The AU and the challenge of unconstitutional changes of government in Africa

This research paper by Issaka K. Souaré of the Institute for Security Studies examines the African Union's (AU) policy position on 'Unconstitutional Changes of Government' (UCG), specifically focusing on military coups d'état. The author assesses the effectiveness of current policies and proposes measures to minimize the risk of UCGs, specifically urging African leaders to ratify the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance to prevent coupmakers from using 'charade elections' to legitimize their power.

• The paper argues that the African Union requires a legally binding instrument to both condemn unconstitutional changes of government and prevent coup leaders from achieving legitimacy through superficial elections, recommending the speedy ratification of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.

APA

Souaré, I. K. (n.d.). The AU and the challenge of unconstitutional changes of government in Africa. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/research/papers/the-au-and-the-challenge-of-unconstitutional-changes-of-government-in-africa

Chicago

Souaré, Issaka K. The AU and the challenge of unconstitutional changes of government in Africa. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.org/research/papers/the-au-and-the-challenge-of-unconstitutional-changes-of-government-in-africa.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Souaré |first1=Issaka K. |title=The AU and the challenge of unconstitutional changes of government in Africa |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.org/research/papers/the-au-and-the-challenge-of-unconstitutional-changes-of-government-in-africa |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{souarndchallenge, author = {Souaré, Issaka K.}, title = {{The AU and the challenge of unconstitutional changes of government in Africa}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.org/research/papers/the-au-and-the-challenge-of-unconstitutional-changes-of-government-in-africa}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }