Coup Belt in Africa: Concerns for Democracy and Stability

Context: 

West African nations have given Niger’s coup leaders one week to reinstate the country’s democratically elected president and have threatened to use force if the demands aren’t met.

Coup belt in Africa:

• Seizure of Power: Coup is generally described as a sudden, violent, and illegal seizure of power from a government.
• Concerns for Democracy and Stability: A chain of military coups has led to instability in six African countries spanning 5,600km across the continent. 
  • The recent coup in Niger has raised alarm about the setback to democracy in the continent. 

Location of Niger: 

• A Landlocked Country: Niger is a landlocked country located in West Africa. 
• Bordering Regions: It is bordered by Libya to the northeast, Chad to the east, Nigeria to the south, Benin and Burkina Faso to the southwest, Mali to the west, and Algeria to the northwest. 
  • Over 80% of its land area lies in the Sahara (Sahel Region).

Image Credits: Encyclopedia Britannica

The Sahel and Jihadi Violence: 

• Hotspot for Violence: 
  • The Sahel region has been a hotbed of jihadi activity, with several areas controlled by armed groups. 
• Concerns for West: 
  • The West is worried about the implications of the coup on the fight against Islamist militants in the Sahel, particularly given the significant US military presence in Niger. 
• Overlap with Coup Belt: 
  • Many of the coup-ruled countries are located in the Sahel region, leading to further instability. 
• Russia’s Influence: 
  • A potential US withdrawal could open doors for Russia, which has been gaining influence in some African countries, including those in the coup belt. 

Image Source: NYT

The Roots of Coup: 

• Responses to Militancy: 
  • These coups may be seen as a response to the increasing Islamist militancy in the region, with the need for strong authorities to tackle these groups. 
• Corruption: 
  • Public anger at corruption has been a major contributing factor to the military coups in these countries.
• Weak States and Youth Bulge: 
  • The region’s high youth unemployment and weak state structures add to its instability, making it more vulnerable to military coups. 

Status of India in reference to Coup: 

• While all our South Asian neighbors—Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma and Sri Lanka—have experienced military coups, actual or attempted, the Indian comprehensive system of checks and balances proved as a ‘coup-proof’.

News Source: The Indian Express

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