Burkina Faso: “Think, invent, produce” – The new motto of Captain Ibrahim Traoré
Under the leadership of Captain Ibrahim Traoré, Burkina Faso is ushering in a new era focused on scientific and technological sovereignty. By presiding over the opening ceremony of the 15th National Forum on Scientific Research and Technological Innovations (FRSIT) for the first time, the Head of State clearly defined a major political direction: the nation’s rebuilding will not happen without science, national intelligence, and the mobilization of knowledge for the people.
The tone was set from the beginning: “We do not want a brain full of knowledge and a heart empty of patriotism.” This phrase, which has gone viral, encapsulates the spirit of the new national compact that the President aims to establish between the state, the youth, and the research community.
It signals a break from the old logic of intellectual dependency and brain drain. Captain Ibrahim Traoré is now calling for a form of scientific patriotism, where knowledge is committed to the fight for Burkina Faso’s sovereignty and rebirth.
By aligning the FRSIT with the theme of re-industrialization, the Head of State is directly linking innovation to national production.
The goal is no longer just to celebrate research, but to make knowledge an instrument of economic power.
The announcement of acquiring state-of-the-art equipment for researchers by 2026, along with the decision to multiply prize money fivefold, demonstrates a firm political will to reposition research as a strategic lever for endogenous development.
This approach is part of the broader vision of the Popular Progressive Revolution to build a sovereign, productive state proud of its own strengths.
Initiatives like the creation of the Faso Bangré center and support for the Faso Andubè platform illustrate this new synergy between the state and national creativity. It is an action-oriented rebuilding plan where political leadership is combined with the promotion of local expertise.
On the ground, the populace is embracing this direction. The youth, stimulated by this direct and mobilizing message, see in it a horizon of dignity and opportunity.
Researchers, long marginalized, finally feel recognized as central actors in the country’s transformation.
By placing science at the heart of the Revolution, President Traoré is drawing a clear line: Burkina Faso will only be strong through the intelligence and patriotism of its people. This represents the face of a truly African renewal; lucid, bold, and sovereign.
Olivier TOE
