Why Most of Today’s Wars Are in Africa

In recent years, Africa has emerged as a global hotspot for conflict. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reports that roughly 40% of the world’s armed conflicts are in Africa, with “more than 50 active armed conflict situations” on the continent. These include wars, insurgencies, and communal violence. By one count, over 35 separate conflicts are currently underway across Africa, from the Sahel to the Horn of Africa. For example, the Geneva Academy notes that more than 35 non-international armed conflicts (civil wars or insurgencies) rage in countries like Burkina Faso, Mali, CAR, DRC, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan. In short, Africa ranks second only to the Middle East/North Africa region for the number of concurrent wars.

These wars affect tens of millions of people. The ICRC estimates that roughly 35 million Africans have been displaced by conflict, nearly half of all displaced people worldwide. The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reports that as of 2024, the East and Horn of Africa regions hosted approximately 5.4 million refugees and 18.8 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), while West/Central Africa accounted for over 14 million (rising to 15 million by 2025). The 2023 Sudan war alone uprooted an estimated 14.3 million people (about one-third of Sudan’s population). These figures underscore the scale of suffering: millions fleeing homes, schools closed, and livelihoods destroyed as violence spreads.

Why So Many Wars?

Experts emphasize that the roots of Africa’s conflicts are deep and complex, not simply due to ancient “ethnic hatreds” or culture, but often to historical, political, and economic factors. Many analysts note that colonial legacies and foreign interventions have left these states vulnerable and fragile. During decolonization and the Cold War, outside powers backed dictators and armed groups for strategic gain, fomenting mistrust and militarizing politics. For instance, Cold War rivalries led to proxy wars in places like the DRC and Angola, with devastating aftershocks that persist today. As historian Elizabeth Schmidt explains, “much of Africa’s current predicaments of poverty, corruption, and violent conflicts are also the consequence of foreign intrusion into African affairs”.

Soviet and East Bloc military advisors in Angola. By: The U.S. National Archives

After independence, weak institutions and governance failures became common. Many new African governments inherited underfunded militaries, courts, and civil services, with vast rural areas beyond state control. The IMF notes that Sub-Saharan Africa contains nearly half of the world’s “fragile, conflict-affected” states, where poor governance, corruption, and social divides fuel unrest. In a failed-state context, modest rebellions can grow rapidly: armed groups exploit power vacuums or vie for control of resources. In one analysis, a typical civil war shrinks the local economy by about 15% and costs the country roughly $18 billion per year. (Over 1990–2005, Oxfam calculated that Africa lost about $300 billion, equal to its total foreign aid to war.) In short, political instability and poverty reinforce each other: grievances over land, jobs, or rights turn violent when governments lack the legitimacy or strength to manage disputes peacefully.

Environmental and demographic pressures also play a role, with rapid population growth in many African countries straining limited resources like land and water. Population growth in many African countries strains limited resources like land and water, and climate change (droughts and crop failures) can spark competition in marginal areas. Armed groups may then tap into these grievances. Similarly, competition for minerals, oil, and smuggling routes has funded conflicts. For example, rival militias fight over gold in the Sahel and coltan in the DRC. Criminal networks and terrorists (such as al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, or Islamic State affiliates) exploit weak borders and disaffection, often with support from regional or global powers.

Overall, state weakness and economic inequality are at the core. As the Stanford political scientists note, Africa’s ethnic diversity does not cause war by itself; rather, when states are weak, even small local disputes can spiral into war. Many of Africa’s recent wars have been internal (governments versus rebels) rather than interstate. Where strong mediating states exist (as in some other regions), conflicts are less likely to erupt or spread. Thus, analysts stress that to reduce wars, African nations must strengthen institutions and equitable development (so-called “positive peace”).

Where Africa’s Wars Are Happening

Conflict hotspots span nearly every subregion of Africa. In the Horn of Africa, long-running wars have flared. Sudan’s decades-old tensions exploded into full-scale war in 2023; fighting between army factions and paramilitaries across Darfur and elsewhere has already killed tens of thousands and displaced millions. To the east, Ethiopia’s brutal Tigray war (2020–22) left vast damage and refugee flows into Sudan and Eritrea. Somalia remains locked in a low-intensity civil war against al-Shabaab insurgents, with civilians often caught in bombings and military operations.

