The combination of conflict and weak governance in Somalia has had a devastating impact on civilians as well as exacerbating regional tensions and facilitating the rise of piracy. This Background Paper examines recent arms supplies to Somalia and to other African countries that have directly supported Somali armed actors, both government and opposition. It discusses the effects of the United Nations arms embargoes on Somalia and Eritrea and presents the risks that are involved in supplying arms to even those actors not under embargo.

Related publications

This paper is one of a series produced for the SIPRI Project on Monitoring Arms Flows to Africa and Assessing the Practical Regional and National Challenges and Possibilities for a Relevant and Functioning Arms Trade Treaty. The project is funded by the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The other background papers in the series are:

Israeli arms supplies to sub-Saharan Africa, Siemon T. Wezeman, October 2011
Arms transfers to Zimbabwe: implications for an arms trade treaty, Lukas Jeuck, March 2011
Ukrainian arms supplies to sub-Saharan Africa, Paul Holtom, February 2011
South African arms supplies to sub-Saharan Africa, Pieter D. Wezeman, January 2011

The final report of the project is

Arms Flows to Sub-Saharan Africa, SIPRI Policy Paper no. 30, Pieter D. Wezeman, Siemon T. Wezeman and Lucie Béraud-Sudreau, December 2011

Publisher: SIPRI
12 pp.
October 2010