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Sub-Saharan Africa: undemocratic regimes undermine Will They Make a Difference? But in Sudan, as in other resource-rich African nations, armed groups have long enriched themselves through the shadowy trade in rare minerals and other natural resources. Fighting in Sudan between forces loyal to two top generals has put that nation at risk of collapse and could have consequences far beyond its borders. The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) is stocked with autocrats, while the East African Community (EAC) has been but a weak presence to the point of risking irrelevance. Is social media becoming a threat to democracy on the continent? Sudan became an international pariah when it hosted Osama bin Laden and other militants in the 1990s, when al-Bashir had empowered a hard-line Islamist government. Burkina Faso and 5 Other Coups in Africa, Explained - New York Geography is not quite destiny, but similarly rated countries do tend to form clusters. Hybrid dictatorships blend elements of the other four types. While their president was imprisoned at a military base, hundreds of Malians celebrated with soldiers in the streets. African [27] One-party rule also developed in several countries in Africa during decolonization in the 1960s and 1970s, some of which produced authoritarian regimes. By 2021 this had dropped to 84, yet nearly half of the world's population was still classified as 'at risk' of malaria. Both sides have tens of thousands of fighters, foreign backers, mineral riches and other resources that could insulate them from sanctions. From 2015 to 2020, the United States provided over $4.8 billion in SFA to sub-Saharan Africa. In Burkina Faso, a country that has experienced a lot of coups, there were a handful of pro-putsch rallies the day after the military seized power, but many people just went to work as usual. Dictators Sudans economic woes would seem to provide an opening for Western nations to use economic sanctions to pressure both sides to stand down. Globalization not realm for dictators C.V. Starr & Co. The coup in Mali happened partly because of the governments failure to stem the spread of groups loosely allied to Al Qaeda and the Islamic State. That said, there are two important differences between dictatorships and autocracies. Three years later, thatfigure had risen to 81 countries. Five African Countries. October 6, 2022. China's constitution calls its government a "people's democratic dictatorship." February 1, 2023 Associated Press writers Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Rodney Muhumuza in Kampala, Uganda, and Joseph Krauss in Ottawa, Ontario, contributed. Sudan borders five additional countries: Libya, Chad, the Central African Republic, Eritrea and South Sudan, which seceded in 2011 and took 75% of Khartoums oil resources with it. Leonard Mbulle-Nziege is a research analyst at Africa Risk Consulting (ARC) and Nic Cheeseman is a professor of democracy at the University of Birmingham in the UK. Rwanda is an exception: its social development indicators rank higher than its human rights standing, and its president, Paul Kagame, is relatively young at sixty-three years of age. Threats to democracy in Africa: The rise of the - Brookings Renewing America, Backgrounder Crowds cheering for soldiers driving through Bamako, Mali, in August 2020, after the military removed President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita from power. In Guinea, former President Alpha Cond controversially modified the constitution in 2020 to allow him to run for a third term in office. Political instability can manifest itself in severe episodes of violence, as is already being seen in Ethiopia, Mozambique, and Nigeria. Even in the countries in which a coup has taken place, a majority of citizens want to live in a democracy and reject authoritarian rule. PMI, Presidents Malaria Initiative Strategy 2021-2026, 2021. When Facebook took action, President Museveni's press secretary, Don Wanyama, whose Facebook and Instagram accounts were also suspended, accused Facebook of trying to influence the 2021 election in Uganda: "Shame on the foreign powers who think they can impose a puppet government on Uganda by disabling the online accounts of NRM supporters," Wanyama wrote on Twitter at the time. Ghanas President Nana Akufo-Addo said on Friday, It represents a threat to peace, security and stability in West-Africa.. WebOne-party dictatorships became prominent in Asia and Eastern Europe during the Cold War as communist governments were installed in several countries. ", Angelo Izama, a political consultant and journalist from Uganda, describesthe move rather as an "overreaction" rooted in deeply-held patriarchal beliefs. Russia, meanwhile, has long harbored plans to build a naval base capable of hosting up to 300 troops and four ships in Port Sudan, on a crucial Red Sea trading route for energy shipments to Europe. April 20, 2023. South Africa continues to wrestle with the fallout of Across 11 countries surveyed in both 2008-2009 and 2019-2020, the But that solved nothing: Insecurity got worse; corruption and living standards, no better. Gunfire rings out. Shortly afterward, Twitter also followed suit, closing11% of thenearly 3,500 accounts worldwide that allegedly spread pro-government propaganda. Heavy gunfire was heard in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, as fighting raged between rival forces for the sixth day despite a truce agreement. Under the command of Xi Jinping, the Chinese Communist Party faces a host of domestic and international challenges as it aims to bolster Chinas great-power status. Globally in 2000 there were a total of 108 endemic countries. Sudan: violence between army and