The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), South Africa’s vocal leftist party, has launched a sharp rebuke against the United States over recent accusations aimed at Burkina Faso’s President, Captain Ibrahim Traoré. The party condemned the remarks as part of a broader neo-colonial agenda under President Donald Trump’s renewed administration, warning of escalating Western interference in African sovereignty.
During an April 3 U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, General Michael Langley — head of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) — accused the Burkinabè government of misusing its gold reserves to entrench military control, rather than uplifting its citizens. The comments sparked outrage both within Burkina Faso and across parts of the African continent, where leaders and activists view such narratives as thinly veiled imperialism.
The EFF, never shy about confronting Western power structures, issued a fiery response on its official X (formerly Twitter) account. “We condemn the West’s continued interference in African nations’ affairs and their attempts to control our resources. The EFF supports Captain Traoré’s efforts to reclaim Burkina Faso’s gold for the benefit of its people and to resist neo-colonial pressures.”
The timing of the statement is particularly significant. President Trump, now back in the White House after winning the 2024 U.S. election, has made it clear that his foreign policy will be guided by what he calls “America First 2.0” — a stance that has included cutting aid to countries perceived as aligning with China or Russia and aggressively countering their influence on the continent. In this light, critics argue that Africa is once again being dragged into Cold War–style power games, with sovereignty often sacrificed at the altar of global rivalry.
The EFF warned that these U.S. accusations — couched as concerns over corruption — are consistent with a pattern of undermining African leaders who refuse to play by Western economic and political rules. The party hailed Traoré’s commitment to self-determination and praised his decision to redirect Burkina Faso’s gold revenues toward local development and security.
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The Burkinabè government also issued an official response, calling the allegations “regrettable” and “gravely inaccurate.” The Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused AFRICOM of making unfounded claims that distort the country’s reality and diminish the integrity of its leadership. “We remain committed to transparency, national reform, and the fair distribution of resources,” the statement read.
Burkina Faso, a nation with a long history of resisting foreign domination — from colonial rule to modern military interventions — has embraced a bold new posture under Traoré. His administration has openly criticized foreign military presence in the region and repositioned the country’s alliances with a stronger focus on African self-reliance.
For the EFF, this is the very spirit Africa needs. “The time has come for African nations to unite against old systems of control,” the party said. “Burkina Faso’s gold belongs to its people — not to American generals or the geopolitical chessboard of the Trump presidency.”
As President Trump’s second term takes shape with assertive foreign policy maneuvers and a growing spotlight on Africa’s natural wealth, the continent’s political future may depend more than ever on how boldly its leaders resist external pressures and reclaim their right to self-governance.
