@african_affairs_: Russian President Vladimir Putin has invoked the words of Burkina Faso’s revolutionary leader, Thomas Sankara, on debt as an instrument of neocolonialism, warning that some countries have become accustomed to enriching themselves at the expense of others. Putin’s reference to Sankara highlights a longstanding debate about how international debt, financial dependence and unequal economic relationships can affect the sovereignty and development of poorer nations. Sankara, who led Burkina Faso from 1983 until his assassination in 1987, was a prominent critic of Africa’s dependence on foreign borrowing. He argued that debt could undermine national independence and urged African countries to confront the structural conditions that kept them economically dependent. The remarks bring renewed attention to Sankara’s legacy and ongoing discussions about debt sustainability, economic sovereignty and fairer international financial relations.
