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Berman, Eric G and Louisa N. Lombard. 2008 ‘Executive Summary.’ The Central African Republic and Small Arms: A Regional Tinderbox, p. xxiii. Geneva: Small Arms Survey, the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva. 1 December

Relevant contents

Executive Summary

Below are the main findings.

- Armed elements in CAR seriously outgun government forces (with the exception of the presidential guard), which are not prepared to counter them.

- The government, which in October 2003 claimed that around 50,000 small arms were circulating nationally beyond its control, may have been underestimating the scale of the problem.

- Long-standing arms stockpile multipliers for the Central African Armed Forces are extremely small. Consequently, past calculations of government small arms holdings throughout Africa may be well below present estimates.

- Galil and M-16 assault rifles are not in broad use due to the scarcity of 5.56 mm ammunition they require.

- Peacekeeping operations have not been a significant source of weapons.

- While regional states have supplied weapons to government forces and to rebels seeking to acquire power, the type of hardware has been relatively limited and has not included surface-to-air missiles.

- Non-state actors not only receive matériel and other kinds of support from governments, but they can also play a crucial role in providing military aid to governments.

- While rates of firearms-related deaths and injuries in CAR may be lower than in other conflict zones in the region, the country suffers greatly from the economic and psychological effects of small arms use and availability.

- Arms recovery programmes in CAR have been poorly designed and badly implemented. In addition, they have been considerably less successful than touted, and arguably have undermined national security.

- The safari hunting industry can play a positive role in countering the deleterious socioeconomic effects of poaching.

- While small arms proliferation has historically not been a problem in CAR, it continues to increase.

[CAR = Central African Republic]

ID: Q5246

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