Regional Support to Address Democratic Backsliding in Africa

While democratic backsliding has not been a rare occurrence in Africa, with 160 successful coup d’etats having taken place since 1950, in recent years the trend has spiked, particularly in West Africa. The African Union and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) have established various mechanisms of preventing and resolving unconstitutional changes of government (UCG), from the Lomé Declaration on the Framework for an Organization of African Unity Response to Unconstitutional Changes of Government to ECOWAS’s Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance. Still, UCGs, the most common of which include coups and legislative revisions by incumbents to elongate their tenure and consolidate power, continue to persist across countries. The recent wave of coups in West Africa is taking place amid rising discontent with democracy among Africans, the persistent threat of jihadist violence and insecurity, and the erosion of democratic legitimacy fueled by flawed elections and weak leadership. A new generation of coup leaders characterized as young, often Western-trained military rulers has seized this opportunity to gain popular support in many countries. 

For the African Union and RECs to adequately address democratic backsliding in Africa, they must improve existing mechanisms of facilitating democratization after UCG incidents. Improvements should include the following: 

• Enhancing the process of selecting special envoys who are the primary mediators appointed by RECs. Selection should prioritize inclusivity of underrepresented groups, relevant language skills and extensive contextual knowledge, as well as verifiable democratic creditability. 
• Equipping mediation support units with adequate resources, expertise, and authority to make decisions. 
• Coordinating efforts with partners such as international actors through improved communication networks.
   

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