Air transportation has played a key role in fuelling the war economies that have devastated much of Africa in recent decades. It is instrumental in the transfer of small arms and light weapons (SALW) as well as in the extraction and transfer of precious minerals, metals and hydrocarbons. Air transportation actors are also important facilitators of illicit flows of illegal narcotics and tobacco destined for European, North American and Middle Eastern markets. At the same time, those air cargo carriers that have been reportedly involved in these commodity flows that have been so destabilizing are also enmeshed in humanitarian aid, peace support, stability operations and defence logistics supply chains of United Nations agencies, European Union (EU) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member states and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

More on This

Africa to Unite Against Illegal Possession of Light Weapon

• Continent Urged to Cooperate to Fight Illegal Possession of Light Weapons
• Population Hands Over 14 Weapons in Namibe
• Controlling Small Arms and Ammunition
• Weapons Pass Through Nation - EALA
• Police to Conduct Random Search
• Media Sensitized On Small Arms, Light Weapons Control
• Armed Conflicts Cost Continent $18 Billion Annually
• Region Protocol to Strengthen Defence Ties
• Journalists Challenged On Small Arms, Light Weapons Proliferation in West Africa
• Country-Burundi Illegal Routes to Be Closed
• Media Sensitization Workshop On Small Arms, Light Weapons Control Holds in Ghana
• Africa's Lord of War