This is a list of currently active separatist movements in Africa. Separatism includes autonomism and secessionism. What is and is not considered an autonomist or secessionist movement is sometimes contentious. Entries on this list must meet three criteria:
- They are active movements with living, active members.
- They are seeking greater autonomy or self-determination for a geographic region (as opposed to personal autonomy).
- They are the citizen/inhabitants of the conflict area and do not come from another country.
Under each region listed is one or more of the following:
- De facto state: for regions with de facto autonomy from the government
- Proposed state: proposed name for a seceding sovereign state
- Proposed autonomous area: for movements toward greater autonomy for an area but not outright secession
- De facto autonomous government: for governments with de facto autonomous control over a region
- Government-in-exile: for a government based outside of the region in question, with or without control
- Political party (or parties): for political parties involved in a political system to push for autonomy or secession
- Militant organisation(s): for armed separatist organisations
- Advocacy group(s): for non-belligerent, non-politically participatory entities
- Ethnic/ethno-religious/racial/regional/religious group(s)
Algeria
- Ethnic group: Kabyle people[1]
- Proposed state: Kabylia (Berber language: Tagduda Taqbaylit).
- Government-in-exile: Kabyle Provisional Government (ANAVAD AQVAYLI UΣTIL).[2]
- Movement leader: Ferhat Mehenni.[3]
- Political party: Movement for the self-determination of Kabylie (Mak-Anavad).[4]
Angola
Ethnic group: Lunda-Tchokwé people
- Proposed state:
Lunda-Tchokwé (República Democrática da Lunda-Tchokwé) (RDLT)
- Government-in-exile: Partido Democrático da Defesa do Estado Lunda-Tchokwé (PDDELT)
- Claimant group: Manifesto Jurídico Sociológico do Povo Lunda-Tchokwé (MJSPL), also an Advocacy group
- Political party: Partido Democrático da Defesa do Estado Lunda-Tchokwé (PDDELT)
- Movements: Mulher Unida da Lunda-Tchokwé (MULT), Pioneiros Unidos da Lunda-Tchokwé (PULT), Juventude Unida da Lunda-Tchokwé(JULT)
- Proposed state:
- Ethnic group: Bakongo
- Proposed state: Republic of Cabinda[5]
- Government-in-exile: Frente para a Libertação do Enclave de Cabinda (FLEC) (member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization)
- Political party: Frente para a Libertação do Enclave de Cabinda (FLEC), Liberation Front of the State of Cabinda
- Militant organization: Forças Armadas de Cabinda (FAC)
- Status: Ongoing low-intensity war
Cameroon
- Ethnic group: Anglophones of the former Southern Cameroons, consisting of over 80 ethnic groups
- Population: ~4 million people
- Proposed state: Federal Republic of Ambazonia[6]
- Advocacy group: Interim Government of Ambazonia, Ambazonia Governing Council and others[7]
- Militant groups: Ambazonia Self-Defence Council, Ambazonia Defence Forces, SOCADEF, other smaller militias
- Status: Ongoing civil war
- People: Oron
- Population: 150,000–300,000 people (subject of dispute)
- Proposed state: Democratic Republic of Bakassi[8]
- Militant groups: Bakassi Movement for Self-Determination
- Status: Active insurgency until 2009, isolated incidents until 2015
Central African Republic
- Ethnic group: Muslims in the Central African Republic
- Proposed state: Republic of Dar el-Kuti[9]
- Advocacy group and militant organization: Séléka[10]
- Status: Ongoing civil war, effectively a proto-state
Comoros
- Ethnic group: Comorian
- Proposed state:
Anjouan
- Political parties: Anjouan People's Movement, Mouvement Populaire Anjouanais, Mawana[11]
- Proposed state:
Republic of the Congo
- Ethnic group: South Congolese
- Advocacy group: Provisional Assembly and governance of the State of South Congo
- Proposed state:
State of South Congo[13][14]
Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Advocacy group: Bundu dia Kongo
- Proposed state: Kingdom of Kongo[15]
- Political parties: Union of Independent Federalists and Republicans
- Militant organizations: Mai Mai Kata Katanga
- Status: Sporadic violence
Equatorial Guinea
- Ethnic group: Bubi
- Proposed state: Bioko Island
- Advocacy group: Movement for the Self-Determination of Bioko Island
Ethiopia
- Proposed state: Ogadenia (member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization) or
Somalia
- Political party: Ogaden National Liberation Front
- Proposed state:
Oromia (member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization)
- Militant organizations: Oromo Liberation Front, Islamic Front for the Liberation of Oromia
- Advocacy group: Qeerroo
- Proposed state: Tigray[16]
- Political party: Tigray Independence Party[17]
- Status: Ongoing war
- Proposed: Self-determination for the Sidama people
- Militant organization: Sidama National Liberation Front[18]
France
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20221107200755im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/D%C3%A9partement_974_in_France_%28zoom%29.svg/200px-D%C3%A9partement_974_in_France_%28zoom%29.svg.png)
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20221107200755im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ab/D%C3%A9partement_976_in_France_%28zoom%29.svg/200px-D%C3%A9partement_976_in_France_%28zoom%29.svg.png)
- Secessionist movements:
- Political party:
Lorganizasion Popilèr po Libèr nout Péi (Lplp) – Popular Front for National Liberation: composed of Nasion Rénioné, Mar, Drapo rouz, Patriot rénioné and Mir.
