This episode examines the future of international efforts to build stability, prevent conflict and meet security challenges in the most fragile and conflict-affected states and societies around the world following the perceived failure of Western-led stabilisation efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Simon Rynn, RUSI Senior Research Fellow for African security, Ahmed Hassen, RUSI Associate Fellow, and Ada James Emanuel, an independent researcher, discuss with Dr Neil Melvin, Director, RUSI International Security Studies, the set of ideas that underpin international stabilisation efforts, the experience of applying these concepts over the past two decades, lessons learnt, and the future challenges of promoting stabilisation as geopolitical competition becomes an increasingly important part of regional conflicts. The contemporary experiences of Somalia and northeast Nigeria are considered.