Burkina Faso to stop importing armoured vehicles, Traore says
Burkina Faso will stop ordering armoured vehicles from abroad and instead manufacture them locally, President Ibrahim Traore said as the country pushes for greater military self-reliance.
Footage shows a fleet of locally manufactured Nanga armoured vehicles on display, although the exact location could not be independently verified. Traore said vehicles already ordered or currently on their way would be the last imported, adding that Burkina Faso would continue developing its own production despite the risk of failure.
The move comes as Burkina Faso continues its fight against armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State. Since taking power in 2022, Traore has promoted domestic defence production, while his government has ended military cooperation with France and strengthened security ties with neighbouring Mali and Niger through the Alliance of Sahel States.
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