Sudan coup leader says war could spread – DW – 09/21/2023

The leader of Guinea’s junta defended on Thursday the 2021 coup, telling the UN General Assembly that global leaders should “look to and address the deep-rooted causes” of Africa’s recent coups rather than condemning them.

Some eight West and Central African countries have experienced coups in the past three years, drawing wide international condemnation and concern for the continent’s stability.

“The putschist is not only the person who takes up arms to overthrow a regime,” said Colonel Mamadi Doumbouya. “I want us all to be well aware of the fact that the real putschists, the most numerous, are those who avoid any condemnation — they are those who cheat to manipulate the text of the constitution in order to stay in power eternally.”

Doumbouya was sworn in as Guinea’s interim president following the coup. He defended the 2021 overthrow of President Alpha Conde, saying it was done to prevent the country from “slipping into complete chaos.”

Doumboya claimed after ousting Conde that “poverty and endemic corruption” had driven his decision. Conde had enacted constitutional reforms in 2020 which paved the way for a third term in office later that year. The former president was accused of corruption and human rights violations and had seen waning popularity.

Doumbouya also said, after moving to foster better ties with Russia having taken power and facing criticism from France and others for this, that it was no longer fair to consider African countries as part of the spheres of influence of other major powers.

“We Africans are insulted by the boxes, the categories which sometimes place us under the influence of the Americans, sometimes under that of the British, the French, the Chinese and the Turks,” the Guinean leader said, omitting Russia from his list.

“Today, the African people are more awake than ever and more than ever determined to take their destiny into their own hands.”

Guinea’s junta leaders are currently under sanctions after the military dissolved the government and other institutions following Conde’s overthrow.

Conde had enacted constitutional reforms in 2020 which paved the way for a third term in office later that year. The former president was accused of corruption and human rights violations and had seen waning popularity.