Former South African President Jacob Zuma has teamed up with Burkina Faso's President Captain Ibrahim Traoré for what they called "liberation of Africa" from neocolonialism.
This came to light after Traoré received a delegation of Pan-Africanists led by the former South African president at the presidential palace in Ouagadougou on Monday, 3 November.
They discussed economic cooperation, regional security, and the struggle to weaken undue foreign influence in African countries.
Jacob Zuma, who governed South Africa from 2009 to 2018 and now heads the opposition MK Party, praised Traoré’s leadership style and "clear vision for a self-reliant and united Africa", and offered his solidarity and commitment to advancing the Pan-Africanist agenda.
‘Working together’
According to a statement from Burkina Faso’s Presidency, Jacob Zuma said the main purpose of his meeting with Traoré was to chart a way of working "together to continue the struggle for the liberation of Africa".
He described their discussions as "productive and forward-looking", stressing the need for African countries to take control of their own resources and end years of exploitation by foreign powers, especially former colonial rulers.
The former South African president was part of a larger delegation attending a major conference hosted by the African Diaspora Development Institute (ADDI), which brought together about 700 Afro-descendants for what organisers called the "Grand Return".
The event aimed to reconnect people of African descent from around the world with the continent and its future. Among those who attended were Dr Arikiana Chihombori-Quao, founder of ADDI and former African Union Representative to the US, and Zimbabwean Pan-Africanist Joshua Mpong.
Pan-African cooperation
The delegation, which arrived in Burkina Faso on 26 October 2025, participated in sessions on Pan-African cooperation, economic sovereignty, and the preservation of African heritage.
Since taking power in Burkina Faso in 2022, Captain Traoré has positioned himself as a staunch Pan-Africanist, drawing widespread support from across the continent.
His country, along with neighbouring Mali and Niger, have severed military, economic and diplomatic ties with several Western countries, particularly their former colonial ruler, France, and the US.
They formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a regional bloc vowing sovereignty and fight against terrorist groups.
