Benutzer:Shi Annan/Staatsstreich in Guinea 2021

The 2021 Guinean coup d'état is a government takeover made by the armed forces of Guinea on 5 September 2021. It has resulted in the capture of the country's President, Alpha Condé, after gunfire in the capital, Conakry. The special forces commander Mamady Doumbouya released a broadcast on state television announcing the dissolution of the constitution and government.

After several decades of authoritarian rule in Guinea, Condé was the country's first democratically elected leader. During his time in office, Guinea used its rich natural resources to improve the economy, but the bulk of the country's population has not felt its effects. In 2020, Condé changed the constitution to allow him to secure a third term, but with controversy. During his rule, Condé cracked down on protests as well as opposition candidates, some of whom died in prison, while the government struggled to contain price increases in basic commodities. In August 2021, in an attempt to balance the budget, Guinea announced tax hikes while slashing costs on the police and the military, but increased funding for the office of the President and National Assembly.

The coup began in the morning of 5 September, when the Republic of Guinea Armed Forces surrounded Sekhoutoureah Presidential Palace and cordoned off the wider government district. After a shootout with pro-government forces, the mutineers, who appear to be led by Col. Mamady Doumbouya of the country's special forces, took President Condé hostage, announced dissolution of the government and its institutions, annulled the constitution, and sealed off the borders. Other countries have called for the coup to stop and for constitutional order to return.

Background

Alpha Condé in 2020

2019–2020 Guinean protests against the rule of Alpha Conde

From the country's independence from France in 1958 until 2010, Guinea was ruled by autocratic regimes including "decades of corrupt rule". In 2008, a military coup was instigated shortly after the death of Lansana Conté. The military stepped down in 2010. Alpha Condé was the first president to be peacefully and democratically elected to the office of President of Guinea in 2010. He was re-elected in 2015. The country had a two-term presidential limit, but the 2020 constitutional referendum included a provision extending the length of terms and allowed Condé to "reset" his term limit and seek two more terms. The move proved controversial and sparked massive manifestations, which were brutally repressed, causing more than thirty deaths between 2018 and 2022. After the constitutional amendment was approved, Condé won the 2020 presidential election and thus a third term in office. However, this was again followed by protests against the President, with opposition candidates accusing Condé of ballot stuffing. France distanced itself from Condé following the 2020 election, leaving China, Egypt, Russia and Turkey as those of the few powerful countries which continued to back the President. This happened as fellow West African and Central African countries have experienced democratic backsliding: Chad went through its own military takeover in April 2021, Mali had two such overthrows in a year (in August 2020 and May 2021), while Ivory Coast elected a president for a third term amid considerable controversy and allegations of fraud.

During Condé's regime, some improvements have been made to the economy. The country has built its wealth upon its extensive resources, particularly bauxite, but also the extraction of diamonds as well iron and gold ores. However, government mismanagement has resulted in a failure to bring financial benefits for most citizens, and the communities around the mines have not been adequately compensated for land, water and health losses connected with the mineral extraction.

Starting from the presidential election, opposition politicians, who were contesting the legitimacy of Condé's mandate, were repressed. For example, Mamady Condé was arrested on January 2021, while Roger Bamba, the leader of Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea (UFDG), an opposition party, and Mamadou Oury Barry both died in prison. Prisons in the country, according to the Human Rights Watch, have very poor conditions.

In addition, prices of grain, flour and sugar rose sharply. As a result, the government made an attempt in January 2021 to set the bread price at a higher level, but quickly backpedalled amid outcry that the decree caused. However, this led to bread shortages in Nzérékoré because bakers refused to produce bread at regulated prices of 2,500 francs a loaf. After ten days of standoff between bakers and the prefecture government, the authorities granted permission to sell the bread at 4,000 francs. Similar increases were also reported elsewhere in the country. Public discontent ensued as a result.Vorlage:Citation needed

Guineans in support the coup d'état on a truck, 5 September 2021

The economy in 2021 came battered as the COVID-19 pandemic loomed on the country. A month before the putsch attempt took place, increases in petrol prices from 9,000 to 11,000 Guinean francs (US$1.12) per litre were announced. New taxes and tax hikes were approved in the weeks preceding the coup in an effort to balance the budget. The budget included provisions which increased funding of the National Assembly and presidential services but cut off some support for the security forces, such as the police and the military. A Western diplomat told The Daily Telegraph that the attack was provoked by the government trying to dismiss a senior member of the country's special forces.

