Arms Trade to Africa Can Be Opaque: Why This is Dangerous

'Eolika, a Guyana-flagged cargo vessel, had already been detained in the port of Senegalese capital, Dakar due to 'inconsistent' declarations. Authorities in the West African nation then searched the ship, seizing three containers of Italian manufactured ammunition worth an estimated US$5 million. According to initial accounts, port authorities in La Spezia authorised the shipment, which was reportedly headed to the Dominican Republic. But at the time of writing, it remained unclear why the vessel made the unexpected stop in Dakar, leading civil society groups to call for more transparency on the transfer. The consignment highlights the fact that the international small arms trade is shrouded in ambiguity...'

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