Research, Armed Violence and Policy

Nelson Alusala (ISS)-The recent conference on human security and the state of research and practice on arms control and armed violence reduction in Africa, held in Cape Town from 26 to 28 November underscored the increasing need to link research and policy in Africa, especially in the field of human security. The conference brought together experts and researchers from across the world, all with experience in Africa, to examine Africa’s research capability in the context of increasing global security challenges. At the conclusion of the conference the clear to African policy makers was: "Ignore research at your own peril, since a society that does not understand itself does not care about its future!"

The three day conference, opened by the ISS Executive Director, tackled issues such as research methods, mainstreaming of security and development approaches to armed violence; the need to improve the link between disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) with security sector reform (SSR) and arms management; psychosocial needs in DDR processes; and transitional justice and cattle-rustling. The conference also featured presentations by researchers on practical experiences of doing field research in Africa’s five regions as well as interaction between policy makers and researchers.

Participants agreed on some of the areas needing greater focus from African researchers and policy makers:

1. The need to understand the demand and supply of small arms and ammunition in Africa. For instance, a case study on research on the demand for and supply of arms and ammunition in the Great Lakes Region (and indeed most African countries) showed that while no country in the region has the capacity to manufacture weapons, the demand for arms remains insatiable because of the limited ability of the state to provide security in large parts of countries, while illegal trafficking remains rampant as a consequence of conflict and the porosity of borders.

Research on the marking and tracing of ammunition also showed that, contrary to the popular perception that arms and ammunition are both sourced from outside the region, almost all ammunition used in the region came from government stocks, sold clandestinely to the public by government security forces. Given that several countries in the region have ammunition-manufacturing plants, tightening of controls over government ammunition stocks through strict accountability would be one of the ways towards addressing the problem.

1. The need to domestic DDR processes in order to reflect local realities. While the conference lauded the need to uphold DDR processes in post-conflict reconstruction phases, findings from research in several cases showed that timeliness in DDR is of the essence. DDR processes have more impact when implemented immediately after the cessation of conflict rather than several years afterwards; naturally after the war people tend to undergo "self-demobilisation and reintegration" and therefore if a DDR process comes several years later, it serves only to revive past emotions from the conflict hence creating animosity between ex-combatants (perceived beneficiaries of DDR) and the society at large.

1. The seemingly distant but real threat of biological and chemical weapons. Although Africa seems safe from threats of this nature, the phenomenon is increasingly becoming a concern worldwide, hence the need for African policy makers and research institutions to equip themselves with the capacity to detect the threat and be able to counter its effects. It was obvious during the conference that there is a critical need for African countries to step up their capacity in this regard, in line with the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540, which requires states to ensure that they have the infrastructure in place to address the threat posed by non-state actor involvement in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The Resolution stipulates that states shall in no way support non-state actors involved in such activities and that states shall enact and enforce the necessary laws to prevent these activities in their territories.

1. For Africa to match its research capacity with the needs of its society, it is fundamental that the continent equips itself with capable research institutions and with sufficient resources. Apart from a few cases, most African countries do not have research institutions, (hence no manpower) to undertake in-depth research on issues facing Africa, and most countries are not ready to invest in such an endeavour. As a result non-African institutions conduct most research in and on Africa and the results seldom reach African policy makers, reducing their usefulness to Africans.

The conference ended with a call upon the African Union (AU) and member countries proactively to spearhead the incorporation of research into policy formulation and implementation at all levels. A publication to come out of the conference presentations will provide further details and assessments.

Nelson Alusala, Senior Researcher, Arms Management Programme, ISS Pretoria

<< Back to main