- Political party: Communist Party of Réunion
- Proposed state: Republic of Zabon
- Political party:
Mayotte continues to have autonomist movements despite the island having voted to become France's 101st department in 2011.[19]
- Ethnic group: Pieds-Noirs
- Political party: Etat Pied-Noir[20]
- Status: Active (Established in 2016)
Ghana
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20221107200755im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ab/Togoland.svg/60px-Togoland.svg.png)
- Proposed State: Western Togoland
- Militant organizations: Western Togoland Restoration Front
- Proposed State: Western Togoland
Member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO)
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20221107200755im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bf/Ghana_-_Ashanti.svg/60px-Ghana_-_Ashanti.svg.png)
- Ethnic group: Ashanti-Akan
- Proposed state:
Ashantiland
- Proposed state:
Kenya
- Proposed state: Mombasa Republic
- Political party: Mombasa Republican Council[21][22]
- Status: Active[23]
Libya
- Ethnic Groups: Tuareg people, Toubou people
- Political party: Libu Party
- Militant organisations:
Tuareg militias of Ghat,
Toubou Front for the Salvation of Libya
Cyrenaica Transitional Council
- Ethnic group: Arab
- Proposed autonomous area: Semi-autonomous "State of Cyrenaica"
- Ethnic group: Toubou
- Proposed state:
Toubouland
- Militant organization: Toubou Front for the Salvation of Libya
- Proposed state:
Mali
Note for Image : Dark grey dots indicate regions with a Tuareg majority. The west is mainly inhabited by Moors, and the south by sub-Saharan peoples.
- Ethnic Groups: Tuareg
- Proposed state: Azawad
- Political party: Coordination of Azawad Movements (Includes MNLA)
- Militant organisations: National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad
Morocco
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20221107200755im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e4/Riffian-speaking_areas.png/170px-Riffian-speaking_areas.png)
- Ethnic group: Riffian
- Proposed state: Republic of the Rif
- Political party: Rif Independence Movement
- Militant organisation(s): Rif Independence Movement
Started in Morocco during the 1920s,[24][25] and was revitalized in 2013.[26] The Rif Independence Movement is a charter member of the Organization of Emerging African States.[26]
Namibia
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20221107200755im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/Caprivistrip.png)
- Ethnic Group: Lozi
- Proposed state: Caprivi Strip[27] or unificiation with Barotsealand
- Militant organization: Caprivi Liberation Army[28]
Niger
- Ethnic group: Tuareg people
- Proposed state: Agadez region
- Militant organization: Niger Movement for Justice[29]
Nigeria
- Ethnic group: Igbo, Anioma, Igede, Igala, Idoma, Ijaw, Kalabari, Ibibio, and Ogoni.
- Proposed state:
Republic of Biafra (defunct)
- Separatist movements: The Indigenous People of Biafra, Biafra Zionist Movement, Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra
- Militant organization: Eastern Security Network
- Government in exile: Biafran Government in exile[30]
- Proposed state:
- Ethnic group: Yorùbá ethnic groups in Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Oyo, Osun, Kwara, Òkun in Kogi states in Nigeria, Itsekiris in Delta state and Akoko in Edo state.
- Proposed state:
Republic of Oduduwa
- Member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization[31]
- Civic Organizations: Ilana Omo Oodua, Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-Determination(NINAS)
- Movement Leaders: Professor Stephen Adebanji Akintoye, Sunday Igboho
- O'odua Grand Alliance for Independence & Oodua People's Congress Ogafi.org [32]
- Status: Constitutional Force Majeure
- Proposed state:
- Ethnic group: Urhobo, Isoko, Itsekiri, Ijaw, Ukwuani, Edo, Esan, Ogoni, Kalabari and many more.
