New security realities since the end of the 1990s have led to the structural and organizational transformation of armies worldwide. The military has been entrusted with new responsibilities and performs conventional duties differently. Beyond geopolitical developments that prompted African countries to reform their security policies, a renewed interest in analyzing these reforms is driven by the key role that security and defense institutions play in good governance in Sub-Saharan African countries. This paper provides an assessment of reforms being implemented in French-speaking countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. It shows how security reforms, although limited, reflect the institutionalization of security and defense governance in West and Central Africa.