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- Convenors:
-
Felix Oyosoro
(Veritas University, Abuja)
David Ayekene (Norwegian Refugee Council)
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- Chair:
-
Felix Oyosoro
(Veritas University, Abuja)
- Format:
- Panel
- Stream:
- Perspectives on current crises
- Location:
- H23 (RW II)
- Sessions:
- Tuesday 1 October, -
Time zone: Europe/Berlin
Short Abstract:
Recent military coups in Africa raise questions about the military's role in democratization. This panel analyzes key case studies, explores factors influencing military behavior, and discusses strategies for strengthening democracy. Can the military shift from gatekeepers to guardians of democracy?
Long Abstract:
In recent times, the African continent has been confronted with a notable increase in occurrences of military coups, prompting scholarly discussions on the complex interplay between the military, the process of militarization, and the establishment of democratic systems. The objective of this panel is to analyze and examine significant case studies from Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Niger, and Gabon. These case studies will provide insights into the complex interplay between the military, militarization, and democratization in the African context. Although the military has the potential to provide stability and security, it can also pose significant challenges to democratic principles and institutions.
The objective of this panel is to foster a comprehensive analysis of the military's dual function as potential defenders of democracy or enforcers of authoritarianism. Based on a comprehensive examination of empirical data and employing a rigorous analytical approach, it is recommended that authors delve into the various factors that shape the inclination of the military towards either democratic or autocratic tendencies. Furthermore, the researchers will explore the ramifications of corruption, political instability, and a dearth of accountability within these countries, thereby uncovering the underlying factors contributing to military coups. The findings and insights presented in this panel shall have significant implications for policymakers, scholars, and practitioners seeking to navigate the complex terrain of democratization in Africa.
Accepted papers:
Session 1 Tuesday 1 October, 2024, -Paper short abstract:
Militaries in Africa are products of colonial states, designed and implemented for the promotion of Western interests. This paper seeks to reveal how the persistence of the military in African politics from the immediate post-independent Africa till date, is highly upheld by colonial ingredients.
Paper long abstract:
The military has played an indisputable part in the history of “nation-state” building. These “nation-state”-building militaries are however different in their conception and raison d’être, from “state-nation”-building militaries, which characterize most of Africa. To be precise, African militaries are products, not of the indigenous African realities and needs, but of colonial masters who designed and implemented a colonial culture that shaped the modus operandi of the African military for the promotion of Western interests. This paper seeks to demonstrate how the persistence of the military in African politics from the immediate post-independent Africa till date, is highly upheld by colonial ingredients that accompanied state importation in Africa. In comparing the cases of Gabon and Burkina Faso, how do we understand on the one hand, the resurgence of a coup in Gabon in 2023 after decades of civilian rule that was supposed to promote democratization and deter military takeovers and on the other hand, the inability persistence coups in Burkina Faso to put an end to civilian authoritarian rule and eradicate corruption as most coup leaders overtly claim? We defend here that, the ignored colonial ingredients that characterize “state-nations” of Africa meaningfully contribute in this complex back-and-forth military and civilian rule in the quest for democratization. This is a qualitative research where relevant literature will be exploited, and interpreted by theories related to coups d’états, authoritarianism/democratization, nation and state building.
Keywords: colonial culture/ingredients, military coup, democratization
Paper short abstract:
This paper discusses the militarization of police forces in Mali and Côte d’Ivoire, situating Goita’s 2022 decision to re-militarize Mali’s police. I argue that across regime types, the militarization of security forces represents a mode of security governance principally aimed at regime survival.
Paper long abstract:
In October 2022, Assimi Goita’s military junta returned Mali’s police to a militarized statute, which had been a civilian force since 1991. While the junta argued that the main purpose was to employ police more effectively in the fight against jihadists alongside army and gendarmerie, Mali’s police unions interpreted the decision as a strategy to curtail their influence, marking a further shrinking of Mali’s civic space. In this paper, I compare Mali’s case to that of its neighbor Côte d’Ivoire, where the police has been a military-civilian hybrid force since the 1970s, equally eliminating the police union. I show that in both cases, the militarization has only marginal effects on the police’s mode of delivering security while allowing effective top-down governance of the institution. Although Côte d’Ivoire’s government largely adheres to democratic principles while Mali’s military junta displays clear authoritarian tendencies, I argue that the militarization of civilian security forces must in both cases be understood as a mode of militarized security governance that principally aims at regime survival. This highlights the appeal of militarization across different regime types in West Africa. The findings presented in this paper are based on primary data gathered through field work and remote interviews in Côte d'Ivoire and Mali. The discussion will be rooted in a historical analysis of civil-military relations in both countries’ post-colonial statebuilding processes.
Paper short abstract:
This paper examines the implications of military coups in Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso for ECOWAS member states' national security. It argues that these coups undermine democracy, increase insecurity, and heighten risks of transnational violence and foreign interference in the West African region.
Paper long abstract:
This paper examines the implications of recent military coups in Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso for the national security of ECOWAS member states. It argues that these coups have not only undermined democratic and constitutional principles but have also exacerbated insecurity and instability across West Africa. The study provides a comparative analysis of the political conditions preceding the coups, identifying key drivers such as weak governance, corruption, and escalating insurgencies that led to the military's seizure of power in these states.
The paper further explores how these coups have affected domestic political dynamics and regional security, focusing on the altered power relations within the countries and the shifting roles of key actors, including ECOWAS, civil society, and international stakeholders. The coups have heightened the risk of transnational violence, insurgency, and foreign interference, while also challenging the legitimacy of democratic institutions in the region. These developments pose a significant threat to the stability of other ECOWAS member states, potentially creating a contagion effect that may encourage similar military interventions elsewhere.
We conclude by offering policy recommendations aimed at restoring stability and protecting the national security of ECOWAS member states. These include reinforcing democratic institutions, enhancing regional security cooperation, and supporting transitional governments in Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso to ensure a return to civilian rule.