UN Secretary-General says coups are not the solution

Following a spate of coups in Africans countries, United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, on Friday warned that military takeovers only make things worse.

"Many countries face deep-seated governance challenges but military governments are not the solution,” he said.

“They aggravate problems. They cannot resolve the crisis. They can only make it worse. I urge all countries to move quickly to establish credible democratic institutions and the rule of law."

Guterres said international bodies like the African Union should be strengthened in their efforts to foster peace, stability, and democracy on the continent.

At the same time, conditions need to be created that allow African citizens to address the root causes of political instability; lack of development being a major factor, he said.

“Development is a central objective if we want to create conditions for peace and stability in Africa.”

His comments come after a coup d'état in Gabon on Wednesday, the eighth in Africa since 2020. The previous one saw the military take power in Niger in July.