- At its summit meeting in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, the African Union (AU) sharply condemned the coups in several West African countries.
- On the sidelines of the summit, Bankole Adeoye, the AU commissioner for political affairs, stressed: “The AU assembly has zero tolerance for military adventurers.”
- According to Africa experts, Russia, China, Turkey and Qatar were often involved in the background.
The Sahel zone must not become a hotspot for those who despise the constitution again. “This plague leads to many unpleasant effects,” said the commissioner. The AU chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat had previously criticized the coup as a “disaster”.
Historical negative record
In the last 18 months, the military has ousted the previous rulers and governments in five countries: Burkina Faso, Chad, Guinea, Mali and Sudan. In Niger and Guinea-Bissau it was just an attempt.
Adeoye observed that there had never been such a series of coups and attempted coups in the almost 20-year history of the African Union: “At no time in the history of the African Union had the membership of four countries been suspended in a single year : Mali, Guinea, Sudan and Burkina Faso.»
Legend:
In Guinea-Bissau, the military also tried to oust the previous rulers and the government. But it was just an attempt.
key stone
At the summit meeting of the 55 member states of the African Union, there was talk of an actual “wave”. The fear resonates that the upheavals could set a precedent and affect other countries. The reasons for the change of power are manifold. What is new, however, are some actors who are involved from outside.
profiteers in the background
“We are confronted with a new threat: private foreign military companies, foreign fighters and mercenaries,” Adeoye said.
According to Africa experts, Russia, China, Turkey and Qatar were often also involved in the background – not necessarily as masterminds of the coup attempts, but as profiteers. It is almost always about power, influence and Africa’s enormous natural resources.
Africa wants a permanent seat on the UN Security Council
The two-day meeting began on Saturday with a call for a permanent seat for Africa on the UN Security Council. “More than seven decades after the creation of the United Nations, Africa remains a junior partner without significant input or a major role within the system,” said Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
Only the five veto powers USA, Russia, China, Great Britain and France have a permanent seat on the Security Council – the most powerful body of the United Nations. The other members rotate every two years.