For several weeks now, the clatter of Russian guns in Ukraine has brought up a very bad memory for Europe. That of war. European countries were prepared for it. Since 2014, when Crimea was annexed by Russia, Europe has once again become one of the hotspots of the global arms trade. In Africa, the acquisition of military equipment has clearly diminished – by 13% from 2015 to 2020. However, faced with numerous security threats – terrorism, transnational crime, piracy – the continent remains particularly affected.
This is part 1 of a 4-part series
“We will have to increase our defence forces. We will have to increase our border protections. We will be obliged to buy weapons,” the Ivorian head of state, Alassane Ouattara, recently declared in reaction to the announced departure of the French army from Mali.