militia is a symptom of an old Tellingly, where coups have been seen to usurp processes of democratisation, they have been deeply unpopular. There, a popular uprising had succeeded in overthrowing a military dictator in 2019, but there has been sustained public outrage since last October when the military took back full control of the government, and detained the civilian prime minister who had served in what was supposed to be a power-sharing government. But he says thatsociety is changing, he says, leaving such political elites in the dust. Rumors spread of a military takeover. And this is a problem everywhere that the West fetishizes sticking to a strict electoral calendar, said Mr. Salifu, while ignoring or downplaying other elements of democracy like a free press, freedom from political repression or human rights. Twitter said in a statement, however, that "(i)n most cases, the accounts were suspended for various violations of our platform manipulation and spam policies.". ', MasterChef Australia host Jock Zonfrillo dies, Trevelyan relative 'would consider' famine payment, Four dead after suspected pigeon racer dispute, Adidas sued by investors over Kanye West deal, UK chip giant Arm files for blockbuster share sale, Suspected IS chief killed in Syria, Turkey says, Pope urges Hungarians to 'open doors' to migrants. However, after the January 16 election, Kutesa said the shut-downhad been"a necessary step to stop the biting language and incitement to violence. This becomes clear if we go beyond the headlines to ask why some of the recent coups have been publicly celebrated. WebThe country earned an 11-point score declinethe largest in Freedom in the World 2021 and its status declined to Not Free. The campaign also calledfor better overall governance in West Africa's largest democracy. West Africa and East Africa both have mostly partially free regimes. Eswatini (previously Swaziland) has an absolute monarchy dictatorship in which the king rules over the country. For much of the continent, the foundations of a political culture necessary to sustain liberal democracy have been weak for most of the postcolonial era (roughly six decades for most African states). In 2021, social media shutdownsalso took place in Burkina Faso, South Sudan, Senegal, Congo, Zambia, Chad, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Sudan. Wagner group surges in Africa as U.S. influence fades, leak reveals. It's time for the United States to get serious about stopping the flow. A democratic decline, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, is underway in sub-Saharan Africa. Meanwhile, similar reports are also surfacing fromwest Africa: InNigeria,President Muhammadu Buhari"criticized the activists of the #EndSARS movement in June and called for action to be taken against them. Is climate change killing Australian wine? The U.S. removed Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism after the government in Khartoum agreed to forge ties with Israel in 2020. Yet having promised to pave the way for more stable and inclusive government, this inevitably disappoints pro-democratic citizens to the point where the coup leaders themselves face the risk of being overthrown. The United Arab Emirates, a rising military power that has expanded its presence across the Middle East and East Africa, has close ties to the Rapid Support Forces, which sent thousands of fighters to aid the UAE Dictatorship, Democracy, and Development in Nigeria November 2021 Authors: Ope Oyedeji University of Southern Mississippi Preprints and early-stage Dictatorships have shallow levels of freedom. But when the countrys Supreme Court upheld incumbent President Nana Akufo-Addos victory, Mahama accepted the results, conceding that he was legally bound by the decisions of the Supreme Court. Large-scale violence was absent from the electoral process; five people, however, were killed in postelection violence. Addressing these issues will require grappling with long-standing grievances left untreated and often exacerbated by the poor, sometimes brutal governance that is all too common across the African continent. by Lindsay Maizland Africa is plagued by paramilitary militias and foreign mercenary groups. Now, the central bank is back in the spotlight for its battle against inflation. Four trends stand out: In its 2021 report, Freedom House rated only eight countries in sub-Saharan Africa as free. Sudan: violence between army and militia is a symptom of an old In many cases, though not all, new military leaders end up delaying the return to civilian rule. Article Last November, 49 military police officers and four civilians were killed in the northern outpost of Inata. in Africa In both countries, civilian leaders lost popularity in part because they departed from democracy, not simply because citizens lost faith with it. The nation turns on the television and collectively switches to the state channel, where they see new leaders, wearing berets and fatigues, announce that the Constitution has been suspended, national assembly dissolved, borders closed. Connect with the definitive source for global and local news, are each seeking to seize control of Sudan, has made inroads across Africa in recent years, removed Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, has vast livestock holdings and gold mining operations. The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. Theres a belief that strongmen can better face the security risks, especially in the Sahelian countries where violence is spiraling, said Anna Schmauder, a research fellow focused on the Sahel in the conflict research unit of the Dutch think tank Clingendael. Global Climate Agreements: Successes and Failures, Backgrounder A look at what is happening and the impact it