Foreign interests behind rise in coups - Ecowas

The president of Ghana, who is also chair of the West Africa regional bloc Ecowas, says there is an international dimension to the recent spate of military coups in Africa.

Nana Akufo-Addo told an African Union forum that "some foreign entities regard coups in Africa as a means of enhancing their regional ambition".

He said outside influences were behind disinformation campaigns undermining the authority of governments in the continent and instigating opposition protests.

The president however did not give details of those he thought were linked to the coups.

Recent military takeovers in Burkina Faso, Mali and Guinea have prompted calls for African leaders to promote good governance in order to subdue disaffection among citizens.

Eighteen African leaders have either modified or eliminated constitutional term limits in the past two decades, while another 18 have resisted efforts to institute term limits, according to the Africa Centre for Strategic Studies.

Most of these countries had experienced civil unrest or coups, it said.