Military Government and Regional Cooperation in the Sahel Region of West Africa: An Overview

Sunday O. Abang, Ekong A. Essien & Oluwatimilehin D. Olayinka

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Abstract

This study examined the evolving waves of military rules, governance and creation of alliances among Sahel states with particular reference to Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso from 2020-2025. The Sahel region witnessed a resurgence of military coups from 2020 to 2025, raising questions about the effectiveness of control of the military in a democratic setting in West African states. A look at history reveals the stress that has always characterised the civilian-military relations, especially in the light of politicised military officers with ambition to rule the state. The military juntas often justify their intervention in the affairs on corrective measures against insecurity, bad governance, weak institutions, and corruption. The theory applied in this study was the modernisation theory, which is used to explain the interest of the military in a developing state. The study adopted secondary sources of information to ascertain the extent of military influence in the Sahel states. The study revealed that war against terrorism had increased military influence in the Sahel states before 2020, as the civilian leaders depended on the military for both domestic and external aggression. The study recommended that workable stability can be achieved in the Sahel states through effective governance approaches with emphasis on democratic accountability and inclusive participation in order to strengthen civilian rule in the region.

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