Where do guns in Africa come from?
For daily use, the primary source of arms appears to be official state stocks, legitimately pro- cured but diverted to the illicit market. Criminals seem to be able to get what they need from the local security forces, buying or renting weapons from corrupt elements in the police and military.
What are the main sources of illicit arms flows in Africa?
Regional sources of illicit weapons include the trafficking of already illegal weap- ons across borders; the diversion of national stockpiles—including stockpiles held by peacekeeping forces—and civilian holdings through theft, loss, or corruption; and the production of craft or artisanal firearms.
Why are there so many weapons in Africa?
An estimated 30 tonnes of guns and explosives were smuggled into the country by the anti-apartheid movements, which also left arms stockpiles at their base camps in surrounding countries. As many as 4 mn weapons from various sources have illegally found their way into the hands of South African civilians.
Which African countries have weapons?
South Africa, the only African nation to have had nuclear weapons, gave them up in 1989, and Libya stopped its nuclear weapons programme in 2003. Today, all African states bar South Sudan are members of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
How many illegal guns are in Africa?
Illicit arms trade In 2016, the African Union (AU) declared it wanted to silence all arms by 2020. But Africa is still far away from a continental ceasefire. According to the 2019 Small Arms Survey, around 35 million unregistered small weapons are currently in circulation on the continent.
Can I carry a gun in Ghana?
Any individual who is eighteen (18) years and above, mentally sound, physically fit and of good character can apply for a firearm for use either to protect himself/herself or for gaming (i.e) hunting. Firearms are to be used exclusively by the individual in whose name it is licensed and registered.
Who supplies weapons to Boko Haram?
Boko Haram militants do not buy guns and ammunition on the black market to fuel their decade-long insurgency in West Africa – they simply nab weapons from the armies sent to fight against them, a study has revealed.
Who supplies guns to Africa?
Between 2000 and 2018, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, the Seychelles, Tanzania, and Zambia all received more than 90 percent of their arms transfers from China; three additional countries (Burundi, Ghana, and Kenya) received more than 50 percent.
Are guns legal in Congo?
GOMA — People who have fled from the Democratic Republic of Congo’s eastern conflict zone say the armed groups that control their villages have imposed a new rule: each family must buy a firearm from the local armed group, or face unpleasant consequences.
When did Africa start using guns?
In the eighteenth century, flintlock rifles were the main trade weapon to Africa, along with older matchlock versions. For the first half of the century, many improvements and alterations were made in the design and function of flintlocks but the real breakthrough came in the 1860s with the breech-loading revolution.
How big is Africa’s small arms trade?
Our 2020 trend analysis of the global authorized small arms trade, Trade Update 2020: An Eye on Ammunition Transfers to Africa, showed that African ammunition imports amounted to USD 97.7 million in 2017, or 42% of the continent’s total small arms imports.
Who is the world’s biggest arms dealer in Africa?
Bout is an air transport specialist overseeing a complex network of more than 50 planes and dozens of airline, cargo-charter and freight-forwarding companies employing some 300 people. U.N. experts who have investigated his operations say he is the biggest known arms dealer to embargoed African war zones, where air transport is key.
How are weapons transported through Africa?
Butt and other arms traffickers transport weapons and other military supplies through Africa by a variety of routes, sometimes directly, often through one or more transshipment points. These nodes comprise an elaborate network of options for arms dealers who wish to keep their activities private.
How does arms trafficking contribute to conflict and instability in West Africa?
New illicit flows of arms and ammunition feed into existing trafficking networks, which in West Africa contribute to fuelling conflict and instability in several ways.