This policy brief highlights the causes of rising military coups in West Africa within the concept of democracy and governance protocols prescribed by the African Union (AU). The policy brief pays specific attention to the 2023 events in Guinea-Bissau, expected regional trends, and the likely impact on the citizen-centric consideration for governance. The pathways to policy responses from state actors, and makes recommendations for actions that can contribute to the regional policy environment.
Human Sciences Research Council (2025) studied this question.