The African Union (A.U. ) is hosting a 3 day reflection Forum on Unconstitutional Changes of Government in Africa
According to the Department of Political Affairs, Peace & Security of the AU Commission, the main objective of the event, which is scheduled to hold between 15-17 March 2022 is to reflect on the phenomenon of Unconstitutional Changes of Government (UCG) in Africa with the aim of proffering enduring solutions to the problem.
The outcome of the Forum will feed into the AU Extraordinary Summit, scheduled to take place from 27-28 May 2022 in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea and is anticipated to propose strategies and content for the drafting of an additional protocol to the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.
The Forum will also produce a comprehensive document that would take into account the gaps and issues not covered in the current African Union instruments and policy actions (including REC/RM instruments) on unconstitutional changes of government.
Members of the Peace & Security Council, Representatives of AU Member States; security practitioners; civil society, African think tanks/academia youth/women groups and professional organizations are ecpected to grace the occassion
The challenges of UCG in Africa are monumentally destructive and detrimental to the Agenda 2063. Despite the response to the scourge at different levels of governance in Africa, there has been a resurgence of UCG in the Continent. It is against this backdrop that the AU’s response to UCGs needs to be re-assessed. A cursory glance at the AU and RECs/RMs responses and their normative frameworks, as well as enforcement measures against UCG, reveals both strategic and operational deficits.
Cognizant of the above and other related challenges, the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) on 27 January 2022 under the chairship of the Republic of Ghana held, an Open Session on the theme “Promoting Constitutionalism, Democracy and Inclusive Governance to Strengthen Peace, Security and Stability in Africa.” The PSC adopted a decision to “hold a brainstorming session/seminar with other relevant stakeholders on UCGs in Africa. During the meeting, the Government of Ghana offered to host the event.
The 3-day Reflection Forum is, therefore, aimed at reflecting on the challenges of unconstitutional changes of government and its structural triggers on the continent, and how to strengthen the AU and RECs/RMs normative frameworks, decisions and actions to vigorously and systematically check the current surge in the continent.