According to this article by Reuters,

Wars strip $284 bln from African economies – report

Wars stripped about $284 billion from Africa’s economies between 1990 and 2005, roughly equal to the amount of aid money given to the world’s poorest continent, according to a report on Thursday by Oxfam International.

In the study “Africa’s Missing Billions,” the British aid group said the 23 conflicts engulfing Africa in the period had shrunk economies by an average 15 percent per year at a cost of almost $18 billion a year.

That’s a lot of money.

But here are some of my favorite parts of the article:

The report, which was backed by the International Action Network on Small Arms and Saferworld, two non-governmental organisations, cited the global arms trade as a major contributor to the violence that had killed millions of Africans and impeded economic growth on the continent.

It estimated 95 percent of Kalashnikov rifles — the most popular weapon used in the African conflicts — came from outside the continent, highlighting what was described as a need to better regulate the arms trade.

The United Nations is considering the passage of an Arms Trade Treaty designed to restrict the flow of illegal weapons and arms, especially to vulnerable parts of the world, such as Africa.

Oxfam and other NGOs are campaigning for an agreement that would prohibit arms transfers if they were likely to be used to commit serious violations of international humanitarian or human rights law, or undermine sustainable development.

Some 153 countries voted last year in the U.N. General Assembly to start work on a treaty, which would make provisions for legal arms sales for defence, peacekeeping and other legitimate purposes.

The United States cast the only vote against.

China and Russia, which also have significant arms industries, have expressed reservations about a treaty.

I’m glad the good old U. S. of A. is still supporting conflict…