ABSTRACT: This paper critiques external stabilization missions and policies in the Sahel region of Africa and how they exacerbate militarization and undermine democratization. The paper contends that the policy creates a “stabilization dilemma” whereby the pursuit of stability comes as a negative trade-off with finding lasting solutions that will involve addressing structural issues, local dynamics, and priorities. External stabilization missions often disincentivize political elites from finding the kind of political settlement needed to end conflict in these regions. Hence, there is a need to rethink stabilization in ways that may involve rejecting hegemonism and power politics.
Michael Nwankpa (Sun,) studied this question.