How AU, ECOWAS, others enable coups in Africa

Military coups were common in Africa during the Cold War, and now seem to be returning. Between January 2020 and August 2023, there were five attempted and nine successful coups – the latest being the military takeovers in Niger (July) and Gabon (August). Nearly 20 per cent of African countries have experienced coups since 2013.

Most recent coups have happened in West Africa, especially in French-speaking countries. This has alarmed the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which hurriedly convened summits on the issue in February 2022 and July 2023.

As in Mali, ECOWAS countries have imposed sanctions on Niger and threatened to intervene militarily to dislodge the coup leaders if they fail to reinstate deposed president Mohamed Bazoum. And as with Mali and other cases, experience shows that sanctions alone cannot deter overthrows – the root causes must be addressed.