'Niger coup, others constitute bad image for West Africa' - Group

<h2>The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) has said that the recent coups in the Republic of Niger, Burkina-Faso and Mali are not good images for the West African region and its people.</h2>, <p>Group noted that peace, security and stability should be the fundamental focus of every African nation and not unconstitutional change of government.</p>, <span>Niger coup, others constitute bad image for West Africa - Group</span>, <p>Dr Chris Kwaja, the Country Director of USIP, said this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday, August 2, 2023 in Abuja. Kwaja said that peace, security and stability should be the fundamental focus of every African nation and not unconstitutional change of government.</p>, <p>“Africa is at a cross road right now and the desire for peace, security and stability is one of the most fundamental of any average African and the international community is also placing these on the front burner of its policy directions.</p>, <p>“It takes governance to make peace, security and stability happen but across Africa today, we have seen cases of coup in Niger, BurkinaFaso, Mali, Guinnea and that on its own, is not a good image for the region, for West Africa and the people.</p>, <p>“It is not just about national security or regional security alone but also about human security in the context of uncertainty that citizens of West Africa are now afraid because we don’t know which country will be next,” he said.</p>, <p>Kwaja said it beholds on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as the regional body, to be alive to its responsibilities to ensure stability by understudying the quality of governance in its region.</p>, <p>According to him, ECOWAS body must self reflect on why are coups happening, it does not support coup, so why are they happening.</p>, <p>“ECOWAS should be able to ask are they products or consequences of bad government or governance or are they disenchantment or discontentment of citizens.</p>, <p>“When you look at some of the countries where this coup are hap