General Michael Langley, Commander of the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), has defended the involvement of the U.S. in Burkina Faso during an exclusive interview in Nairobi, amid growing criticism across Africa.
According to him, the reason the US was in Burkina is contrary to what many Africans thought or think. He stated that they were there to “rescue the country.”
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“Our intention going into Burkina Faso was to help rescue the country from the hunter regime and to restore peace for its people, not what many Africans may think or are thinking. But again, we respect the sovereignty of the people.”
General Michael Langley made the statement on May 29, during an exclusive interview in Nairobi, Kenya, on the sidelines of the African Chiefs of Defense Conference.
On April 3, Langley accused Burkina Faso’s President Ibrahim Traoré of misusing the country’s $4 billion gold reserves to sustain his military junta rather than benefiting the population.
These comments sparked outrage, with Burkina Faso’s Foreign Ministry calling them “gravely inaccurate.”
Langley’s statement during the interview aimed to clarify U.S. intentions, emphasizing respect for Burkina Faso’s sovereignty while highlighting AFRICOM’s focus on counterterrorism and regional stability.
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He met with Kenyan military officials to discuss security cooperation and stressed partnerships built on “mutual respect.”
However, AFRICOM’s presence is still seen as a means of Western economic interests, particularly access to resources like the continent’s gold.