- Proposed state:
Niger Delta
- Militant groups: Niger Delta Avengers, Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate, Niger Delta Vigilante and other groups
- Status: Ongoing war
- Proposed state:
Rwanda
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20221107200755im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/56/Twa_peoples_%28Hewlett_%26_Fancher%29.png/150px-Twa_peoples_%28Hewlett_%26_Fancher%29.png)
Batwaland (member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization)
- Ethnic group: Twa
- Proposed state:
Batwaland
- Political party: Association for the Promotion of Batwa
- Proposed state:
Senegal
- Ethnic group: Diola
- Proposed state:
Republic of Casamance
- Militant organization: Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance[34]
- Proposed state:
Somalia
![](https://web.archive.org/web/20221107200755im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6b/Somalia_map_states_regions_districts.svg/150px-Somalia_map_states_regions_districts.svg.png)
- Ethnic group: Somali, Arabs
- De facto state:
Somaliland
- Political organisations: Government of Somaliland
- Militant organisation: Somaliland Armed Forces
- De facto state:
- ethnic group: Somali, Darod
- proposed: autonomy for
Puntland
- political party: Somali Salvation Democratic Front[35]
- proposed: autonomy for
- ethnic groups: Darood, Rahanweyn, Hawiye and Dir
- proposed state:
Jubaland
- political party: Somali Patriotic Movement
- proposed state:
- ethnic group: Rahanweyn
- proposed autonomous region:
Southwestern Somalia/Maayland
- political party: Rahanweyn Resistance Army
- proposed autonomous region:
South Africa
- Ethnic group: Afrikaners
- Proposed state: Volkstaat[36]
- Political Party: Freedom Front Plus (in parliament and member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization).[37] Outside parliament: National Conservative Party of South Africa, Boerestaat Party, Herstigte Nasionale Party, Afrikaner Self-determination Party.
- Advocacy group: Orania Movement
- Status: Accord on Afrikaner self-determination
Cape Republic / Cape of Good Hope
- Linguistic group: Afrikaans speakers, English Speakers, isiXhosa speakers
- Ethnic groups: Coloureds, Afrikaners, South African English, Xhosa
- Proposed State: Western Cape (Cape Republic / Cape of Good Hope)[38]
- Political Parties: Cape Independence Party[39] Freedom Front Plus[40]
- Civic Organisations: CapeXit[41] Cape Independence Advocacy Group (CIAG)[38]
- ethnic group: Venda people
- proposed: self-determination for Vhavenda
- political party: Dabalorivhuwa Patriotic Front[42]
- ethnic group: Zulu
- proposed state: Zulu Kingdom[43]
- pressure group: Zulu royal family
Spain
- Secessionist movement
- People: Canarians
- Proposed state:
Republic of the Canary Islands
- Political parties (autonomist): Coalición Canaria, Partido Nacionalista Canario, Centro Canario Nacionalista, Nueva Canarias
- Political parties (secessionist): FREPIC-AWAÑAK, Alternativa Nacionalista Canaria, Alternativa Popular Canaria, Unidad del Pueblo
- Trade union: Intersindical Canaria
- Youth movement: Azarug
- Proposed state:
Sudan
- Ethnic group: Fur, Arabs, Zaghawe, Masalit, Tama
- Proposed state: Darfur
- Militant organization: Darfur Liberation Front
- Status: War in Darfur
- Ethnic group: Nuba, Kordofan Nilotic
- Proposed state: Republic of South Kordofan
- Advocacy group: Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North
- Ethnic group: Beja People
- Proposed state: Beja
- Advocacy groups and Militant organisations: Beja Congress, Eastern Front (Sudan)
Tanzania
- Ethnic group: Arabs, Swahili
- Proposed state:
Zanzibar
- Political party: Civic United Front (member of Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization), Uamsho[45]
- Proposed state:
Uganda
- Ethnic group: Ganda
- Proposed state: Kingdom of Buganda
- De facto autonomous area: Kingdom of Buganda
- Youth movement: Buganda Youth Movement
- Advocacy group: Buganda Liberation Council
- Status: Ongoing protest
Zambia
- Ethnic group: Lozi
- Proposed state:
Barotseland
- Militant organization: Barotse Royal Establishment[46]
- Proposed state:
Zimbabwe
- Ethnic group:
Matabele
- Proposed state: Mthwakazi
- Militant organization:
Mthwakazi Liberation Front (M.L.F.)[47][48]
- Political party: Matabeleland Freedom Party[49]
- Revolutionary Movement: Mthwakazi Republic Party (M.R.P)[50][51][52]
See also
- List of conflicts in Africa
- Lists of active separatist movements
- List of historical separatist movements
References
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- ^ The 2nd Kabylian Movement for Self-Determination Congress (10 December 2011). "Kabylian Movement for Self-Determination Status" (PDF). pp. Art. 19. 21. 22. 23.
