The Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA) is deeply concerned about the increasing military coup d'tats and unconstitutional change of government across the sub-region especially with the recent case in the Republic of Burkina Faso. In a space of 18 months, the West African sub-region has recorded three successfully coups d'tats and one attempted but failed military takeovers.
FOSDA condemns unconditionally the actions of military officers that led to the overthrow of constitutionally elected executive presidents in the last 18 months. While we commend Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for steps taken so far to urge the concerned states to return to civilian rule as quickly as possible, we also believe that more could have been done by the Community to proactively forestall these events or minimize their impact.
The socio-political turbulence in Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea and Guinea Bissau have been on the wall for some time now. For instance, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) described these West African countries (Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea Bissau) as Authoritarian regimes in the 2020 Democracy Index whereas the Fragile States Index 2020 by the Fund for Peace categorized them under High Warning or Alert predicting that their vulnerabilities could lead to instability or worse to armed conflict just as we are currently witnessing.
The Transparency International, also as far back as February, 2019 reported that corruption is still a major problem across the West African and Saharan Africa with an average score of 32/100; which is the lowest performing region in the world on the Corruption Perception Index (CPI).
FOSDA is even more worried about the rising unemployment rates and inequalities across the sub-region, that is leading to high perceptions of corruption and abuse of power among citizens fueling dissatisfaction, agitations and protests. Data from the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) suggests an average unemployment rate in West Africa to hover between 12-14 percent.
We are also alarmed by the conscious disregard of the rule of law by power holders throughout the sub-region in spite of all the ECOWAS treaties and protocols on democracy and human rights.
Triggers such as the rising youth unemployment; the growing youthful population and uncertain job prospects have contributed to deepening the loss of citizen's hope in the political leadership within the sub region. These and more are also causing fear and panic across the continent of a possible 3rd wave of coups in Africa.
FOSDA urges ECOWAS and members states, to provide strong, decisive and progressive leadership to stall these happenings and promote peace, stability and the urgently needed development of the subregion and its people.
We call on all members states to adhere to all ECOWAS protocols, conventions and policies intended to promote democracy and good governance such as the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework and the Protocol of Democracy and Good Governance. We call on ECOWAS to proactively apply the appropriate sanctions to prevent the escalation of some of these challenges into conflicts.
In light of recent developments in the sub region, especially post-covid economic stresses and the wave of terrorism and violent extremism in the sub-region , we calling on the ECOWAS and leaders of the 15 ECOWAS member countries to show strong political will to keep the peace of the sub-region and to prioritize the welfare and human security needs of citizens.
