Access to resources plays a pivotal role in conflicts in Africa

GUINEA is a key exporter of bauxite, which is the metal required to make aluminum. It also has iron ore reserves and mineral resources, including cement, salt, graphite, limestone, manganese, nickel and uranium. The coup in Guinea on September 5 has raised concerns about future investment and access to Guinea’s resources.

Resources have played a pivotal role in conflicts in Africa, because either the revenue from these resources is not used to the benefit of local communities, or the revenues are used to sustain conflicts in these resource-rich regions.

Coltan is a mineral which is used in the manufacturing of electronic devices. This mineral is found in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) which is still experiencing conflict. Rwanda, Uganda and Zimbabwe became involved in the conflict in the DRC from 1996 to 2003. In

April 2001, a UN panel of experts investigated the illegal exploitation of diamonds, cobalt, coltan, gold and resources in the DRC.

The report accused Rwanda, Uganda and Zimbabwe of systematically exploiting Congolese resources. Participants in the conflict therefore extracted financial benefit from their involvement.

The drivers behind the conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan were said to be marginalisation and government neglect.

The similarity between the Darfur region and the conflict in the Niger Delta in Nigeria, besides feelings of marginalisation and government neglect, is the extraction of oil in these regions.

The inhabitants felt that they were not benefiting economically from the extraction of this resource from their region and their grievances were thus socialeconomic. Grievances led to open conflict with the governments of Sudan and Nigeria.

The Cabo Delgado province in Mozambique which is undergoing an insurgency, is rich in oil and gas. Political and economic grievances in the Muslim-majority region have fuelled support for an Islamic insurgency in the region.

The focus on resolving these types of conflicts cannot only be directed towards restoring security by military means. In an African context, this approach is not sustainable and will lead to periodic military interventions as and when tensions flare.

Good governance, rooting out corruption and the inclusion of the local population in the economic benefit of the extraction of resources are key to addressing the underlying causes of these conflicts.

GHALIED GEDULDT | Maitland