could have outside Sudan. Denis Sassou Nguesso took power in 1997, and has remained the president of the Republic of Congo. Opiyo believes that this is whysocial media regulations are becoming necessary. In addition to executive authority, Putin also holds judicial and legislative power, which enables him to change the law to fit his agenda. Whats Happening to Democracy in Africa? - Council on Foreign African and international organizations have reacted with disapproving statements and sanctions, and in Mali, the threat that a regional standby force will invade but few take the latter very seriously. November 8, 2022 But here, Leonard Mbulle-Nziege and Nic Cheeseman argue that - despite these set-backs - democracy is the way forward for Africa. Arab Gulf countries have looked to the Horn of Africa in recent years as they have sought to project power across the region. Nobel Laureate Chinua Achebes words about his own country apply just as well to many other African countries: The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership. The West Is Sending Light Tanks to Ukraine. 7. Meanwhile, the sheer number of would-be mediators including the U.S., the U.N., the European Union, Egypt, Gulf countries, the African Union and the eight-nation eastern Africa bloc known as IGAD could render any peace efforts more complicated than the war itself. The Modern Worlds Dictatorship Countries African Dictators A Global View of Dictators Is China a dictatorship? Multiple political parties may exist, but one dominates the government, makes all the rules, is free to disseminate propaganda, and controls every aspect of every election (which may offer voters only a single candidate), thereby ensuring they win every time. February 13, 2023 It uneasily shares its waters with regional heavyweights Egypt and Ethiopia. The sanctions have caused anger, but against ECOWAS, not the junta. The dictator is the absolute ruler. Opposition figures including Tundu Lissu and Freeman Mbowe have called for a new constitution that limits presidential powers. China is one of the few remaining Communist countries. The Democratic Republic of Congo has been subjected to centuries of international intervention by European powers, as well as its African neighbors. Countries are responding to the World Health Organization (WHO) call to action by putting into place best-practice TFA policies. There is nothing basically wrong with the Nigerian character. As governments across the continent become, with some exceptions, more authoritarian, Africans will be increasingly alienated from those claiming to represent them. These five nations that have recently experienced military coups form a broken line that stretches across the wide bulge of Africa, from Guinea on the west coast to Sudan in the east. by CFR.org Editors Leaked documents show Russias surge into Africa as U.S. In general, the lack of accountability that occurs under dictators and military juntas leads to greater corruption and less effective economic policy. On the 20th anniversary of his crackdown in Eritrea, which is still a news and information black hole, Reporters Without Human rights activist Opiyo says that with reports like these, it is becoming clear thatthe earlier view of social media as "a liberating force for democracy" is disappearing: "(N)ow we see the dangers associated with it, and how social media can be used to undermine democratic processes. by James McBride, Anshu Siripurapu and Noah Berman Its isolation deepened over the conflict in the western Darfur region in the 2000s, when Sudanese forces and the Janjaweed were accused of carrying out atrocities while suppressing a local rebellion. The United Arab Emirates, a rising military power that has expanded its presence across the Middle East and East Africa, has close ties to the Rapid Support Forces, which sent thousands of fighters to aid the UAE and Saudi Arabia in their war against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. by The enforcement of pandemic restrictions by security services has often been brutal, provoking demonstrations in Kenya and even in more advanced democracies such as South Africa. Leaders of these dictatorships often place those loyal to them in positions of power (qualified or not), and foster cults of personality to sway public opinion to their side. Those criteria, and their application to a specific locale, are always subject to debate; the score can only be indicative, not definitive. Burkina Faso this week joined a list of countries that have recently experienced military takeovers most plagued by insecurity, poor governance and frustrated youth. There were four successful coups in Africa in 2021 there hadnt been that many in a single calendar year since 1999. But a military takeover doesnt necessarily lead to a more effective response against insurgencies continuing attacks in Mali are evidence of that, she said. Are military takeovers on the rise in Africa? Impact of African leaders characteristics and regime In some cases, nations may have multiple ruling bodies or government types, meaning they're not Far from being a short-term Sudanese problem, this conflict between two rival centres of military power illustrates a common long-term problem in Africa. In 2021, five sitting African heads of state had been in power for more than three decades each: Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo in Equatorial Guinea, Paul Biya United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres called it an epidemic of coup dtats.. Arab Gulf countries have looked to the Horn of Africa in recent years as they have sought to project power across the region. January 29, 2021 at 5:00 a.m. EST. by CFR.org Editors Why Sudan's conflict matters to the rest of the world | AP News