Africa is a large and topographically varied land mass, which has endowed the continent with

a wide range of natural resources. Even despite a lack of systematic environmental mapping

and survey, the vast expanse of the continent is known to contain widespread reserves of

natural resources with a great potential for mineral beneficiation. Yet in the midst of this

great wealth Africa is a paradox of poverty and protracted social violence. More than two-

thirds of the countries in Africa are fragile and characterized by a combination of weak

governance infrastructure, little or no service delivery, protracted social unrest and political

violence.

A conflict is defined as a violent and armed confrontation and struggle between groups,

between the state and one or more groups, and between two or more states (Bannon, 2003).

In such confrontation and struggle some of those involved are injured and killed (ibid). Such

a conflict can last anything from six months to over twenty years. Conflicts do not take place

in vacuum but they occur in institutions or the organizations of those institutions.

Africa’s curse is its resources” in Africa’s conflicts. Thus, to a larger extend the conflicts that are

happening across Africa are mainly caused by unequal distribution of resources and it is only the few

that gains more at the expense of many. A perpetual cycle can also be identified, as “resource

exploitation fuels war, and war facilitates continued exploitation.” Indeed, “Africa bleeds

because of its abundant wealth” (Herbst, 2000). To understand what drives these conflicts, it

is important to discuss the most prominent resources with particular strategic significance.

Significantly, natural resources play a key role in triggering and sustaining conflicts

(Humprey, 2005). And the resources that generate many of these problems are largely oil and

gas, diamonds, columbium tantalite (coltan), drugs, gold, platinum, uranium and other

gemstones; and also timber, coffee, water, land, grazing pasture, livestock and rubber (I C G

A, 2010). In some cases, resource conflict is embedded in the social and economic grievance

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narrative (ibid). As a result, many see a ‘resource curse’ in Africa, whereby easily obtainable

natural resources and commodities have essentially hurt the prospects of several African

national and regional economies by fostering political corruption and feeding violence and

rebellion (Ofori-Amoah, 2004).

To add on, one of the most controversial resources is that of oil. This has been described as

the “fluid, dark foundation upon which many of the world’s conflicts have been based (Ross,

2002). Energy particularly oil it “plays a crucial role in Western economies” specifically in

the commercial, industrial, and transport sectors (ibid). As such, oil is oftentimes referred to

as ‘black gold,’ due to its significant value. This lucrative industry is thus subjected to

enormous international influence from countries, stakeholders and multi-national

corporations alike and it is estimated that Africa accounts for about 12% of global oil

production (ibid).

The majority of Africa’s oil is extracted from the Gulf of Guinea in countries such as

Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Nigeria, as well as in the North African region (Patey,

2007). It is significant to note that Angola, Cameroon, Chad, the DRC, Nigeria, and Sudan all

major African oil producers have each experienced some type of conflict in recent years

(Waston, 2010). In Angola, for instance, off-shore oil and alluvial diamonds enabled the

MPLA (Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola) and UNITA (National Union for

the Total independence of Angola) rebels to engage in protracted combat (LeBillion, 1999).

Leaders on both sides enjoyed enormous wealth from oil and diamonds while unarmed

citizens, and particularly women and children, suffered strange acts of violence (ibid).

Sudan’s dubious oil extraction methods have had “an adverse influence on the conflict”. For

example, during the early 1980s, corrupt activities of President Jaafar Mohammad al-Nimeiri

included means to purposefully alter Sudan’s state boundaries in order to ensure that the

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North “would have access to future oil earnings” (Patey, 2007). When the Civil War

resurfaced in later years, the continued corruption to “capture oil reserves” aggravated and

worsened the conflict in the Sudan.

It is significant to mention that the majority of oil reserves lie in South Sudan and that North

Sudan, as well as the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) has repeatedly tried to gain

access to this oil, with frequent clashes occurring.

