Publications

Summary

Air transport development programs in Africa have the potential to significantly improve security and governance in regions affected by conflict and transnational organized crime. The case of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the surrounding region shows how the establishment of effective air traffic and safety management systems would lead to better controls on the transfer by air of weapons, valuable raw materials and other strategic commodities which may be smuggled or subject to illicit taxation. Tailored air safety and traffic management programs draw on synergies involving disarmament and peacekeeping. They can save lives, build infrastructure, foster regional integration and stimulate investment. Such cross-cutting initiatives can involve multi-stakeholder projects with a number of African Union (AU) and European Union (EU) partnerships and organizations.

Summary

Destabilizing and illicit flows of small arms and light weapons, cocaine, tobacco and valuable raw materials fuel the war economies that have devastated much of Africa in recent decades. This Policy Paper unequivocally establishes the role of air transport across the full spectrum of these commodity flows. It also demonstrates the extent to which air transport actors named in United Nations and other arms trafficking-related reports have become enmeshed in humanitarian aid, peace support, stability operations and defence logistics supply chains.

Summary

This paper examines the impact of EU air safety regulations on the activities of air cargo operators that are suspected of being involved in destabilizing arms transfers. Air safety regulations are an underutilized but potentially promising tool for stemming the flow of destabilizing arms transfers. Air cargo operators involved in destabilizing arms transfers habitually violate air safety standards, increasing the likelihood of their being targeted by EU controls.