The Context of Small Arms Proliferation in Africa: State Fragility and Management of Armed Violence

Abstract

At first glance, one of the defining features of Africa is in which violent conflicts and organized crimes represent some of the ugly signpost to human, national and regional insecurity. Despite independence that came with the high prospects for development, the African continent had experienced inter and intra state conflicts with devastating consequences. These protracted conflicts have been fuelled and sustained by the production, sale and distribution of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALWs), with very strong internal and external linkages. This chapter explores the context of SALWs in terms of how they manifest and impact on state fragility and the management of armed conflict in the continent. In response to the challenge posed by arms proliferation in the continent, the African Union (AU), launched a robust regional programme on silencing the guns by 2020 under its agenda 2063. Unfortunately, the spate of violent conflicts and organized crimes that continue to hold the continent siege, presents a bleak future for the continent. Apart from this continental initiative, country level efforts have been made within the continent to also address this security challenge, with little successes recorded, particularly within countries that are plagued by protracted violent conflicts, insurgency and other forms of organized crimes. The chapter argues that the clandestine nature of the activities of illicit arms traders in the continent, coupled with the role of local manufacturers, represents a major impediment to development on many fronts, due to a thriving arms economy that feeds the interests of mercenaries, warlords and armed groups.