Soldiers and Citizens: Military coups and Africa’s Democratic Renewal

The Sahel and West Africa region is fast being referred to as constituting a new ‘coup belt’, after experiencing a resurgence in unconstitutional changes of government in recent years. The recent military coups in Niger and Gabon, following events in Burkina Faso, Mali, Sudan, and Guinea, underline a crucial need to delve deeper into the root socio-economic causes behind this alarming trend. UNDP’s new report Soldiers and Citizens: Military coups and Africa’s democratic renewal, explores these issues, emphasizing insecurity, economic stagnation, exclusionary governance, and low development indicators as coup risk factors.

UNDP is pleased to invite you to a presentation of the main findings of the report followed by a panel debate with distinguished experts discussing actionable insights on causes and solutions, with a focus on prioritizing development for lasting stability and coup resilience, beyond sanctions and military interventions.

PROGRAMME

Moderator: Fatma Ahmed, Specialist, UNDP Africa Facility to Support Inclusive Transitions

9:00 Welcome remarks by Henrik Fredborg Larsen, Director, UNDP Nordic Representation Office

9:05 Opening speech by Ketil Karlsen, Director, Department for Africa and Development Policy, Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs

9:10 Presentation of the key findings of the report, Jide Martyns Okeke, PhD, Regional Programme Coordinator for Africa, UNDP

9:30 Panel discussion / Q&A

• Thomas Mandrup, Associate Professor and PhD, The Royal Danish Defence College

• Ketil Karlsen, Director, Department for Africa and Development Policy, Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs

• Jide Martyns Okeke, PhD, Regional Programme Coordinator for Africa, UNDP

10:10 Closing Remarks