Intro
Against the backdrop of the recent military coup in Niger and simmering tensions between the country and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), I explored African military strength to bring focus to the military equipment possessed by each country.
Process
I began with an extensive data-gathering process. Data from Wikipedia, predominantly derived from the Military Balance report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, was selected to build a reliable dataset, subsequently filtered to retain African nations exclusively. One thing I understood is most of the figures were indicative as strict comparisons couldn't be made.
Outcome
The study reveals a limited range of military equipment in the region. The top three countries with the highest number of military equipment are situated in North Africa. While nuclear capabilities are absent within the region, South Africa possesses the technology for nuclear weapon development. It's essential to note that South Africa is a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and isn't known to possess nuclear weapons currently. In the 1980s, they produced six nuclear weapons, subsequently dismantling them in the early 1990s, and signing the NPT in 1991.
Conclusion
The case study underscores the distinctive strengths and challenges unique to each nation. It emphasizes the significance of modernizing defence capabilities. In conclusion, it is my hope that for conflicts, peaceful resolutions is always the answer. War brings only suffering and loss.
