Explaining the resurgence of military coups in Africa

Friday, September 08, 2023 | 30 Views |

Since 2020, Africa has recorded eight successful coups and three unsuccessful coups. No singular factor explains coup drivers. The recent coup in Gabon as well the July 26 coup in Niger are not isolated events.

Rather, they represent the recent resurgence of military coups that have plagued Africa. Some of these coups have occurred within the same country notably, Mali and Burkina Faso.

Some of these coup-affected countries have also experienced military rule for a third of their post-colonial independence. The resurgence of military coups is rooted in a combination of triggers, and proximate and structural factors that require examination.

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