Africa

SIPRI’s work in Africa spans several regions and tackles many cross-cutting themes—including security, governance, conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peacebuilding.

SIPRI’s Sahel and West Africa Programme analyses key conflict, security, governance and conflict prevention issues affecting the region. The Programme’s research seeks to contribute to a better understanding of local perceptions and the needs and priorities of local populations to inform policymakers and practitioners.

The Programme utilizes complementary quantitative and qualitative research methods and works in close partnership with research institutes in the region. The emphasis on capacity building and knowledge exchange stimulates bottom-up communication and dialogue between civil society, researchers and policymakers.

Currently, the Programme’s geographic focus lies on Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, the Liptako-Gourma region and the Lake Chad Basin region. Read more about the Programme’s work on security, governance and conflict prevention and humanitarian protection.

The Institute’s long-standing research on military expenditure contributes to another area of Africa-oriented research, part of which takes a particular interest in transparency in military spending of states in sub-Saharan Africa.

In addition to these initiatives, SIPRI engages in research that seeks to better understand global and regional security dynamics and their interplay in Africa. This includes research on the arms trade and illicit trafficking; regional conflict studies; international assistance and stabilization efforts; climate change; and migration. All this timely work utilizes the Institute’s well-developed strengths—such as data collection, policy analysis and capacity building through established partnerships and networks.