The surge of coups in West Africa creates the idea that democratization is failing, but there has been a lot of democratic upsurge and progress in Africa that has gone unnoticed. From Democracy Digest:

Following military takeovers in five different African countries in the past year, some have suggested that democracy may not be the best form of government on the continent. But Leonard Mbulle-Nziege and Nic Cheeseman argue that – despite these set-backs – democracy is the way forward for Africa.

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. Indeed, it is telling that while many people supported the coups that removed Guinea’s former President Alpha Condé and former Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, the most recent surveys conducted by Afrobarometer found that 76% of Guineans and 70% of Malians reject military rule, they write for the BBC:

Read the full article here.