THE CONSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK OF THE MILITARY FUNCTION IN AFRICA

Abstract

The constitutional framework of the military function in Africa is marked by the highlighting of two constancies: the submission of the army to the civil authority (usually the head of state or the head of government) and the emphatic reminder of the main role of the army, the defence of territorial integrity. Beyond these constancies, some constitutions invest the army with a socio-economic role or an active political role. This latter role raises many questions, as it can be the source of a mixture of genres.