In West and Central Africa, insurgencies and coups have destabilized the Sahel and Gulf of Guinea. Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and northern Nigeria suffer continual attacks by jihadist groups (often linked to ISIS or al-Qaeda). Cameroon’s English-speaking provinces are plagued by separatist violence. The Central African Republic (CAR) has seen intercommunal fighting between armed clans since 2012. The huge Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) endures one of Africa’s deadliest wars: multiple militia factions (including the M23 rebels, the ADF, and foreign armed groups) fight over eastern Congo’s mineral wealth and control, displacing over a million people each year. Across the region, even countries like Senegal have faced sporadic conflict in border areas.

In Northern Africa, conflicts continue in Libya (where rival governments and militias have vied for power since 2011) and in the disputed Western Sahara, where a guerrilla war with Morocco simmers. Finally, Southern Africa has hotspots too: notably an Islamist insurgency in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province and political unrest in countries like Zimbabwe and Angola at times. No part of the continent is entirely immune, though East and West Africa hold the most active wars today.

Each conflict involves multiple armed groups and external actors. For example, foreign troops intervene in Mali and Somalia, UN peacekeepers operate in DRC, CAR, and South Sudan, and Middle Eastern powers or Russia have interests in Libya and the Sahel. This international entanglement can prolong wars. Yet the common thread is the sheer human impact: as one ICRC official warned, Africa’s conflicts cause “truly dramatic” humanitarian crises.

The Devastating Impact of African Wars

Somali refugee near Jowhar, 2014. (Photo: AMISOM Public Information CC https://www.flickr.com/photos/au_unistphotostream/11401686704/

The toll of these wars on Africa is enormous. Humanitarian crises abound: displaced civilians crowd refugee camps and slums, lacking food, water and shelter. Organizations report skyrocketing hunger and disease in conflict zones. For instance, UNICEF notes that as violence and climate shocks intensify, hunger in Africa has surged to historic highs – in 2024 about 307 million Africans (over 20% of the population) faced food insecurity. Children suffer especially: by UN accounts, millions of African children are now living in active war zones, facing displacement, recruitment, or the aftermath of violence each year.

For example, the AK-47 assault rifle (pictured) is the most common weapon in many African wars, illustrating the arms proliferation driving conflict. Analysts estimate that 95% of these Kalashnikov-type rifles are imported, fueling violence that costs African economies roughly $18 billion annually.

Economically, conflicts set development back by decades. Oxfam and researchers calculate that an average African civil war causes a 15% GDP contraction, with the continent losing around $18–20 billion per year in direct and indirect costs. That’s money not spent on schools, hospitals or factories. Over 1990–2005, war cost African economies some $300 billion (roughly equal to the foreign aid they received). Infrastructure from bridges to farms is destroyed or neglected. In countries like South Sudan and DRC, life expectancy and literacy have plummeted due to years of conflict. Even neighboring peaceful states suffer: they shoulder refugee inflows and lost trade opportunities.

Demographically, a lost generation is growing up amid war. In South Sudan, Darfur and other zones, schooling is interrupted for millions of children. Combatants often target civilians, for example, UN reports chronicle widespread attacks on villages in the Sahel and Congo. Human rights groups document atrocities and child soldier recruitment. The psychological scars and disrupted societies will burden Africa for years to come.

In summary, the combination of mass displacement, economic losses, and social collapse from decades of conflict has left many African societies fragile. Peacekeeping and aid efforts struggle to keep up. Even the United Nations has warned of funding shortfalls: UN peacekeeping missions in the DRC, South Sudan, CAR and elsewhere are facing budget cuts that could reduce troop levels by 25%. As the UN notes, this means “fewer people working to stop violent conflict” in African war zones, further jeopardizing civilian protection.

Make Peace a Priority

While the challenges are great, hope and solutions exist. Across Africa, civil society groups and leaders are pushing for peace, reconciliation and stronger governance. International support for investment in education, healthcare and livelihoods can address root causes. At the same time, citizens worldwide can raise awareness and demand change. Organizations like Pledge4Peace run campaigns to resolve global conflicts through dialogue, diplomacy and development. By engaging with these campaigns, people can make peace more politically salient.

You can help by voting on peace initiatives at Pledge4Peace. Visit pledge4peace.org/campaigns to learn about various peace-focused projects, for example, efforts to fund peacekeeping missions, support refugees, or pressure governments toward ceasefires. Every vote sends a message: that the public cares about protecting civilians and ending wars.

Ultimately, African conflicts not only hurt Africans but destabilize whole regions. The world must not ignore them. By understanding why these wars happen and how they devastate communities, we can advocate for their resolution. Investing in peace is urgent and possible. Make peace the top priority – support campaigns like Pledge4Peace.com/campaigns and vote for a future free of war.