"Two coups and one foiled coup within eight weeks constitute a new dimension even for Africa's recent history. In October, the military in Madagascar deposed the president after weeks of protests. Then in November, soldiers in Guinea-Bissau deposed the head of state shortly after what they considered to be a rigged election. In early December, a group of soldiers calling themselves the "Military Committee for Renewal" announced a takeover in Benin."
"Many young people, particularly young men who are primarily responsible for instability, are increasingly well educated, but there are no jobs and no opportunities. And that is a very volatile situation. Cilliers compared the socioeconomic conditions to gasoline soaking a rag. The more gasoline there is, the more dangerous a spark becomesor in other words, the more likely a possible coup becomes."
Multiple coups and an attempted coup unfolded within eight weeks across West Africa, including Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau and an attempted takeover in Benin. Eight African countries are under military rule and a 'coup belt' runs through the predominantly French-speaking Sahel. Rapid population growth and a growing cohort of educated but jobless young people create volatile socioeconomic conditions. Structural drivers of coups include economic pressure, security crises in the Sahel, and tensions surrounding elections. Contested or manipulated elections raise stakes where institutions are weak, and successful coups can motivate imitation by renegade military personnel.
Read at www.dw.com
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