Former South African President Jacob Zuma is in Ouagadougou. Visiting as part of the Afro-descendants’ stay, he came to salute, as he put it, “the courage of a country that has made very correct decisions.” Welcomed at the international airport by Burkinabè authorities, Zuma aims to strengthen the bonds of solidarity and sovereignty among African peoples.
Former South African President Jacob Zuma set foot in Burkina Faso on October 29, 2025. Welcomed by Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean Marie Traoré, the Burkinabè Ambassador to the United States, and a large delegation from the African diaspora, Jacob Zuma’s visit is part of the Afro-descendants’ stay program, an initiative aimed at strengthening ties between the peoples of the continent and their diasporas.
“We are very happy to be here today. We have been looking forward to visiting our comrades here. Our being here is to see this country which has done something unusual, to liberate Africans here. That’s why we are here. We are very happy.”
Jacob ZUMA, Former President – South Africa
Beyond its symbolic value, Jacob Zuma’s visit to Burkina Faso is seen as a message of Pan-African solidarity. The former South African president expressed his support for the sovereignist policies pursued by Burkinabè authorities, praising Burkina Faso’s political choices as “very correct decisions” in favor of African sovereignty.
“Africans tend to be so busier than in the past. So we are very happy. I’m sure, to be here in a country that has taken very correct decisions. And when we talk more, we’ll indicate, many things, including some of our Africans here”
Jacob ZUMA, – Former President – South Africa
Jacob Zuma is thus taking part in conferences dedicated to Pan-Africanism and South-South cooperation. This provides him with an opportunity, from Ouagadougou, to emphasize that the future of the African continent must be built by Africans and for Africans.
