Countries are responding to the World Health Organization (WHO) call to action by putting into place best-practice TFA policies. Nobel Laureate Chinua Achebes words about his own country apply just as well to many other African countries: The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership. Hes also believed to have been well-paid by Gulf countries for the RSFs service in Yemen battling Iran-aligned rebels. Earlier this year, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that using the pandemic as a pretext, authorities in some countries have deployed heavy-handed security responses and emergency measures to crush dissent, criminalize basic freedoms, silence independent reporting, and curtail the activities of nongovernmental organizations. Freedom House reported in late 2020 that democracy in eighty countries was worse off due to the pandemic. PMI, Presidents Malaria Initiative Strategy 2021-2026, 2021. WebA military dictatorship is a type of dictatorship in which power is held by one or more military officers acting on behalf of the military. February 1, 2023 In addition to executive authority, Putin also holds judicial and legislative power, which enables him to change the law to fit his agenda. With a population that is much younger than those of China, the US and the EU, there will be renewed interest in Indias potential to be a beacon of liberal values. The enforcement of pandemic restrictions by security services has often been brutal, provoking demonstrations in Kenya and even in more advanced democracies such as South Africa. The Modern Worlds Dictatorship Countries African Dictators A Global View of Dictators Is China a dictatorship? But in Sudan, as in other resource-rich African nations, armed groups have long enriched themselves through the shadowy trade in rare minerals and other natural resources. This has been seen in Nigeria, where #EndSARS protesters organized online to demand police reforms; in Uganda, where presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, better known as Bobi Wine, used social media to catalyze his People Power movement; and in Ghana, where Twitter users instigated a national discussion on illegal small-scale mining. The Malcolm and Carolyn Wiener Annual Lecture on Science and Technology addresses issues at the intersection of science, technology, and foreign policy. In some cases, nations may have multiple ruling bodies or government types, meaning they're not For much of the continent, the foundations of a political culture necessary to sustain liberal democracy have been weak for most of the postcolonial era (roughly six decades for most African states). Yet, only the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has devoted serious energy and resources to defending democracy: it has played a major role in rolling back military dictatorships in West Africa and opposing military coups, though it has been less effective in preventing third-term bids by incumbents. Therefore, the entire country operates on the whims of that one person. Buharis remarkable reversal is an indication of the security threat posed by groups such as Boko Haram that draw on the alienation of many Africans from their governments, in part the result of stalling or declining democracy. Initial signs following Magufulis death are promising for Tanzanian democracy: Samia Suluhu Hassan, the vice president under Magufuli, was sworn in as president as prescribed by the constitution. by James McBride That the same surveys also find that support for democracy stands at 77% in Guinea, 70% in Burkina Faso and 62% in Mali - further evidence that citizens backed military intervention in the hope that it would pave the way for a more effective form of civilian government, not because they aspire to live under authoritarian rule. Return of the military strongmen to West Africa, Why Burkina Faso's coup has prompted celebrations, Sudan protests: 'Did I just survive a massacre? The rights of the people are typically suppressed in a dictatorship, sometimes to a great degree. Global Health Program, Innovating Solutions to the Climate Crisis, Virtual Event The leaders of dictatorships are not outwardly identified as dictators when other people are addressing them. with Ivan Kanapathy, Bonny Lin and Stephen S. Roach But some critics remain unconvinced. Littoral states are also, on average, freer than landlocked ones, likely benefitting from increased interactions with foreigners from democratic societiesa factor more important prior to the advent of the digital age. All the attention goes to organizing periodic elections, which in most cases are rigged, he said. Arab Gulf countries have looked to the Horn of Africa in recent years as they have sought to project power across the region. Republic of Congo. Despite the decline, a plurality of countries (twenty-two) are considered partially free, in line with the sixteen-year average. April 23, 2023 at 2:00 a.m. EDT. by CFR.org Editors As in other parts of the world, it thus remains unclear whether the increasing prevalence and importance of the internet and social media, in their totality, will have a beneficial, deleterious, or ambiguous effect on democracy. Germany's 49 public transport ticket, Buhari's government banned Nigerians from accessing the micro-blogging site. According to a report published by the South African Institute of International Affairs, shutting down the internet andarresting government critics voicing their views on social media channels are signs that several governmentsin sub-Saharan Africa are becomingincreasingly autocratic. Most African regional organizations have a stated vocation of promoting democracy. West African leaders on Friday called an emergency summit on the situation in Burkina Faso, where the new military leader, Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba, told the nation in his first public address on Thursday night that he would return the country to constitutional order when the conditions are right., The resurgence of coups has alarmed the regions remaining civilian leaders. You are also agreeing to our. Religion and Foreign Policy Webinars, C.V. Starr & Co. As governments across the continent become, with some exceptions, more authoritarian, Africans will be increasingly alienated from those claiming to represent