‘Zero tolerance’ to coups: African Union pushes for democratic renewal on the continent

The African Union (AU) has a “zero tolerance” policy toward unconstitutional change, the bloc’s leaders insisted at the end of their two-day meeting in Addis Ababa on Sunday (19 February), as they decided to maintain suspension of four military-ruled countries.

The annual AU meeting aimed to jumpstart a faltering trade deal but the leaders also discussed the continent’s most pressing challenges, including tackling the worsening food crisis and achieving ceasefires in the Sahel and the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

“The assembly reaffirmed zero tolerance against unconstitutional change (of government),” said the AU’s Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Bankole Adeoye. The AU yet stressed it was ready to help the Sahel states of Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali and Sudan, all of which were sanctioned by the Pan-African body after coups in recent years, return to democratic rule.

“The Commission is ready to support these member states to return to constitutional order, the idea is that democracy must take root and must be promoted and protected,” Adeoye said and added that “the AU remains intolerant to any undemocratic means to political power.”

The regional Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) bloc also said it has maintained sanctions on the three Sahel countries, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali. West African leaders met on the sidelines of the AU summit to review the measures and discuss the progress in restoring civilian rule in the three states. Fearing contagion in a region notorious for military takeovers, ECOWAS imposed tough trade and economic sanctions against Mali, but lesser punishments against Guinea and Burkina Faso.

Since “sanctions … do not seem to produce the expected results,” AU Commission chief Moussa Faki Mahamat said, the Pan-African bloc needed to look at new strategies to counter the backsliding of democracy.