Regional Dynamics of the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons in North Africa

Abstract ―​

The prolong nature of the authoritarian regimes in nation-states of North African region and their violent nature in repressing opposition and political movements have resulted in the breed of waves of religious extremism, violent political unrest and mass protest throughout the region for several decades. Consequently, this resulted in yet another waves of security challenges and humanitarian crises characterized armed violence perpetrated mainly through the use of SALW. This chapter examines the dynamics SALW proliferation in North Africa and assesses the security and humanitarian implications of the proliferation of these types of arms and weapons (SALW) in the region. Library research is used as methodology, while relative deprivation theory is used as theoretical frame. The chapter argues that the current security challenges and humanitarian crises bedevilling the North Africa is a direct result of the proliferation of SALW particularly during Arab spring in 2011, thereby creating stateless disorder and atmosphere of security risk and uncertainties in the region. It concludes that the armed violence and crises in North Africa resulting from armed violence are enormous hence the need for collective actions through regional measure and continental regimes to control the menace of small arms and light weapons proliferation to prevent continuous spread of these weapons to other part of Africa continent where tension has already escalated such as central Africa, East Africa and West African region.