Coup

The gunfire started at around 08:00 local time (GMT) near the Presidential Palace. Witnesses reported that the soldiers had cut off the Kaloum neighbourhood, which hosts many government offices, and that the officers told people to stay home. While the Ministry of Defence said that the attack had been contained, photos of Condé being taken out of the building began to appear, and shortly afterwards, videos were posted of Condé being held by members of the Guinean military, which were verified by a senior European intelligence official.

Guineans rallying in support of the coup d'état in Conakry, 5 September 2021

Col. Mamady Doumbouya soon issued a broadcast on state television, Radio Télévision Guinéenne, in which he said the government and its institutions were dissolved, the constitution annulled, and Guinea's land and air borders shut (he later clarified that the country would be closed for at least a week). In the broadcast, he said that the National Committee of Reconciliation and Development (Vorlage:Lang-fr, CNRD) would steer the country for an 18-month transition period. Doumbouya, a former French legionnaire who returned to Guinea in 2018 to take command of the Groupement des forces spéciales (Special Forces Group), an elite unit of the Guinean armed forces, is reported to be the instigator of the coup attempt.

After President Condé was deposed, crowds were reported to be cheering news of the overthrow. In the evening, the coup leaders announced a national curfew from 8 p.m. on 5 September "until further notice", while pledging to replace heads of the regions and prefectures with military commissioners and replacing ministers by general secretaries the following morning. By evening on 5 September, the putschists declared control over all Conakry and the country's armed forces.

Impact

After news came of the putsch, aluminium prices on world markets climbed to a decade high and have beaten the record set in 2006 for Chinese markets amid bauxite supply concerns.

A FIFA World Cup qualification match between Guinea and Morocco scheduled for 6 September was postponed due to the coup. The Morocco team were trapped in their hotel until they were able to evacuate to a local airport.

Reactions

Domestic

Jacques Gbonimy, head of the opposition Union for the Progress of Guinea (UPG), stated in an interview to Guinée Matin that he was not surprised by the coup, maintaining that "all the conditions were met for the army to seize power" and blamed mismanagement of Condé's government for the overthrow. While he did not support nor oppose the putschists, he said that he was satisfied by the way the military handled the takeover. Saikou Yaya of the Union of Republican Forces (UFR), also in opposition during Condé's regime, has similarly argued that the government not listening to the opposition and the Guinean people led to the coup.

International

• Vorlage:Flagu: Wang Wenbin, the spokesperson of Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the coup, called for the immediate releasal of president Condé and urged restraint on both parties while asking to resolve the conflict through dialogue and consultation.
• Vorlage:Flagu: The Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs condemned the coup and called for the immediate release of president Condé.
• Vorlage:Flagu: Nana Akufo-Addo, the president of Ghana and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) official, issued a statement on behalf of ECOWAS condemning the coup attempt and calling for the release of Condé, "reaffirm[ing] disapproval of any unconstitutional political change".
• Vorlage:Flagu: The Secretariat of Foreign Affairs condemned the coup in the strongest terms and called for Condé's immediate release.
• Vorlage:Flagu: The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that Guinea's "apparent coup d'etat" violated ECOWAS rules, and urged the country to return to the constitutional order.
• Vorlage:Flagu: The Foreign Ministry has condemned the coup and called "on all parties to avoid escalation, let the voice of wisdom prevail and pursue dialogue in order to overcome the crisis in the country."
• Vorlage:Flagu: The Foreign Ministry condemned the coup and called for the president to be released as well as the restoration of its constitution.
• Vorlage:Flagu: The Department of State has issued a communiqué condemning the putsch, saying that "violence and any extra-constitutional measures will only erode Guinea’s prospects for peace, stability, and prosperity" and urging to uphold the rule of law.

Organisations

• Vorlage:Flagu: António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, in a tweet, has "strongly condemned the takeover of the government by force of the gun" and called for release of Condé.
• Vorlage:Flagu: Felix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and head of the African Union, and Moussa Faki Mahamat, head of the African Union Commission has denounced the coup and demanded immediate release of the president.
• Vorlage:Flagu: Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, demanded "respect for the state of law, the interests of peace and the well-being of the Guinean people".

See also

• 1984 Guinean coup d'état
• 2008 Guinean coup d'état
• 2019–2020 Guinean protests
• 2010 Nigerien coup d'état
• 2020 Malian coup d'état

External links

• A fragment of military coup d'état, near the presidential palace, 5 September 2021 auf YouTube