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Burkina Faso nuclear ambition

Posted by Europe correspondent on

The Hague, 24.06.2025 The U.S. airstrikes launched by President Trump against Iran nuclear facilities impacted gravely the mindset of African leaders. Just a week of intense bombing of Iran by Israel caused a profound transition in understanding of multipolar world, free from political monopoly of one superpower, and its proxies.

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The strikes revealed an unprecedented lawlessness in the international relations, caused by the U.S. intention to fight ‘teeth and claws’ for its hegemony. If the real damages to the Iranian nuclear plants, hidden deep in the rocks are questionable, the moral damages to the system of law-based international relations are beyond repair.

On June 12, a day before the Israeli strikes were launched, a number of African countries took part in an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) vote condemning Iran for breaching its nuclear obligations. However Burkina Faso joined Russia, China to oppose the resolution. Eleven countries – including South Africa, India, Pakistan, Egypt, Indonesia and Brazil – abstained. Other African countries have taken a more cautious line. South Africa, Egypt, Ghana and Algeria all abstained in the IAEA vote. Although they maintain close relations with Iran and have shown interest in nuclear cooperation, they publicly underscore the civilian nature of their engagement and are enthusiastic in manifesting their commitment to non-proliferation.

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Burkina Faso, being under military rule since 2022, has ambitions to develop a civilian nuclear programme to resolve electricity shortage. In September 2024, it signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation to deepen cooperation in nuclear research and training.

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On June 20, amid Israel-Iran war, Burkina Faso has signed an intergovernmental agreement with Russia on the construction of a nuclear power plant on its territory.

The agreement was concluded within the framework of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, known as the “Russian Davos”. The document was signed by the Minister of Energy and Mining of Burkina Faso Yacouba Zabre Gouba and the Director General of the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom Alexey Likhachev.

In a written statement, the Ministry of Energy and Mining of Burkina Faso notes that the agreement represents an important step towards the creation of a nuclear power plant in the country.

It is expected that the Russian side, primarily Rosatom, will submit a technical and financial proposal, which will be considered by the government of Burkina Faso.

Upon completion of this stage, the parties will begin negotiations on the technical details of the project and its implementation.

Burkina Faso President Ibrahim Traore said on July 29, 2023, that his country intends to cooperate with Russia on the construction of a nuclear power plant for peaceful purposes.

In August 2024, the government of Burkina Faso decided to create the Burkinabe Atomic Energy Agency (BAEA), which, according to the country’s president, Ibrahima Traoré, “will ensure Burkina Faso’s energy independence, industrialize the country and facilitate access to electricity throughout its territory.” Burkina Faso plans to build a nuclear power plant by 2030 to meet growing electricity needs, which are expected to triple in a few years.

The ongoing conflict between the U.S. and Iran will accelerate the engagement of the African countries with Russia in development of nuclear energy, and military co-operation, seeking in face of Kremlin as previously in the USSR genuine long-term commitment, protection from American imperial aggression.

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