Africa's 'Coup Belt' is a Problem for the West

Africa’s ‘Coup Belt’ is a Problem for the West

Posted: September 5th, 2023

By Norman T. Roule

Norman T. Roule is a geopolitical and energy consultant who served for 34 years in the Central Intelligence Agency, managing numerous programs relating to Iran and the Middle East. He served as the National Intelligence Manager for Iran (NIM-I) at the ODNI from 2008 until 2017. As NIM-I, he was the principal Intelligence Community (IC) official responsible for overseeing all aspects of national intelligence policy and activities related to Iran, to include IC engagement on Iran issues with senior policymakers in the National Security Council and the Department of State.

EXCLUSIVE SUBSCRIBER+ INTERVIEW – The former head of Gabon’s presidential guard has been sworn in as the country’s new president, just days after a military-led coup there. Meanwhile, protestors have been gathering in Niger’s capital, demanding French troops leave the country following a coup on July 26.

There have been nine coups in West and Central Africa in the past three years, many of them challenging Western influence in resource-rich countries. What is driving unrest in this strategically important region and what would it mean if these countries formed an anti-Western bloc?

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