INVITATION:  Soldiers and Citizens: Military coups and Africa’s democratic renewal

The Sahel and West Africa region is fast being referred to as constituting a new ‘coup belt’, after experiencing a resurgence in unconstitutional changes of government in recent years. The recent military coups in Niger and Gabon, following events in Burkina Faso, Mali, Sudan, and Guinea, underline a crucial need to delve deeper into the root socio-economic causes behind this alarming trend.

UNDP’s new report Soldiers and Citizens: Military coups and Africa’s democratic renewal, explores these issues, emphasizing insecurity, economic stagnation, exclusionary governance, and low development indicators as coup risk factors. 

We are pleased to invite you to a presentation of the main findings of the report followed by a panel discussion with distinguished experts on actionable insights on causes and solutions, and a focus on prioritizing development for lasting stability and coup resilience, beyond sanctions and military interventions.

PROGRAMME

Moderator: Fatma Ahmed, Specialist, UNDP Africa Facility to Support Inclusive Transitions

9:00     Welcome remarks by Henrik Fredborg Larsen, Director, UNDP Nordic Representation Office

9:05     Opening speech by Ketil Karlsen, Director, Department for Africa and Development Policy, Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs

9:10     Presentation of the key findings of the report, Jide Martyns Okeke, PhD, Regional Programme Coordinator for Africa, UNDP

9:30     Panel discussion / Q&A

• Thomas Mandrup, Associate Professor and PhD, The Royal Danish Defence College
• Ketil Karlsen, Director, Department for Africa and Development Policy, Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Jide Martyns Okeke, PhD, Regional Programme Coordinator for Africa, UNDP

10:10 Closing Remarks

The event is open and free for all but please register your participation on the Eventbrite link below.

Soldiers and Citizens: Military coups and Africa’s democratic renewal Tickets, Mon, Oct 30, 2023 at 9:00 AM | Eventbrite