Burkina Faso rejects U.S. AFRICOM chief’s allegations of resource misuse
The government of Burkina Faso has issued a strong protest against remarks made by General Michael Langley, Commander of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), during a public hearing before the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee on April 3, 2025.
According to a statement released by Burkina Faso's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Cooperation and Burkinabè Abroad, General Langley's comments, which alleged that the country’s mineral wealth and cooperation funds from China are being diverted to support the ruling regime rather than benefit the population, were both unfounded and politically motivated.
"General Langley adopts a posture that deliberately denies the new sovereignist dynamic of Burkina Faso," the Ministry declared, condemning what it described as "serious inaccuracies" made without evidence and in a context unrelated to Burkina Faso.
The government criticised the U.S. general’s statement for lacking a factual basis and for casting doubt on Burkina Faso’s efforts toward transparent governance, particularly in the management of natural resources.
The Ministry emphasised that these comments, delivered before such a high-level body as the U.S. Senate, were not only unjustified but also damaging to the image and credibility of the Burkinabè state.
"Such light, unfounded, and eminently political remarks are all the more worrying because they were made... by a senior military official," the Ministry added.
In a formal rebuttal, the Ministry reaffirmed the government’s commitment under President Ibrahim Traoré to fight corruption and ensure that all revenues from the mining sector are channelled transparently into the national budget.
"All revenues from mining are now returned to the state coffers and are subject to rigorous and transparent management," the statement noted.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry stressed that the Traoré administration has taken decisive steps to clean up public governance and promote inclusive growth, countering any claims to the contrary.
