Wars cost Africa 300 billion dollars in 15 years

Civil wars and conflicts cost Africa some 300 billion dollars in the 15 years until 2005, the equivalent of funds poured into the continent in international aid over the same period, a new study has shown.

“The cost of conflict on African development was approximately 300 billion dollars between 1990 and 2005,” according to the research published Thursday by a group of non-governmental organisations.

“This is equal to the amount of money received in international aid during the same period,” it said.

In “Africa’s Missing Billions”, Oxfam International, with the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) and Saferworld, were the first to try and quantify the overall effects of conflict on GDP in Africa in recent years.

The study conducted by the three NGOs noted that 23, or almost half of Africa’s 53 countries, were involved in one form of conflict or another between 1990 and 2005, seriously hampering development. Oxfam’s African policy advisor, Irungu Houghton, said armed violence has become one of the greatest threats to development on the continent.

“The costs are shocking. Our figures are almost certainly an under-estimate but they show conflicts are costing African economies an average of 18 billion dollars a year.

“This money could solve the HIV/AIDS crisis, prevent TB and malaria, or provide clean water, sanitation and education,” he said in a statement.

Dakar, Thursday, AFP