According to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, coups only exacerbate crises, highlighting the importance of stable government and the rule of law.
At a news conference at UN Headquarters in New York, Guterres made this point about the string of military coups happening across Africa.
According to Guterres “Many countries face deep-seated governance challenges. But military governments are not the solution. They aggravate problems. They cannot resolve a crisis; they can only make it worse”.
The takeover in Gabon came on the heels of July coup in Niger, Burkina Faso in 2022, and Chad, Guinea, Sudan and Mali in the years prior to that.
Except for Myanmar in 2021, all recent coups have occurred on African soil.
The takeover statement in Gabon occurred shortly after election results showed that incumbent President Ali Bongo had been re-elected for a third term, despite claims of anomalies at the polls.
The UN Secretary-General urged all countries to develop genuine democratic institutions and the rule of law as soon as possible.
Guterres emphasized the importance of bolstering international organizations such as the African Union in their diplomatic efforts to promote peace, stability, and democracy on the continent.
Simultaneously, conditions must be developed that allow African individuals to address the core causes of political instability, citing lack of development as a major role.
