Why All the Coups?
As the Biden administration commits to revitalizing global democracy, the shocking rise in the number of recent coups and coup attempts demands an urgent response from the United States and its allies and partners. The number of coups and coup attempts in 2021 matches the highpoint for the 21st century. The impact of these coups is enormous, and deeply worrying. Despite what military juntas may claim, the current “epidemic of coups” — as U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called it — spreads instability, undermines democratic progress and human rights and is accelerating cycles of violence in countries wracked by conflict.
Multiple factors are driving the rise, including economic mismanagement, corruption, poverty and the failure of overwhelmed governments to resolve grievances over resources and progress social justice. Where putschists would previously have been condemned and held accountable by the international community, they are now increasingly able to evade pressure by exploiting strategic competition between major powers.
Countering Coups
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How to Respond to a ‘Year of Coups?’ We Can Try in Mali.
Armed coup attempts have struck five countries of the greater Sahel. Better policies can help reverse that.
Dissecting Sudan’s Coup
After ousting civilians, the military seeks to consolidate power and install a new government.
How Myanmar’s Coup Opens Opportunity for National Reconciliation
To change the trajectory of the conflict, the opposition must unify around a much-needed nation-building process.
In Myanmar, the State the Generals Seized Is Coming Apart
As ethnic armies expand their reach and resistance groups take up arms, post-coup Myanmar is dissolving into pieces.
Myanmar: China, the Coup and the Future
The military junta has misled Beijing into a business-as-usual approach that seems destined to damage its interests.
Myanmar Coup Weakens Southeast Asia Security and Cooperation
The generals’ seizure of power leaves ASEAN with a reduced regional role — and U.S. policymakers with a multilateral quandary.
Myanmar Coup: The International Shockwaves Have Just Begun
The military’s power grab is fueling refugee flows, border conflict, transnational crime and threats to investment.
How International Security Support Contributed to Mali’s Coup
By not addressing governance challenges, security sector assistance missed a vital component of building peace and stability.
Mali’s Coup: Harbinger of Hope or Uncertainty
Security force defections can be key to nonviolent uprisings, but when the military moves to take power the record is much more mixed.
Five Things to Know About Mali’s Coup
The current crisis shows the importance of investing in rule of law and governance in times of peace, and during conflict.