Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones) Fall Short in Addressing Africa's Security Challenges

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones) Fall Short in Addressing Africa's Security Challenges

The continent of Africa has witnessed a significant increase in the use of drones, leading to a complex set of issues and implications spanning military acquisitions, strike operations, and civilian casualties.

### Issues of Drone Proliferation in Africa

The reduced cost and increased availability of drones have made them accessible not only to national militaries but also to terrorist groups and insurgents across sub-Saharan Africa. By early 2025, around 20 countries in the region were reported to possess long-range drones [1]. Meanwhile, groups such as Al-Shabaab, IS Somalia, and Ansar Allah use drones ranging from commercial off-the-shelf models to domestically produced variants, often supported by Iranian and Chinese equipment [2].

Drones offer militaries and insurgents an inexpensive, effective means to conduct reconnaissance, strike operations, and spread propaganda without endangering personnel directly. Their use represents a major shift to more asymmetric warfare, providing smaller actors with greater strategic projection capabilities [1][2][3].

However, this proliferation of drones contributes to decentralizing conflict dynamics and may exacerbate existing violence, especially in fragile states with porous borders like the Sahel, Somalia, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The presence of drones is linked to the potential for intensified civil wars, transnational crime, and instability [3].

### Implications of Drone Strikes and Civilian Impact

Civilian deaths from drone strikes are a major concern. For instance, the Nigerian military killed 85 civilians in a December 2023 drone strike targeting Boko Haram. From November 2021 to November 2024, nearly 1,000 civilian deaths were reported due to government drone strikes in sub-Saharan Africa [1]. These casualties highlight the ethical and legal challenges of drone warfare, especially when civilian harm is often justified or overlooked in the name of cost-effective counterterrorism.

The rapid emergence of low-cost drone weapons strains international humanitarian law and arms control norms. The technology’s accessibility to both state and non-state actors creates challenges in accountability, regulation, and mitigation of civilian harm [5].

The growing use of drones complicates peace efforts. As conflicts become more asynchronous and technologically advanced, peacebuilders must anticipate technological impacts, regulate drone use, and invest in longer-term structural peace initiatives to prevent further deterioration of stability [3].

### Summary

The proliferation of drones in Africa has intensified warfare by providing cheaper and more precise tools of conflict, accessible to governments and insurgent groups alike. This has resulted in increased military capabilities but also serious civilian casualties and ethical concerns. The diffusion of drone technology challenges existing legal frameworks and risks deepening political tensions and violence in already fragile states. Consequently, addressing these issues requires comprehensive approaches combining regulation, conflict management, and peacebuilding [1][2][3][4][5].

It is crucial to remember that high-cost drone acquisitions alone are insufficient to address internal grievances and may come at the expense of basic support to key units. Drones are increasingly being used by insurgent forces across Africa in response to government drone proliferation. These acquisitions often involve the purchase of multiple drones, such as medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) fixed-wing platforms like the Bayraktar TB2 or Akinci.

Drones are sometimes wielded for more political purposes rather than serving as tools to enhance state effectiveness. The provision of drones to partners in Africa should be understood as a means, not an end, to counterterrorism operations, and must be accompanied with more commitment, not less. Drones cannot substitute for coherent counterterrorism strategies that focus on improved governance and public infrastructure.

1. The military, terrorist groups, and insurgents in sub-Saharan Africa have gained access to drones, leading to an increase in their number by around 20 countries in the region by early 2025.
2. These drones are used for reconnaissance, strike operations, and propaganda dissemination, contributing to asymmetric warfare that favors smaller actors.
3. Drones have a significant impact on conflict dynamics, potentially exacerbating violence in fragile states like the Sahel, Somalia, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
4. Civilian deaths from drone strikes are a concern, with reported cases like the 85 civilians killed in a Nigerian military drone strike against Boko Haram in December 2023.
5. The ethical and legal challenges of drone warfare arise when civilian harm is justified or overlooked in the name of cost-effective counterterrorism.
6. The proliferation of drones complicates peace efforts by creating challenges in accountability, regulation, and mitigation of civilian harm, and requires a comprehensive approach that includes regulation, conflict management, and peacebuilding measures.
7. High-cost drone acquisitions alone are insufficient to address internal grievances, and their provision to partners in Africa should be part of a coherent counterterrorism strategy focusing on improved governance and public infrastructure.

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