Africa: Development aid neutralised by war

War and violent conflict in Africa sap the strength of the international effort to promote the continent’s development. According to a new study published by Oxfam, the British relief agency, and other non-governmental organisations in mid-October, conflicts in African countries between 1990 and 2005 caused damage worth $ 284 billion. That is roughly the value of bilateral and multilateral aid disbursed to Africa over the same period. On top of the direct damage toll, the equation includes indirect costs of war, which are often much greater than the direct ones.

Entitled “Africa’s missing billions”, the study reports that Rwanda’s war-ravaged economy grew by a third less from 1990 to 2001 than it might have, had there been peace. Furthermore, the researchers point out that the war in Congo has cost the country not only four million lives but also 29 % of its economic capacity. Oxfam reckons the true costs are actually even higher than indicated, because the study did not take into account conflict impacts on neighbouring countries. The publishers timed the launch of their paper to coincide with talks in the UN General Assembly on a new international treaty to regulate the small arms trade. One of the statistics presented by the study is that 95 % of the Kalashnikov assault rifles in circulation in Africa were trafficked from elsewhere. (ell)