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Coup Belt

The Coup Belt (French: la ceinture de coups d'État[1]) is a modern geopolitical concept and neologism which emerged during the 2020s to describe the region of West Africa, Central Africa and the Sahel that is home to countries with a high prevalence of coups d'état.[2][3][4][5] After the 2023 Nigerien coup, these countries formed a continuous chain stretching between the east and west coasts of Africa.[6]

The coups have largely been similar in nature; most came from dissatisfied militaries who criticised their respective government's handling of Islamic insurgents or protests since 2003.[6] The incoming juntas also tend to have worse relations with the West, with many seeking support from either Russia and the Wagner Group or Turkey instead of France, who helped the countries fight against Islamic insurgents through Operation Barkhane. This led Ukraine to funding opposition groups which in turn caused a proxy war between Russia and Ukraine.[7][8]

Origin

The number of successful coups d'état in postcolonial Africa (as of 28 September 2023).[9]
Human Development Index (HDI) of African countries, with the Coup Belt outlined in red (Gabon is sometimes included following the 2023 coup). Every country in the Coup Belt, except Gabon, has an HDI below 0.500, indicating low human development.

Although likely older,[10][11] the term became popular in the 2020s after a string of coups in the early part of the decade, including in Mali in 2020 and 2021,[12] Chad,[6] Guinea,[13] and Sudan[14] in 2021, two in Burkina Faso in January and September 2022,[15][16] and in Niger and Gabon in 2023.[17][18] The region also saw attempted coups in Niger and Sudan in 2021, Guinea–Bissau and The Gambia in 2022, and Sudan, Sierra Leone and Burkina Faso in 2023.

History

Since 1990, 21 of the 27 coups in sub-Saharan Africa have taken place in former French colonies. This has led some to question whether French influence in Africa has a destabilising impact.[19]

The military juntas of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger cancelled military agreements that allowed for French troops to operate on their territory, and in the case of Mali, removed French as an official language.[20][21][22][23]

ECOWAS has tried to actively work on changing this label that is associated with the region, although unsuccessfully; they suspended Mali after their coup in 2021,[24] and also suspended Guinea on 8 September 2021, shortly after a military coup took place in the country.[25][26]

Looking at the subregion of West Africa alone, it should also be noted that the 2020 coup d'état in Mali occurred after a period of nearly six years, since the 2014 Burkina Faso upprising and the ousting of Burkina Faso’s President Blaise Compaoré, during which there was not a single undemocratic change of government in West Africa.[27] For this subregion, where many countries have a history of civil war and violent conflict, this was a period of remarkable stability, during which ECOWAS even managed to find a peaceful resolution to the 2016–2017 Gambian constitutional crisis.

The 2023 Gabonese coup d'état was somewhat different, as Gabon was ruled for 56 years by the Bongo family before the coup, is not near or part of the Sahel, and did not suffer from Islamist or separatist insurgencies. However, the military coup occurred in the context of widespread protests over the conduct of the 2023 Gabonese general election, and led to the establishment of a presidential republic under a military junta.[28]

List of coups d'état in the Coup Belt

Notelist

  1. ^ Gabon is only occasionally included in the grouping.

