Text: Coups in the Sahel Region
The Sahel region has experienced several coups since August 2020 in countries
plagued by terrorism, before the current one in Niger. After a day of tension in Niamey,
putschist soldiers announced in the evening on national television that they had
overthrown the democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum, in power since
2021. They justified this coup d'état by "the continuous deterioration of the security
situation" in Niger.
The junta, which brings together all the corps of the army, the gendarmerie, and
the police, suspended the institutions, closed the land and air borders, and established a
curfew. However, the overthrown and sequestered president maintained that he
represented the legitimate authorities of the country, until he realised that the situation
could no longer be reversed.
In Mali two coups occurred in 9 months. On August 18, 2020, Malian President
Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta was overthrown after several months of political crisis. On
October 5, a transitional government was formed, supposed to return power to civilians
within 18 months.
But on May 24, 2021, the military arrested the President and the Prime Minister after
the appointment of a new transitional government which displeased them. Colonel
Assimi Goïta was invested in June as transitional president.
Likewise, Burkina Faso also had two putsches in 8 months. In fact, on January
24, 2022, soldiers in uniform announced on public television that they had seized power
and ousted President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré. Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri
Sandaogo Damiba is sworn in as president on February 16.
But on the evening of September 30, Damiba was in turn removed from his post
by the military, in favour of Captain Ibrahim Traoré who was invested as transitional
president until a presidential election scheduled for July 2024. This future election is
supposed to allow a return of civilians to power. At the beginning of 2023, he obtains
the departure of French troops and approaches Russia and Mali.
Before Niger, Several Recent Coups in the Sahel. Retrieved 23 December 2023, from
https://www.africanews.com/2023/07/27/before-niger-several-recent-coups-in-the-sahel/
(Adapted)
A.E.E.M.B.; la conviction d'une jeunesse !
BAC A4
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I. Guided Commentary
1. What event led to the announcement of the coup in Niger?
2. Which three branches of the military were involved in the junta that orchestrated the
coup in Niger?
3. What were the reasons given by the putschist soldiers for overthrowing President
Mohamed Bazoum in Niger?
4. What significant geopolitical shifts occurred in Burkina Faso at the beginning of 2023,
as mentioned in the text?
II. Short Essay Writing
According to you, is democracy beneficial for Africa? Justify your viewpoint in an essay
of about 150 words.
III. Translation
Translate into French from "But on the evening"... down to ... "approaches Russia
and Mali"