“Burkina Faso of 2026 is not 1987” – PM delivers Traoré’s message at Sankara tribute — On 15 October 2026, Burkina Faso marked the 39th anniversary of the assassination of Thomas Sankara and 12 of his companions. The ceremony was held at the Thomas Sankara Memorial in Ouagadougou and led by Prime Minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo on behalf of Captain Ibrahim Traoré.
It included a military tribute, wreath-laying, a minute of silence, a 21-gun salute, and a parade. The date is now an official day of remembrance.
Speaking for Traoré, the Prime Minister said those trying to divide the country should understand that today’s Burkina Faso is different from 1987.
He added that the real tribute is to keep fighting in security, production, schools, and elsewhere rather than just mourning. The message ties into the current “Révolution progressiste populaire.”