Le diamant dans la géopolitique africaine

Abstract

The expression "blood diamonds" refers to the major role attributed to diamond during the wars that ravaged Angola, Liberia, Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the 1990s. Does Africa then suffer from a diamond "curse"? Is there a natural determinism that suggests that diamonds "fatally" give rise to conflicts? The geographical analysis must be complemented by a geopolitical analysis. That is what we shall attempt here: after examining the facts concerning diamonds' role in the three main conflicts mentioned (Angola, DRC, Liberia, Sierra Leone), we shall study the contextual and transient elements that elucidate the link between diamonds and conflict. Lastly, we shall see that although many structural reasons (natural and cultural) make the diamond appear to be a "conflict resource", there are always means of acting and reacting in the face of risks or crisis situations. The expression "blood diamonds" refers to the major role attributed to diamond during the wars that ravaged Angola, Liberia, Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the 1990s. Does Africa then suffer from a diamond "curse"? Is there a natural determinism that suggests that diamonds "fatally" give rise to conflicts? The geographical analysis must be complemented by a geopolitical analysis. That is what we shall attempt here: after examining the facts concerning diamonds' role in the three main conflicts mentioned (Angola, DRC, Liberia, Sierra Leone), we shall study the contextual and transient elements that elucidate the link between diamonds and conflict. Lastly, we shall see that although many structural reasons (natural and cultural) make the diamond appear to be a "conflict resource", there are always means of acting and reacting in the face of risks or crisis situations. © De Boeck Université.