Demilitarising sub-Saharan Africa

The document examines the demobilisation and reintegration of military personnel across various African nations, arguing that while downsizing armed forces can potentially free resources for development and serve as a confidence-building measure, the actual impact is not automatic. It highlights that high costs of resettlement and reintegration often offset short-term financial gains. The author emphasizes that successful demobilisation depends heavily on political will, the institutional environment, and the availability of sustainable economic opportunities for ex-combatants to prevent the reoccurrence of conflict.

• Demobilisation does not automatically result in a net increase in resources for development in the short term because the costs associated with the resettlement and reintegration of ex-combatants are significant.
• In the mid-1990s, assessments of demobilisation in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mozambique, and Uganda indicated that there were generally no major direct financial benefits, as savings were lower than expected and support costs were very high.
• The success of demobilisation is fundamentally dependent on the political will of the parties involved; for example, efforts in Angola failed twice because the organisation of the process could not replace a genuine political solution.
• Demobilisation can inadvertently contribute to the militarisation of wider society when ex-soldiers, lacking alternative livelihoods, join mercenary companies or private security firms, as seen in South Africa, Mozambique, and Uganda.
• Inadequate disarmament processes, specifically in Mozambique, have led to an increase in the number of uncontrolled weapons circulating within southern Africa, raising the risk of violence during disputes.
• Female ex-fighters face distinct challenges during reintegration, often facing pressure to return to traditional roles; in Eritrea, a 1997 survey showed 27 percent of female ex-fighters were divorced or separated and 4 percent were widows.
• The use of military personnel to deliver demobilisation and resettlement assistance is discouraged because soldiers may militarise the social environment and often lack the necessary approach for sustainable development co-operation.

APA

Kingma, K. (n.d.). Demilitarising sub-Saharan Africa. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ACHIEVINGKINGMA.PDF

Chicago

Kingma, Kees. Demilitarising sub-Saharan Africa. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ACHIEVINGKINGMA.PDF.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Kingma |first1=Kees |title=Demilitarising sub-Saharan Africa |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ACHIEVINGKINGMA.PDF |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{kingmanddemilitarising, author = {Kingma, Kees}, title = {{Demilitarising sub-Saharan Africa}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ACHIEVINGKINGMA.PDF}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }