Small arms and light weapons are among the main instruments of conflict and violence, including violent extremism, in Africa. The member states of the African Union (AU) have acknowledged this link by prioritizing both small arms control and preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE) in their strategy to prevent and reduce armed conflict. The 2016 AU Master Roadmap of Practical Steps to Silence the Guns in Africa by 2020 makes commitments on both policy fields.

Reliable information and analysis are critical for effectively dealing with such complex and multi-dimensional challenges as violent extremism and illicit arms flows. The AU Commission partnered with the Small Arms Survey to undertake a regional mapping of illicit weapons, culminating in the release of the report Weapons Compass: Mapping Illicit Small Arms Flows in Africa in Addis Ababa, July 2019. This Policy Note highlights the relevance of the report’s findings and recommendations for P/CVE efforts, with an emphasis on arms trafficking across the continent’s land borders.

 

Suggested citation:

Florquin, Nicolas. Linking P/CVE and Illicit Arms Flows in Africa. Washington, D.C.: RESOLVE Network, 2019. https://doi.org/10.37805/pn2019.1.ssa.