China Trains Africans on How to Control Small Arms

 The South China Morning Post published on 26 June 2026 an article titled "Can China's Strict Policing Model 'Silence the Guns' in Africa?" by Jevans Nyabiage.

China is training African trainees on ways to get better control of small arms and light weapons (SALW).  The problem is that China's strict domestic policies do not transfer well to Africa where some African governments supply SALW to non-state actors in neighboring countries.  Until this practice ends, China's training will accomplish little.  

New Weapons from What Countries Fuel Sudan Conflict?

 Amnesty International posted on 29 July 2024 a report titled "New Weapons Fuelling the Sudan Conflict."

The existing United Nations arms embargo on Darfur is completely ineffective.  Recently manufactured weapons and military equipment from Russia, China, Turkiye, and the United Arab Emirates are being imported in large quantities into Sudan and then diverted to Darfur.  Recently transferred small arms and ammunition from Serbia, Yemen, and China are being used on the battlefield by various parties to the conflict.  All states are prohibited from transferring or permitting private actors to transfer weapons to a party to an armed conflict where there is a clear risk it would contribute to the commission of international humanitarian law violations.

China Could Help Restrict Small Arms Transfers to Africa

 The South China Morning Post published on 5 December 2023 an article titled "China Could Help Fight Arms Trade Fuelling Conflict in Africa, Experts Say" by Jevans Nyabiage.  

China and Russia are now the preferred source for small arms and light weapons in Africa because of their relatively low cost and durability.  While China tries to keep them out of African conflict zones, it does not have strong policies for preventing their movement into these areas.  

Regulating Conventional Arms in Middle East and Horn of Africa

 Manara Magazine published on 16 March 2021 an article titled "Opportunities to Regulate Conventional Arms in the Middle East and Horn of Africa" by Rachel Stohl and Ryan Fletcher.  

The article considers the opportunities and challenges that exist to better regulate the flow of conventional weapons in the Middle East and the Horn of Africa.  It examines the international mechanisms and regulatory architecture that exist to regulate the conventional arms trade, considers the extent to which these can be applied to regulate weapons flows, and offers recommendations for increasing participation and supporting implementation of these instruments to combat the unregulated trade in conventional arms.

China's Growing Security Role in West Africa

The Mercator Institute for China Studies and Konrad-Adenauer -Stiftung published in July 2020 a major study titled "China's Growing Security Role in Africa: Views from West Africa, Implications for Europe" by Tom Bayes.

The report examines the growing role of China in West African security and seeks to understand the nature and scope of  China's role as a security actor now and in the future.  It considers China's substantive impact on West African security dynamics and the views of West African political and military decision makers on China's emergence as a security partner.

China's Growing Security Relationship with Africa

These are remarks titled "China's Growing Security Relationship with Africa" that I delivered to the African Studies Program at Michigan State University in East Lansing on 28 January 2016.  They cover arms transfers, protection of Chinese nationals, the non-interference principle, UN peacekeeping, anti-piracy in the Gulf of Aden, PLAN expansion in the Indian Ocean, and future trends. 

China's Exports of Small Arms and Light Weapons

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) published in October 2013 a policy paper titled "China's Exports of Small Arms and Light Weapons" by Mark Bromley, Mathieu Duchatel and Paul Holtom.  It notes that Africa accounted for the largest share of reported imports of Chinese military small arms and light weapons (SALW).  The report identifies in particular Chinese arms that have ended up in Somalia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Darfur in Sudan (page 16 of the report).  Some of the exports of Chinese SALW to Africa have involved European arms brokers.  While there are references to Africa throughout the report, pages 41 to 47 focus exclusively on Sub-Saharan Africa.

China's Exports of Small Arms and Light Weapons

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) released in October 2013 its China's Exports of Small Arms and Light Weapons by Mark Bromley, Mathieu Duchatel and Paul Holtom.  China is one of the world's most significant exporters of small arms and light weapons (SALW).  It is also among the least transparent.  At least 46 states imported military SALW from China during 2006-2010.  African states account for the largest share of reported imports of military SALW.  A number of exports of Chinese SALW to Africa that have involved European arms brokers have caused concern with regard to their potential impacts on peace, stability and security in the importing state.