Military takeovers in some African countries is bad for the economy and threatens democracy
May 11th, 2009
In Brief: Africa’s shrinking economies “threaten democracy”
DAKAR, - A “brutal contraction” of economies in Africa may threaten democratic gains on the continent, according to the African Economic Outlook 2009 released in Dakar, Senegal at the launch of an African Development Bank conference on the impacts of the global financial crisis.
Photo: Aminu Abubakar/IRIN 
Shrinking economies may mean more protest, riots (file photo)
The study cited recent military takeovers in Guinea, Guinea Bissau and Madagascar as examples of the continent’s fragility to political shakeups.
The global economic crisis has heightened the risk that “new tensions could explode” in Africa, where economic growth is expected to be half as much in 2009 as last year, according to the study.
Read about the economics of political instability.
The economies of Seychelles, Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad and Angola are expected to shrink in 2009.
pt/aj
source.www.irinnews.org