them. Rwanda is an exception: its social development indicators rank higher than its human rights standing, and its president, Paul Kagame, is relatively young at sixty-three years of age. His wealth is estimated to be approximately $600 million. President Vladimir Putin is currently serving his fourth term as President of Russia. Single-party dictatorships: 5. Whether or not Putin is a dictator is a matter of some debate. April 23, 2023 at 2:00 a.m. EDT. April 25, 2023 Presidents that have changed their countries constitutions to eliminate the two-term limit include Presidents Gnassingb (Togo), Museveni (Uganda), Dby (Chad), India: Indias status declined from Free to Partly Free due to a multiyear pattern in which the Hindu nationalist government Put another way, Africa can and does reap a democratic dividend - the problem comes when supposedly democratic leaders start to use undemocratic strategies to keep themselves in power against the wishes of their people. In recent months, negotiations were underway for a return to the democratic transition. In Ghanas 2020 election, former President John Mahama, running as the opposition candidate, rejected his defeat. The nation turns on the television and collectively switches to the state channel, where they see new leaders, wearing berets and fatigues, announce that the Constitution has been suspended, national assembly dissolved, borders closed. In addition to concerns over growing corruption and rising insecurity, this undermined his personal legitimacy. Chad and South Sudan look most immediately at risk of potential spillover. ', MasterChef Australia host Jock Zonfrillo dies, Trevelyan relative 'would consider' famine payment, Four dead after suspected pigeon racer dispute, Adidas sued by investors over Kanye West deal, UK chip giant Arm files for blockbuster share sale, Suspected IS chief killed in Syria, Turkey says, Pope urges Hungarians to 'open doors' to migrants. Nolan Quinn. The persistence of religious and ethnic rivalries has been underestimated by African democrats and their friends abroad. Sudan is Africas third-largest country by area and straddles the Nile River. Weekly. The #EndSARSmovement was initated by social media-savvyyoung Nigerians, who sought to put pressure onthe government to abolish Nigeria's controversial Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) police unit. Yet, if a witchs brew of jihadi terrorists, criminal networks, and the disaffected destroy sitting governments, the human rights consequences certainly will be worse than the status quo. However, in Central Africa and the Horn, almost all states are authoritarian. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. It has been endowed in perpetuity through a gift from CFR members Malcolm and Carolyn Wiener. Examples can be found across Africa: from Guinea to Somalia to South Africa, democracy ratings slid amid the COVID-19 crisis. To combat the trend, the United States and other partners should commit to the painstaking work of bolstering democratic institutions. Both Twitter and Facebook accusethe Ugandan government of using social media asa tool politicians to manipulate public opinion, spread disinformation, and intimidate the opposition. Sub-Saharan Africa remains a region of stark political and socio-economic contrasts and many longstanding challenges. WebCurrent dictatorships include Russia, Equatorial New Guinea, and North Korea. It comes two years after they jointly carried out a military coup and derailed a transition to democracy that had begun after protesters in 2019 helped force the ouster of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir. ", Angelo Izama, a political consultant and journalist from Uganda, describesthe move rather as an "overreaction" rooted in deeply-held patriarchal beliefs. Video, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, African leaders complain about 'wave of coups'. Paramilitary power brokers. More broadly, digital repression has become commonplaceespecially around electionsas leaders seek to throttle the opposition and influence popular discourse, frequently through disinformation. West Africa and East Africa both have mostly partially free regimes. So, he said, the military thinks: You know, why not take over?. Africa is plagued by paramilitary militias and foreign mercenary groups. (The military) will want to take control of gold mines and smuggling routes. Then in October, it was Sudans: The countrys top generals seized power, tearing up a power-sharing deal that was supposed to lead to the countrys first free election in decades. Failing to counter crime and insurgency, some African leaders are seeking greater security involvement from the United States. President Obiang gained power in 1979 after ousting his uncle, Francisco Macas Nguema, and sentencing him to death by firing squad. By contrast, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has been paralyzed by its inability or unwillingness to address the excesses of Zimbabwes ruling party, the Zimbabwe African National UnionPatriotic Front (ZANU-PF), because of its origins as a liberation movement. [27] One-party rule also developed in several countries in Africa during decolonization in the 1960s and 1970s, some of which produced authoritarian regimes. It set the stage for this takeover, said Mr. Salifu. There is a consensus among UN and development agencies, international financial institutions, and many Africans that good governance is critical. Is social media becoming a threat to democracy on the continent? This article was translated from German by Chrispin Mwakideu. In turn, this is one reason that military juntas typically justify their actions by claiming that they were intended to reinstitute the rule of law and save democracy from itself. Just like a dictatorship, an autocracy is a government headed by a single ruler (the autocrat) whose decisions are not subject to legal restraints and who exercises unlimited and undisputed power. by Lindsay Maizland and Eleanor Albert Those criteria, and their application to a specific locale, are always subject to debate; the score can only be indicative, not definitive. But a military takeover doesnt necessarily lead to a more effective response against insurgencies continuing attacks in Mali are evidence of that, she said. The terms "autocrat" and "autocracy" are often used interchangeably with "dictator" and "dictatorship". This is a critical point. This third annual report monitors global progress towards the 2023 target for global elimination of industrially produced trans-fatty acids (TFA), highlighting achievements from the past year. This may sound like a contradiction of terms to many people. The RSF will want to interrupt major transport arteries including the road from Port Sudan to Khartoum.. In 2011, the Obama White House launched the Open Government Partnership, an initiative in which member governmentsover a dozen of them Africanmade concrete commitments to promote transparency, empower citizens, and fight corruption. But it was not clear what ECOWAS could do, given its dubious record mediating in Mali. African In Burkina Faso, an attack last November that left almost 50 military police officers dead is considered a key event that led to the coup two months later. In neighboring Guinea, some initially greeted the coup leader as a liberator, but many also shut themselves up at home, afraid for the future. Military dictatorship: 2. Three years later, thatfigure had risen to 81 countries. An appropriate example of this occurred in 2020 when Russian president Vladimir Putin and his party introduced amendments to the country's constitution that reworked term limits, enabling Putin to remain in power until 2036. With a population that is much younger than those of China, the US and the EU, there will be renewed interest in Indias potential to be a beacon of liberal values. Associated Press writers Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Rodney Muhumuza in Kampala, Uganda, and Joseph Krauss in Ottawa, Ontario, contributed. Other U.S. assistance programs support judicial independence, a critical component of functional democracy that is lacking in much of Africa. Europe North America Oceania South America See also Coup d'tat List of coups and coup attempts by country List of revolutions and rebellions (chronological listing) References ^ "Military coup ousts Niger president Mamadou Tandja". President John Magufuli repeatedlydownplayed the threatposed by COVID-19, claiming that prayer had defeated the disease in his country. Protesters in Bamako wave Malian and Russian flags during a May demonstration in Bamako against French influence in the country. Opiyo believes that this is whysocial media regulations are becoming necessary. Not everyone supported the coup. Eswatini (previously Swaziland) has an absolute monarchy dictatorship in which the king rules over the country. Egypt has close ties to Sudans military, which it sees as an ally against Ethiopia. Personal security in many parts of Africa has declined dramatically, in some places because of a jihadi onslaught, in others from criminal gangs, and in still others from ethnic and religious conflicts often exacerbated by self-serving politicians. April 13, 2023 There is nothing wrong with the Nigerian land or climate or water or air or anything else.. Panelists discuss how the private and public sectors can partner to develop, scale, and utilize emerging technologies to mitigate and adapt to the consequences of climate change. This is understandable, as the terms are very similar. Why African Nations Support U.S. Anti-Racism Protesters. What Does the World Health Organization Do? In Tanzania, Uganda's neighbor,Twitter took similar action, removing268 accounts for spreading "malicious reports" directed at members and supporters of the Tanzanian human rights organization Fichua Tanzania and its founder. Powers farther afield havent done much better. Last November, 49 military police officers and four civilians were killed in the northern outpost of Inata. In the last six years alone, at least 26 African countries have experienced transfers of power. In the past 18 months, in similar scenes, military leaders have toppled the governments of Mali, Chad, Guinea, Sudan and now, Burkina Faso. Globally in 2000 there were a total of 108 endemic countries. Leaders of these dictatorships often place those loyal to them in positions of power (qualified or not), and foster cults of personality to sway public opinion to their side. In 2021, social media shutdowns also took place in Burkina Faso, South Sudan, Senegal, Congo, Zambia, Chad, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Sudan. As of 2020, there are 52 nations with a dictator or authoritarian regime ruling the country: Three in Latin America and South America, 27 in Asia and the Middle East, and 22 in Africa. The victor of the latest fighting is likely to be Sudans next president, with the loser facing exile, arrest or death. WebOne-party dictatorships became prominent in Asia and Eastern Europe during the Cold War as communist governments were installed in several countries. Paradoxically, the weakness of Burkina Fasos armed forces was a major factor in the coup. Young peoplein particular, he highlights, are now ablewith the help of the internetto react immediately to laws and bans, and make their opinions known about the performance of the government or of private institutions. International powers insist that the military rulers should hold swift elections. WebList of Every Communist Country in the World as of 2021: China. Geography is not quite destiny, but similarly rated countries do tend to form clusters. They are also less likely to experience damaging conflicts and to commit widespread human rights abuses. The United Arab Emirates, a rising military power that has expanded its presence across the Middle East and East Africa, has close ties to the Rapid Support Forces, which sent thousands of fighters to aid the UAE 2023 BBC. It's time for the United States to get serious about stopping the flow. In their book "Dictators and Dictatorships: Understanding Authoritarian Regimes and Their Leaders", authors Natasha M. Ezrow and Erica Frantz lay out five types of dictatorships: Power is obtained and maintained through military might. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video, At the time, Ugandan Foreign Minister Sam Kutesa initially justified the move by saying that Facebook and Twitter had shut down government accounts, making the social media blackout sound like a retaliatory measure.
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