In a few hours, 2024 will end its race to give way to a new year, 2025. Political and social news on the African continent has been marked by a series of events, some of which Afrik.com has selected among the most notable. in this article.
Among the most notable events in 2024 in Africa, there is the withdrawal from ECOWAS of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, the victory of the Ivory Coast team at the CAN, the election of Bassirou Dimaye Faye in Senegal, the exemplary alternation at the top of the State in Botswana and Ghana, etc.
Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger exit from ECOWAS
The month of January 2024 would end when Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger were at odds with ECOWAS since the various coups that took place in each of these countries and particularly since the putsch of July 26, 2023 which put an end to the presidency of Mohamed Bazoum, unanimously decided to withdraw from the organization. This withdrawal decision that the three countries wanted “without delay” was announced in a press release read on Niger national television on Sunday January 28, 2024 by the spokesperson for the CNSP, Colonel-Major Abdramane Amadou.
Negotiations initiated by ECOWAS heads of state to avoid these departures came to nothing. Not even the mediation entrusted to the new President of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye. The military at the head of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have stuck to their decision, which they confirmed very recently in December. For these countries, the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) created in September 2023 and established as a confederation in July 2024 has become their main crucible for integration on a regional scale, even if they remain members of UEMOA.
Ivory Coast on the roof of Africa
Sunday February 11, 2024. All of Africa and even the whole world were treated to an epic CAN 2023 final won by the organizing country, Ivory Coast, which crossed the crampon with Victor Osimhen’s Nigeria. The final victory of the Ivorian team over the Nigerian selection owes its exceptional character to the very performance of the Elephants during the group stage. A poor performance at the end of which they qualified at the last minute as the best third thanks to a victory for Morocco over Zambia. During the group stage, the Elephants had only one victory, beating Guinea-Bissau by 2 goals to 0 in the opening match of the competition. The organizing country believed that it had thus started a great competition.
But, very quickly, the disillusionment will be total with the defeat against Nigeria, 1 goal to 0 during the second day. The third day, it will be humiliation with a team from Equatorial Guinea which showered the Ivorian selection with a score of 4 goals to 0. Then began the calculations for the quest for the best third place which was obtained at the The end of the third day where Morocco won against the Zambian team by 1 goal to 0.
The replacement of coach Jean-Louis Gasset by Ivorian international Emerse Faé fundamentally changed the mentality of the players who managed to successively eliminate the reigning champion, Senegal, Mali, the DRC before reaching the final Nigeria for a revenge taken in a very beautiful way. An entire country was then united around its team. In total, Africa and the world were treated to some very beautiful moments during this CAN of surprises that the Ivorians themselves called “the most beautiful CAN”.
Election of Bassirou Diomaye Faye
After the euphoria aroused by the beautiful Ivorian CAN, eyes quickly turned to Senegal where Macky Sall wanted to give himself a gift mandate by postponing the Presidential election normally scheduled for February 25, 2024 until December 15. But, the Senegalese President met on his path the judges of the Constitutional Council who gave him a categorical refusal. The institution that guarantees respect for the Constitution has broken the law establishing the postponement of the election. Macky Sall is ordered to organize the Presidential election as soon as possible. A date is set: March 24, 2024. The leader of the opposition, Ousmane Sonko, ineligible, positions his right arm, Bassirou Diomaye Faye. The two men, released from prison a few days before the election, threw themselves into the presidential campaign, attracting crowds entirely committed to their cause.
A popularity which was effectively reflected in the polls on March 24 where the victory of Bassirou Diomaye Faye was clear in the first round. The Pastef candidate obtained 54.28% of the votes cast against 35.79% for Amadou Ba, the ticket of the ruling coalition, Benno Bokk Yakaar. Macky Sall’s designated heir apparent was quick to recognize his defeat and, in an exemplary gesture, to congratulate his challenger. Senegal has thus confirmed its place as a great democracy in Africa. This example of successful alternation has been seen elsewhere on the continent during the year 2024.
Botswana, Ghana: models of democracy alongside the “bad students”
Apart from Senegal, which can be cited as a model of democracy where the changeover took place smoothly this year, we must go to English-speaking Africa to see the other examples. This is the case of Botswana where the legislative elections took place on October 30, 2024. The next day, the outgoing President, Mokgweetsi Masisi, did not even wait for the end of the vote count before recognizing his defeat and congratulating his rival, Duma Boko.
A resounding alternation, all the more so since it is the first time since the country’s independence in 1966 that the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has lost power. What makes Botswana unique is its solid reputation as a stable country where elections have rarely been contested. Even more recent is the Presidential election in Ghana which resulted in the hands-down victory of former President John Dramani Mahama against the Vice-President, Mahamudu Bawumia, candidate of the ruling party. The latter, as in the case of Mokgweetsi Masisi, recognized his defeat even before the proclamation of the results by the Electoral Commission, and congratulated his counterpart.
Meanwhile, French-speaking Africa continues to deliver the distressing spectacle of shamelessly rigged elections like in Faure Gnassingbé’s Togo where the legislative elections of April 2024 were won without surprise by the ruling party which won 108 of the 113 seats available in a country where the Constitution has just been revised and where the President in office since 2005 still has many years of reigns before him, without doubt. We can also mention the case of Chad of Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno in May 2024 where the overwhelming victory of the President of the transition even led to “joy shootings” to snatch innocent lives.
