Weapons of mass destruction in Africa

Abstract

Prohibition of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) has remained an elusive aspect of the global peace and security architecture. Traditionally, WMD were believed to be only of the chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear categories. Due to advancements in science and technology, which brought on board the Internet Communication Technology (ICT), another category, the cyber weapon, was developed. Due to politics and ideology of exclusion, another category of role players, the terrorists developed the improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Each of these WMD has a potential to, in a single moment, kill millions of persons, and destroy the natural environment. WMD may be categorized as industrially manufactured or improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Industrial manufacture of WMD is largely regulated under international law. Most of the WMD industrial sites are known. Some African countries may desire, or even possess, or have the capacity to produce and use WMD industrially manufactured WMD at short notice. Their capacity added to that of terrorists makes the African continent unsafe and unable to rid the continent of WMD. It suffices to note that the same technology used to make WMD is used to develop useful and developmental human needs. To ensure sustained peace and security on the African continent, the chapter relies on a human rights-based approach to critique the existing ideology and legal regime governing prohibition of WMD. In line with the core objective of the African Union (AU), the paper recommends adoption of a coordinated continental approach to their non-proliferation onto or within the continent.