- ^ Ferhat Mehenni. "Blog de Ferhat Mehenni". Le site officiel des Souverainistes Kabyles (in French).
- ^ Mouvement pour l'Autodétermination de la Kabylie. "Bienvenue sur le site officiel des Souverainistes Kabyles" (in French).
- ^ "Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 2009-04-10.
- ^ Official Website of the Government of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia (2016). "Government of Ambazonia". Government of Ambazonia Official Website. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
- ^ "Southern Cameroons National Council plans street protests to have activists freed". The Post News. 2005-11-27. Archived from the original on 2016-08-16. Retrieved 2009-04-10.
- ^ Rebels Declare 'Independence' Of Bakassi, by Azore Opio & Francis Tim Mbom
- ^ "Central African Republic rebels declare autonomous state in north". The Washington Post. 15 December 2015. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
- ^ Chris Roth (28 April 2014). "Springtime of Nations". Retrieved 23 October 2014.
- ^ "MPA - Mouvement Populaire Anjouanais". MweziNet. Retrieved 2009-04-11.
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- ^ White Gypsies: Race and Stardom in Spanish Musical Films - Eva Woods Peiró. p. 46.
- ^ What the Arabs think - William Roe Polk. p. 52.
- ^ a b "The Rif Independence Movement Joins OEAS". Scribd. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
- ^ "Caprivi Liberation Front". Federation of American Scientists. Retrieved 2009-04-10.
- ^ Forrest, Joshua B. (2003). Subnationalism in Africa: Ethnicity, Alliances, and Politics. Lynne Rienner Publishers. p. 188. ISBN 1-58826-227-8.
- ^ Bekoe, Dorina A. (1 September 2012). "Niger: Will There Be a Third Tuareg Rebellion?". Jstor. Institute for Defense Analyses. pp. 2–5. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
- ^ "Voice of Biafra International". www.biafraland.com. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
- ^ "UNPO: UNPO Welcomes 5 New Members!". unpo.org. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
- ^ "Oduduwa Grand Alliance For Independence, OGAFI". Retrieved 2020-07-11.
- ^ "Home". ipund.org. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
- ^ "Mouvement des Forces Démocratiques du le Casamance (MFDC)". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 2009-04-11.
- ^ Chapter 11. Puntland’s Declaration of Autonomy and Somaliland’s Secession: Two Quests for Self- Governance in a Failed State
- ^ "Ek is wit en trots daarop". Mail & Guardian. 2008-10-12. Retrieved 2009-04-10.
- ^ Members: Afrikaner, Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization
- ^ a b "Cape Independence - CIAG - Let's Free The Cape!". www.capeindependence.org. Retrieved 2021-07-18.
- ^ "Cape Party still wants to 'free' Western Cape from rest of SA". Retrieved 31 July 2017.
- ^ "Vryheidsfront Plus". vfplus.org.za. Retrieved 2021-07-18.
- ^ "CapeXit.org – Own your future – Eien jou toekoms". Retrieved 2021-07-18.
- ^ "Vhavenda: Manifesto of the Dabalorivhuwa Patriotic Front".
- ^ "Zulu King Seeks Independence From S. Africa : Politics: Unexpected demand goes far beyond previous calls for regional autonomy. But there is little chance government or ANC would allow it".
- ^ "Sudan: The Roots of the Conflict, and Those of the Peace Process". 22 May 2020.
- ^ "Contagion of discontent: Muslim extremism spreads down east Africa coastline". The Economist. 3 November 2012.
- ^ "Assessment for Lozi in Zambia". Minorities at Risk. Archived from the original on 2010-06-03. Retrieved 2009-04-10.
- ^ Magagula, David (28 December 2011). "Mthwakazi Liberation Front is 1 year old - Achievements and the road ahead". Bulawayo24 News. Archived from the original on 9 January 2012.
- ^ "Zimbabwe: The Mthwakazi Liberation Front (MLF), including structure, leadership, membership, objectives, activities, and areas of operation; treatment of members by authorities (2013-April 2018)". Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. 23 April 2018. Archived from the original on 4 July 2018.
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- ^ "Mthwakazi Republic Party".[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Mthwakazi threat to take down Nehanda statue from Bulawayo arts centre". Archived from the original on 28 October 2019.
- ^ Ncube, Mbekezeli (11 May 2022). "Radical opposition Mthwakazi Republic Party dismisses claims of coalition talks with CCC". New Zimbabwe. Archived from the original on 11 May 2022.