For example, the SPLA frequently attacked construction workers in the mid-1990s when the

oil pipeline was being built from the southern regions to the north (Waston, 2010). Owing to

the oil reserves being situated in the South, this could serve to aggravate future tensions in the

two countries . In Nigeria the oil-rich Delta region of Nigeria is, in particular, plagued with

political instability, weak governance and continuous conflict which only serves to aggravate

the situation. Conflict in Nigeria is worsened by competition for oil both between multi-

national corporations and the Nigerian Government.

More so, like many African countries, Liberia has experienced corruption in the highest

levels of its political system. Perhaps the most apt example of this corruption is that of

Liberia’s former president, Charles Taylor, who sold oil resource rights to foreign companies,

only to keep the revenues for himself.

However, approximately 90,000 unlicensed miners illegally extract diamonds, whilst foreign

multi-national corporations reap the rewards, leaving the locals in poverty (LeBillion, 1999).

In addition, rebel groups frequently sell diamonds illegally, as well as receive funding from

these illicit sales and several other commodities such as gold, coltan, drugs and timber have

at various times been linked with many violent conflict flashpoints in Africa.

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Such resource predation is manifested in Uganda, Burundi and the DRC, where rebel groups

and armed bandits maraud and loot crop fields (Reinner, 1999). LeBillion (1999) asserts that

the presence of certain natural resources causes low economic growth and grievances that

lead to conflict. As averred earlier, diamonds in Angola were critical to the ability of UNITA

to sustain its challenge to the government (ibid). A UN panel of experts report established

that rough gems in the Angolan civil war allowed the rebels to buy weapons and gain friends

and external support and served as a store for wealth.

Conflict over renewable resources has also become apparent in Africa, whereby people fight

over limited resources this is due to the population of Africa which has increased from 221

million in 1950 to 921 million and is projected to reach 1 998 million in 2050 shrinking the

amount of resources available to the average person(Homer-Dixon, 1995). Violent conflicts

such as those in Rwanda in 1994, South Africa in pre- and post-apartheid,

Mauritania/Senegal in 1989 and Zimbabwe in 1960 to 1980 were among other factors the

result of demographic pressures that created extreme environmental scarcities (Mwesiga

Baregu, 2011).

Other classic examples include pockets of over-populated, over-grazed and over-cultivated

interiors in Sudan, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa and Zambia (Homer-Dixon,

1995). Very violent conflicts have occurred among local communities in competition for

diminishing resources.

Unequal distribution and access to natural resources in which less powerful groups in the

society, relative to other groups are marginalized from equal access to particular resources

may result to Africa’s resource exacerbating conflicts (Homer-Dixon, 1995). Resources

concentrate in the hands of a few elite while the rest are subjected to greater scarcity (ibid).

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In conclusion, Owing to the abundance of strategic resources, Africa can be viewed as having
the capacity to become a key leader with great potential as a resource power. However, in
order for this to be realized, resource-rich African countries need to “effectively own and
control” their resources. The reality is that Africa is the victim of external competition. As
long as competition, greed, and power exist in the global system, Western powers as well as
African countries themselves will continue to see conflicts for the world’s resources.

REFERENCES

Bannon, I. and Collier, P. (2003): Natural resources and violent conflict: Options and actions,
Washington, DC: World Bank.

Herbst, J. (2000): Economic incentives, natural resources and conflict in Africa, Journal of

African Economies.

I C G A. (2010): ‘Dangerous little stones: diamonds in the Central African Republic’,

International Crisis Group Africa Report.

Mwesiga Baregu. (2011): ‘Resource wars threaten Africa’. http://www.thecitizen.co.tz.

Ofori-Amoah, A. (2004):‘Water wars and international conflict’, University of Wisconsin

International Environmental Problems and Policy Centre, Spring

http://academic.evergreen.edu

Patey, L.A. (2007): State rules: oil companies and armed conflict in Sudan, Third World

Quarterly.

Ross, M. (2003): Natural resources and civil war: An overview, World Bank Research

Observer.