A Push Toward Autocracy? The Effects of US Security Cooperation on Democratic Development in Africa

Dorina Bekoe; Stephanie Burchard

doi:10.33534/sta.1003

A Push Toward Autocracy? The Effects of US Security Cooperation on Democratic Development in Africa

Stability: International Journal of Security and Development

Volume 12 (2025): Issue 1

By: Dorina Bekoe and Stephanie Burchard

Open Access

|Dec 2025

Abstract

Since the 2010s, security assistance to Africa has exploded while global democracy trends – including in Africa – have been in steady decline. How are these two empirical facts connected? This paper analyzes the relationship between US security partnerships and democracy trends in Africa from 2005 to 2020. Overall, our findings are mixed. There is either no significant relationship or a weakly negative relationship between many US security cooperative activities and democratic quality in Africa. We did find, however, that US military assistance can have a negative impact on two specific aspects of democracy: protection of freedoms and civil liberties and accountability and transparency.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.33534/sta.1003 | Journal eISSN: 2165-2627

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Language: English

Page range: 4 - 4

Submitted on: Apr 24, 2025

Accepted on: Nov 9, 2025

Published on: Dec 1, 2025

Published by: Department of Peace Studies and International Development, University of Bradford

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

© 2025 Dorina Bekoe, Stephanie Burchard, published by Department of Peace Studies and International Development, University of Bradford
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Volume 12 (2025): Issue 1