African Union has criticised the attempted military takeover in Benin Republic, saying it goes against the organisation’s standards for democratic governance.
Gatekeepers News reports that during a broadcast on the state-run television station earlier on Sunday morning, some uniformed officers identifying themselves as members of the Military Committee for Refoundation, announced that they had assumed full command of the country’s national affairs.
In the televised address, the soldiers stated that President Patrice Talon and all political officeholders had been removed from office, adding that state institutions, including the constitutional structures of government, had been dissolved.
They introduced Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri as the head of the newly formed military leadership, claiming that their intervention was necessary to refound the nation and restore “public order”.
In a statement, Mahmoud Yousouf, chairperson of AU Commission, said the attempted coup unequivocally violates AU rules on unconstitutional changes of government.
He referred to several AU documents including AU Constitutive Act, the Lomé Declaration, African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, and Ezulwini Framework,!all of which reject military involvement in politics and support constitutional processes as the path to stability.
Yousouf noted that military interference in politics is a grave violation of the fundamental principles and values of the African Union.
He urged those behind the attempt to stop all unlawful actions, respect Benin’s constitution, and return to their duty posts without delay. He also encouraged national actors to focus on unity, dialogue, and preserving peace.
The AU chairperson expressed worry about the troubling proliferation of military coups and coup attempts in the region, warning that such actions damage stability, weaken democratic progress, and encourage further unconstitutional interventions.
He added that these trends reduce public trust, undermine state authority, and pose risks to collective security.
Yousouf reaffirmed AU’s firm zero-tolerance position on unconstitutional changes of government.
