Academics and other experts are set to launch the Regional Citizen’s Dialogue Programme (RCDP) for Preventing and Responding to Unconstitutional Changes of Government in West Africa.
In a statement, the RCDP noted that the initiative, aimed at preventing the undemocratic change of government in West Africa, would be launched on February 27 and 28, 2024, in Abuja.
A few West African countries, including Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Guinea, are led by soldiers after coups in the countries.
In January, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger announced their exit from the Economic Community of West African States.
The first three are struggling with jihadist violence and have grouped themselves within an Alliance of Sahel States.
In the RCDP statement, the Director General of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos, Prof. Ayo Omatayo, expressed concerns over the wave of coups and said the dons came together under the initiative to tackle the menace.
Omatayo said: “The RCDP is a collaborative effort of a consortium of civil society and research think tanks with leadership drawn from the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, the Regional Centre for Governance and Security Policy Initiative, with headquarters based in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and the Dantiye Centre for Good Leadership and Journalism, Kano, with support from the International Dialogue Centre, based in Lisbon, Portugal.
“The regional programme is designed to mobilize and organize civil society contributions towards the prevention, mitigation, and response to incidences of UCG in the West Africa sub-region.”
Also, the Chairperson of the RCGSPI, who is also the Chairperson of the African Union Economic Social and Cultural Council, Peace and Security Cluster, Dr. Jonathan Sandy, explained that the rationale for the RCDP was to complement and synergize with existing initiatives.
Sandy said: “The RCDP is also an attempt by the CSOs to support efforts by the African Union and its partners in the implementation of the main outcomes of the AU Accra Declaration on Unconstitutional Changes of Government in Africa (March 2022) and the Malabo Declaration on Terrorism and Unconstitutional Changes of Government in Africa, adopted at the 16th Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union Head of States on May 22, 2022.”
