United States AFRICOM Commander General Michael Langley has backtracked on his earlier remarks regarding Burkina Faso’s governance and management of its natural resources. In a visibly “uncomfortable” interview with Kenyan journalist Yvonne Okwara, Langley conceded that “there are a lot of great things going on [in Burkina Faso] to progress them forward,” acknowledging the developmental strides under Captain Ibrahim Traoré’s leadership.

Langley’s remarks follow widespread backlash from the Burkinabè government and across Africa, following his April 3 testimony before the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee. In that hearing, he implied that revenues from Burkina Faso’s mineral wealth and its cooperation with countries like China were primarily being used to consolidate the current regime’s grip on power, rather than benefiting the nation’s people. The Burkinabè government denounced these claims in a strongly worded communiqué dated April 16, labelling them “regrettable” and “gravely inaccurate.”

The comments appeared to be anything but voluntary. According to observers, Langley’s visible discomfort during the interview suggests he may have been compelled to retract his statements due to the global backlash. His tone and body language suggested that the backlash, particularly from the pan-African public, was a contributing factor to his retraction of his earlier statements.

However, Langley tried to maintain a thread of the narrative of military assistance. He subtly reiterated U.S. concerns about the Sahel’s stability and alluded to potential military “assistance,” framing the region as one where “security partnerships remain essential.”