On Wednesday, Gabon became the eighth African country in three years to face a coup. As these coups have unfolded, Foreign Policy has sought to explain the factors, from the colonial era to the present day, that have contributed to instability in the region.

The essays and reporting below examine the role that Western powers such as France, the United States, and the United Nations have played in the turn away from democracy in West and Central Africa. They also consider how the West might actually be able to help.—Chloe Hadavas

France’s Concern for Gabon’s Democracy Is Too Little, Too Late

Paris is complicit in the lack of social and democratic progress that prompted the coup, FP’s Howard W. French writes.

Is Niger’s Coup the Sahel’s Last Straw?

Calls grow for Washington to reset its Africa strategy, but old habits die hard, FP’s Robbie Gramer reports.

How U.N. Peacekeeping Accidentally Fuels Africa’s Coups

Foreign funds can produce stronger and less accountable militaries, Jamie Levin and Nathan Allen write.

Does U.S. Military Training Embolden Coup Plotters in Africa?

FP’s Emma Ashford and Matthew Kroenig debate the issues that plague nations led by undemocratic regimes.

How the West Could Actually Help the Sahel

For years, Western policies have only paid lip service to seeing the Sahel in terms of its own immense problems, FP’s Howard W. French writes.