Small Arms And Human Security In Central Africa

This handbook provides critical analyses of the theory and practices of small arms proliferation and its impact on conflicts and organized violence in Africa. It examines the terrains, institutions, factors and actors that drive armed conflict and arms proliferation, and further explores the nature, scope, and dynamics of conflicts across the continent, as well as the extent to which these conflicts are exacerbated by the proliferation of small arms. The volume features rich analyses by contributors who are acquainted with, and widely experienced in, the formal and informal structures of arms proliferation and control, and their repercussions on violence, instability and insecurity across Africa. The chapters dissect the challenges of small arms and light weapons in Africa with a view to understanding roots causes and drivers, and generating a fresh body of analyses that adds value to the existing conversation on conflict management and peacebuilding in Africa. With contributions from scholars, development practitioners, defence and security professionals and civil society activists, the handbook seeks to serve as a reference for students, researchers, and policy makers on small arms proliferation, control and regulation; defence and security practitioners; and those involved in countering violence and managing conflicts in Africa.

This book examines the emergence of new international norms to govern the spread of small arms, and the extent to which these norms have been established in the policies and practices of states, regions and international organizations. It also attempts to establish criteria for assessing norm emergence, and to assess the process of norm development by comparing what actually happens at the multilateral level. If norm-making on small arms and related multilateral negotiations have mostly dealt with ‘illicit arms’, and most of the norms examined here fall on the arms supplier side of the arms equation, the author argues that the creation of international norms and the setting of widely agreed standards amongst states on all aspects of the demand for, availability, and spread of both legal and illegal small arms and light weapons must become central to the multilateral coordination of policy responses in order to tackle the growing violence associated with small arms availability. Small Arms and Security will be of interest to researchers and professionals in the fields of peace and conflict studies, global governance, international security and disarmament.

Protecting Human Security in Africa discusses some of the most potent threats to human security in Africa. It deals especially with those threats to the security of African people which are least understood or explored. In themes varying from corruption, the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, food security, the devastation of internal displacement in Africa, the link between natural resources and human security, to the problems of forced labour, threats to women's security, and environmental security, the book examines the legal and policy challenges of protecting human security in Africa. This work also analyses the role of NGOs and the civil society in advocating human security issues in Africa. It considers the role of regional human rights mechanisms and judicial bodies, such as the African Commission for Human Rights and the African Court of Human and Peoples' Rights, in seeking to guarantee human security in Africa. Finally, with particular reference to the Somalia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Darfur crises, the book studies the role of African regional organizations, especially the African Union, in protecting the human security of Africans. Written by leading experts on its various themes, this is an indispensable book for all those seeking to learn more about the real challenges facing Africans and African organizations.

This book focuses on the use of small arms in violence and attempts by the state to govern the use and acquisition of these weapons. It is likely that hundreds of thousands of people are killed every year as a result of armed violence – in contexts ranging from war zones to domestic violence. This edited volume examines why these deaths occur, the role of guns and other weapons, and how governance can be used to reduce and prevent those deaths. Drawing on a variety of disciplines, ranging from anthropology through economics to peace and security studies, the book’s main concern throughout is that of human security – the causes and means of prevention of armed violence. The first part of the book concerns warfare, the second armed violence and crime, and the last governance of arms and their (mis)-use. The concluding chapter builds on the contributors’ key findings and suggests priorities for future research, with the aim of forming a coherent narrative which examines what we know, why armed violence occurs, and what can be done to reduce it. This book will be of much interest to students of small arms, security studies, global governance, peace and conflict studies, and IR.

This handbook provides critical analyses of the theory and practices of small arms proliferation and its impact on conflicts and organized violence in Africa. It examines the terrains, institutions, factors and actors that drive armed conflict and arms proliferation, and further explores the nature, scope, and dynamics of conflicts across the continent, as well as the extent to which these conflicts are exacerbated by the proliferation of small arms. The volume features rich analyses by contributors who are acquainted with, and widely experienced in, the formal and informal structures of arms proliferation and control, and their repercussions on violence, instability and insecurity across Africa. The chapters dissect the challenges of small arms and light weapons in Africa with a view to understanding roots causes and drivers, and generating a fresh body of analyses that adds value to the existing conversation on conflict management and peacebuilding in Africa. With contributions from scholars, development practitioners, defence and security professionals and civil society activists, the handbook seeks to serve as a reference for students, researchers, and policy makers on small arms proliferation, control and regulation; defence and security practitioners; and those involved in countering violence and managing conflicts in Africa. Usman A. Tar is Professor of Political Science and Defence Studies, and Distinguished Endowed Chair of Defence and Security Studies (26RC Endowment) at the Nigerian Defence Academy. He is Director of the Academy's flagship Centre for Defence Studies and Documentation. He is a member of the board of the Social Science Research Council's African Peacebuidling Network (SSRC/APN), New York, USA. Previously he was Associate Research Fellow at the Africa Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Bradford, UK. He authored several books including The Politics of Neoliberal Democracy in Africa (2009), Globalization in Africa: Perspectives on Development, Security and the Environment (2016), New Architecture of Regional Security in Africa (2020), and Routledge Handbook of Counterterrorism and Counterinsurgency in Africa (2020). Charles P. Onwurah is a research associate at the Centre for Defence Studies and Documentation, Nigerian Defence Academy. He is pursuing a PhD in Defence and Strategic Studies at the Department of Political Science and International Relations, Nigerian Defence Academy. He has published on globalisation, private security companies, small arms and civil militias in Africa.

This monograph considers the nature and extent of armed conflict, the misuse and proliferation of small arms, as well as disarmament processes (or the lack thereof) in three Central African states: the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the Central African Republic (CAR) and Chad.

This book explores and analyses the evolving African security paradigm in light of the multitude of diverse threats and challenges facing the continent and the international community. It challenges current thinking and traditional security constructs as woefully inadequate to meet the real security needs of African governments and their 1 billion plus citizens in an increasingly globalised and interdependent world. Through the lens of human security the authors’ examine the continent’s most pressing security challenges—from identity conflict and failing states to terrorism, disease, and environmental degradation—and in doing so provide a comprehensive look at the complexities of building peace and stability in modern-day Africa. Not only does the book critically assess the state of progress in addressing security challenges, but it presents new strategies and tools for more effectively engaging Africans and the global community in their common search for solutions.

African Conflicts and Small Arms Proliferation The proliferation and use of small arms have had a devastating impact on Africa's security for decades, plunging nations into bloody conflicts that have claimed countless lives, destroyed communities, and sparked humanitarian crises. In this compelling book, the author provides a detailed account of how small arms have fueled African conflicts, examining their origins, spread, and proliferation, and their impact on peace and stability in the region. The book highlights how African nations have become the dumping ground for millions of cheap, readily available firearms from various sources, including rogue arms dealers, illicit arms trafficking networks, and even domestic manufacturers. Despite numerous global initiatives aimed at controlling the proliferation of small arms in conflict zones, the author emphasizes that the likelihood of succeeding in this fight is minimal unless there is a concerted effort to address the root causes of violence and disentangle the complex web of socio-economic, political, and cultural factors that create conditions of instability and violence. The book concludes by offering several recommendations for policymakers and stakeholders on ways to mitigate the impact of small arms and promote peace and security in Africa. Overall, Small Arms and African Conflicts is a carefully researched and thought-provoking book that offers a compelling account of a deadly phenomenon that has plagued the African continent for far too long. It is an essential read for scholars, researchers, policymakers, and anyone interested in understanding the complex dynamics of African conflicts and the role of small arms in fueling violence and undermining stability on the continent.

This new Handbook examines the issues, challenges, and debates surrounding the problem of security in Africa. Africa is home to most of the world's current conflicts, and security is a key issue. However, African security can only be understood by employing different levels of analysis: the individual (human security), the state (national/state security), and the region (regional/international security). Each of these levels provides analytical tools for understanding what could be called the "African security predicament" and these debates are animated by the "new security" issues: immigration, small arms transfers, gangs and domestic crime, HIV/AIDS, transnational crime, poverty, and environmental degradation. African security therefore not only presents concrete challenges for international security but provides a real-world context for challenging conventional conceptions of security. Drawing together contributions from a wide range of key thinkers in the field, the Routledge Handbook of African Security engages with these debates, and is organized into four parts: Part I: The African security predicament in the twenty-first century; Part II: Understanding conflict in Africa; Part III: Regionalism and Africa; Part IV: External influences. This Handbook will be of great interest to students of African politics, human security, global security, war and conflict studies, peacebuilding, and IR in general.