In coup-hit West Africa, regional leaders acknowledge little progress in their push for democracy

By CHINEDU ASADU
Associated Press

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Leaders from across West Africa are meeting in Nigeria in a renewed push for respect for democracy across the coup-hit region. At the meeting in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, the leaders acknowledged for the first time that their efforts to stem the tide of coups have met with little success. The 15-nation regional bloc, ECOWAS, has unsuccessfully tried to restore political stability across West and Central Africa, where eight military takeovers have been recorded since 2020. The bloc will continue to “stand against the unconstitutional change of government” despite the setbacks, said Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who was elected leader of the bloc this year.