The Re-emergence of Military Coups in Africa : An Analysis of the African Union Response to the Unconstitutional Change of Government in Chad in 2021

Sammanfattning

In April 2021, the military in Chad seized power upon the death of its President Idriss Deby whiles in the field fighting the rebel group Fighters of the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT). By the end of 2021, soldiers had toppled elected governments in Mali, Guinea Conakry, and Sudan. The African Union and its relevant sub-regional organizations reacted by suspending all the countries above from participating in its activities as provided for in its constitutive act with a curious exception of Chad. Using a qualitative content approach of the African Union Peace and Security Council communiques and press releases, this research investigates the factors that influenced this inconsistent response of the AU. The central argument that is defended in this research is that the African Union put security considerations ahead of good governance by considering the unique security challenges in the Sahel region and Lake Chad Basin and the importance a stable Chad plays in the sub-regional fight against violent extremism. This is reinforced by the influence of France’s support to the military in Chad, the silent of the sub-regional economic community of Central Africa on the ongoing situation in Chad and a divided Peace and Security Council of the African Union. This thesis employs constructivism and rational choice theory as a theoretical framework.