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To end up in the Ivory Coast or Mali, the arms have to pass through other countries (in Mali’s case, a closed country). The cargos often come from neighbouring countries that are deeply involved in this illegal trade. For many years, Burkina Faso has been involved and so too has Sierra Leone. Other countries in the region such as Nigeria, Senegal and the Gambia are suffering from internal conflict with armed groups or criminals. This, too, encourages the movement of illicit arms. Even if the type of conflict and situation varies from country to country, the proliferation of arms is common to all countries in conflict. The study presents an overall view of the limits to arms transfer currently in operation in West Africa, including the latest embargos. As it is often the case that armed groups need the arms, they can only acquire them illegally. The industrial production of artisanal weapons and munitions has gained importance in Mali and has contributed to this illegal trade. The circulation of arms from one country to another and the ensuing proliferation of small arms has become a real security problem, not only for the country concerned, but for the whole region. As in other regions, arms trafficking is often linked to natural resources. The Ivory Coast used to pay for its arms with oil revenue; Burkina Faso was paid in cocoa or diamonds; in Mali, arms were paid for with money from drugs and human trafficking (western hostages).
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