References

  1. ^ Guibal, Claude (15 August 2023). "Niger : en Afrique, la ceinture des coups d'État redessine la carte du continent". France Info. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  2. ^ Mekki Elmograbi (7 September 2021). "Guinea Joins the African Club of the "Coup Belt"". BL News.
  3. ^ Suleiman, Muhammad Dan (24 September 2021). "Towards a Better Understanding of the Underlying Conditions of Coups in Africa". e-ir.info.com. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  4. ^ "Africa's 'coup belt' facing further upheaval". Arab News. 2 February 2022.
  5. ^ Onuah, Felix (5 December 2022). "West African leaders plan peacekeeping force to counter 'coup belt' reputation". Reuters. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  6. ^ a b c Walsh, Declan (29 July 2023). "Coast to Coast, a Corridor of Coups Brings Turmoil in Africa". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  7. ^ Butenko, Victoria; Elbagir, Nima; Mezzofiore, Gianluca; Qiblawi, Tamara; Goodwin, Allegra; Carey, Andrew; Munsi, Pallabi; Zene, Mahamat Tahir; Arvanitidis, Barbara; Platt, Alex; Baron, Mark; Lauren, Kent (19 September 2023). "Exclusive: Ukraine's special services 'likely' behind strikes on Wagner-backed forces in Sudan, a Ukrainian military source says". CNN. Archived from the original on 11 October 2023. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  8. ^ Walker, Shaun (29 July 2024). "Ukraine military intelligence claims role in deadly Wagner ambush in Mali". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 30 July 2024.
  9. ^ Duzor, Megan; Williamson, Brian (2 February 2022). "By the Numbers: Coups in Africa". Voice of America. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  10. ^ "Explainer: Niger a linchpin for stability in Africa's 'coup belt'". The Guardian. 27 July 2023. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  11. ^ Dyer, Gwynne (7 February 2022). "Opinion: The return of Africa's military 'Coup Belt'". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  12. ^ "After Two Coups, Mali Needs Regional Support to Bolster Democracy". United States Institute of Peace. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  13. ^ Duncan, Timothyna Afua (16 December 2021). "Why a coup in Guinea was felt around the world". CNBC. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  14. ^ "Sudan's Coup: One Year Later". Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  15. ^ "A timeline of the coup in Burkina Faso since January 2022". The Hindu. 3 October 2022. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  16. ^ "Burkina Faso's coup and political situation: All you need to know". Al Jazeera. 5 October 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  17. ^ "Niger's Bazoum 'held by guards' in apparent coup attempt". Al Jazeera. 26 July 2023. Archived from the original on 27 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  18. ^ Dixon, Gary (30 August 2023). "Gabon closes shipping down after post-election coup". TradeWinds. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  19. ^ Mbulle-Nziege, Leonard; Cheeseman, Nic (6 August 2023). "Niger coup: Is France to blame for coups in West Africa?". BBC News. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  20. ^ Ndiaga, Thiam (20 February 2023). "Burkina Faso marks official end of French military operations on its soil". Reuters. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  21. ^ "Last French troops leave Mali, ending nine-year deployment". Al Jazeera. 16 August 2023. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  22. ^ Avi-Yonah, Shera (4 August 2023). "Mali demotes French, language of its former colonizer, in symbolic move". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  23. ^ "France to close Niger embassy after row with military junta". BBC. 22 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  24. ^ "ECOWAS suspends Mali over second coup in nine months". Al Jazeera. 31 May 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  25. ^ Samb, Saliou; Eboh, Camillus; Inveen, Cooper (9 September 2021). Heritage, Timothy; Orlofsky, Steve; Pullin, Richard (eds.). "West African leaders due in Guinea as post-coup calm pervades Conakry". Reuters. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  26. ^ "West African leaders suspend Guinea from Ecowas following coup," September 9, 2021, BBC News, retrieved September 9, 2021
  27. ^ "Ecowas' dilemma: Balancing principles and pragmatism - The Nordic Africa Institute NAI Policy Note 2024:1". nai.uu.se. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  28. ^ Obangome, Gerauds Wilfried (30 August 2023). "Gabonese military officers announce on television they have seized power". Reuters. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  29. ^ Chotiner, Isaac (20 April 2023). "The Failed "Coup-Proofing" Behind the Recent Violence in Sudan". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  30. ^ Picheta, Nima Elbagir,Jessie Yeung,Rob (17 April 2023). "Sudan military leader accuses rival of 'attempted coup' as vicious fighting grips capital". CNN. Retrieved 30 January 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  31. ^ "Sudan's Junta Chief Survived the Coup, but Can He Win the War?". Political Violence at a Glance. 17 July 2023. Retrieved 30 January 2024.