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African Union denounces “wave” of coups sweeping the continent

Monday, 07 February 2022 10:38 AM [ Last Update: Monday, 07 February 2022 11:03 AM ]

United Nations (UN) Secretary General Antonio Guterres addresses Presidents and delegates via a telecast at the African Union headquarters during the 35th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa, on February 5, 2022. (Photo by AFP)

The African Union (AU) has denounced a “wave” of military coups sweeping the continent recently; stressing that the military governments will not be tolerated.

After the closing session of the continental union’s annual summit in the Ethiopian capital on Monday, head of the AU’s peace and security council Bankole Adeoye said every African leader in the assembly has “unequivocally condemned the wave of unconstitutional changes of government.”

“Do your research: At no time in the history of the African Union have we had four countries in one calendar year, in 12 months, been suspended,” Adeoye told a press conference.

Less than two weeks before the summit, Burkina Faso became the fourth country after Guinea, Mali and Sudan to be suspended by the AU after a military coup overthrew President Roch Marc Christian Kabore.

West Africa bloc chairman: Mali coup set dangerous trend in Sahel

The West African bloc

Addressing African foreign ministers ahead of the summit, Moussa Faki Mahamat, chair of the African Union Commission, condemned a “worrying resurgence” of such military coups and warned of a democratic backpedalling in the continent, saying this is “unacceptable”.

The AU has been accused of double standards, notably for not suspending the membership of Chad in the continental bloc after its military coup.

“It is only when crisis hits that we say, ‘Gosh, how come this country is falling apart like this so quickly,” a report in AFP quoted Solomon Dersso, founder of Amani Africa think-tank, as saying.

Governments in west and central Africa remain on high alert over coups after successful putsches over the past 18 months in Mali and Guinea.

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