Coups in Africa

Over the past six decades, Africa has been one of the world’s most coup-prone areas. At its historic peak in the 1960s, approximately one-third of all African states had seen one or more coup attempts. A resurgence has seen the wave of coups and coup attempts sweep across Africa in the last four years, affecting Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Sudan and the Niger Republic. While the clamour to mitigate the coup wave sweeping across the continent by the regional body, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU), and the international community is in gear, Gabon’s army seized control of government less than a month after Niger’s military deposed its president. The coups on the continent have been premised on the unpopularity of the leaders, disregard for democratic principles, ailing economies, insecurity and maladministration. The putsch in Gabon, however, is premised on the unpopularity of the leader, disregard for democratic principles following the concluded elections, but also on dynastic style politics.

The coups on the African continent have ignited international condemnation, mostly from the pro-democratic states such as the United States and France. Francophone countries are recording the most coups in Africa, which appear to be signalling France’s dwindling influence. On the African continent, the regional bloc of ECOWAS has shown its discontent through its condemnation and attempts at negotiation on the growing military interventions that have majorly occurred in the West African region. Although the occurrences of putsches have stoked fear and some level of caution to leaders that have been in power for extended periods under said “democracies”. Major changes in the military ranks by the Rwandan President, Paul Kagame, and Cameroonian President, Paul Biya, raise a certain question: Is there a recognition of failure to adhere to democratic principles that put these leaders on edge?

Analysing military interventions across Africa can be viewed as a two-sided coin. On the positive side, recognising the need for development through addressing insecurity, economic malaise, and foreign interference is paramount. However, the promise that military interventions would deliver on addressing the thorns that have stifled the various African countries is bleak and debatable. This is such that despite assertions by the military juntas that they are combating instability, the number of individuals slain, especially in the Sahel area, has been on the rise.

The implication of the coup in Gabon can be seen from the economic lens. Gabon is an oil-rich country accounting for about 0.2 per cent of the global oil supply but plays a more important role in Manganese and Uranium production; as such, it is geographically important towards the goal of energy transition. Instability and disruption to the supply chain could be a setback to Gabon and the international market. Despite the changes in power, most countries that have recorded military coups in recent years have not witnessed significant disruption to mining activities. Nevertheless, the situation in Gabon is still unfolding.

The supposed objectives of coups are often to address economic malaise and stability. However, they are yet to be achieved. There is a need for organisations like the AU and ECOWAS to intervene and prevent military juntas from being the go-to remedy for economic malaise and insecurity in the continent. Recorded military coups in the past have not addressed the challenges that were used to justify the takeover of democratic power. Furthermore, as coups are a setback to democracies, the international community should apply more pressure and persuade military juntas that coups will only socio-economically isolate them globally. Therefore, robust dialogues with African military juntas are needed to fast-track the transition to democratic governments.

Furthermore, as a proactive measure, civil society organisations, regional organisations in Africa and the international community should pressure African governments toward delivering good governance, which will manifest as stability, economic growth and lower levels of corruption. If the challenges that military forces use as a justification to seize power are addressed, it may discourage some African nations’ susceptibility to military coups and the support it appears to enjoy from some quarters. Coups disrupt democratic consolidation gains in Africa and open the continent to episodes of dictatorship, international isolation, sanctions, suppression of freedom and human rights abuses.

Recommended Reading

• Protecting Democracies in Africa through Continental Coalition of Civil Societies
• Coups Too Many?
• Handling the Putschists