. It’s imperative.

**18:00**
Can we expect an expansion of the AES?

**18:03**
In the future, yes, but for now, as I said, we need to harmonize many things among ourselves and establish solid foundations. There will be many additional protocols to align our policies—diplomatic, economic, and others—before allowing others to join.

**18:30**
Are there already countries interested in your format?

**18:33**
Yes, some countries are interested. For now, the president of the federation is the Malian president, and he could give his opinion on the matter, but yes, there are countries showing interest.

**18:50**
How do you explain the decline in French influence in the region, not just in the Sahel but also in West Africa?

**18:56**
I think they’ve contributed to their own decline with their paternalistic view of our relations. Whenever we take initiatives, they say we’re influenced by Russia. Why are their eyes so closed? Do they think Africans can’t develop, innovate, or take initiatives? That’s what we’re fighting against. As long as they see Africans as subhumans incapable of thinking, innovating, or inventing, we can never be friends. Times have changed. They need to stop seeing Black people as subhumans—it’s dangerous. They need to change their language.

**19:57**
How does this attitude manifest?

**20:00**
Look at their discourse. The French president, in his speeches, always says African youth are influenced by Russia. Western media lie constantly. They can’t go a day without talking about Burkina Faso or the AES, trying to spread information to divide and manipulate the youth. But it doesn’t work anymore. People are aware, their eyes are open. You, too, are victims of their communication and what they say about Russia. Some African youth still believe their lies. For example, after World War II, if you asked Europeans who won, they’d say Russia. Today, they say the West, because their communication flipped the narrative. They’ve manipulated African history, too, so some African youth don’t even know what Africa did or that our grandparents were used as cannon fodder and killed like animals upon their return. Do people know that when France tested its first atomic bomb, they placed Black soldiers in the blast radius to see the effects? Let’s open the archives and see all they’ve done against Africa—it’s terrible. We need to communicate this so African youth understand, as many are still asleep, repeating imperialist narratives for money or whatever else. Africans must understand their history and wake up—that’s our fight, too.

**22:08**
What’s the role of the media in this fight, in your view?

**22:10**
Independent media from our countries should help us a lot. But some of our media are imperialist, only relaying what European media say, amplifying it. Some media in our country fight regimes like ours and repeat the same nonsense as Western media. It’s shameful for Africans to act like this. They should be ashamed to look in the mirror if they’re paid to spread lies about Black people. In Burkina Faso, we’re raising awareness. Many media now support the dynamic, participating in debates to awaken the youth, which is what we want.

**23:05**
Do you think our media can also play a role in this fight?

**23:09**
Absolutely, a significant role. As I said in St. Petersburg in 2023, and I repeat today, Russia helped save the world, Africa helped save the world. We need to say it so the youth understand that Hollywood films and their stories are lies. The same goes for the Vietnam War—the history is distorted. They don’t want me to speak; they say I talk too much so they can push their version. My biggest regret is spending much of my youth listening to RFI and France 24. I was in countries where those stations were blocked, but we used apps to record their broadcasts. At some point, I had a realization that they were brainwashing us to accept their narrative. I started seeing how dangerous it is, and now I realize they’ve conditioned Africans’ minds. You can help awaken the youth’s consciousness so they understand how the world works and don’t get swept up by these people.

**24:39**
My final question, to end on a positive note: What are the prospects for Russia-Burkina Faso relations in the long term?

**24:45**
Many prospects. From the parade I saw, I think there’s excellent cooperation. We’re currently buying equipment, but we need to develop our military industry, and Russia can help a lot. Russia has many scientists, as we saw at Mendeleev University. They can support us in training to excel, as we have young talents and geniuses who create things but lack the mathematical and scientific support to improve. Russia can help in this area, which will benefit our military and industrial sectors. Machines drive the world, and in technology—IT, networks, telecommunications—we’re collaborating a lot with Russia. These prospects are on the agenda to achieve our goals.

**26:01**
Your Excellency, thank you very much for this very interesting and enriching exchange. A reminder, this was the President of Burkina Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traoré. Thank you again.

**26:09**
Thank you. Thank you.

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This is a direct translation, preserving the content and tone of the original French transcript. Let me know if you need further clarification or analysis!