Funding Defense Challenges Of Buying Military Capability In Sub Saharan Africa

Martin Rupiya, Director of the University of Zimbabwe's Centre for Defence Studies, and Daniel Henk of the Air War College provide one of the first comprehensive studies of defense budgeting practices in Africa. They assess both the problems with these practices and fruitful avenues of reform. By doing so, they provide a solid roadmap both for African leaders and for Americans concerned with the development of greater security in the region. The interests of the United States would be well-served in the emergence of a stable, secure and prosperous Africa, a fact acknowledged in the rhetoric of the current and previous Administrations. Since the end of the Cold War, the United States has been increasingly active in efforts to promote political and economic reform in African countries, including programs to democratize African security sectors. While the military (and other security force) establishments in Africa have many problems-and pose challenges to ongoing democratization efforts-few challenges are as potentially significant for good or ill as that of defense sector funding. The ability of African countries to provide the secure environment necessary for social and economic development requires the creation of the right kind of security establishments, legitimized by democratic processes, and empowered with adequate resources. It is very much in the U.S. interest to assist African societies in reform both of the security sector and of security sector financing.