Beyond Greed or Grievance: Understanding Conflict in Resource-rich States

Apr 22, 2014 | Christoph Vogel and Joschka Havenith
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Diamonds and Rubber in Sierra Leone, oil in Angola and Sudan, tantalum and gold in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, copper in Zambia – the list of the natural resource wealth the Africa possesses is a long one. However, these riches have not always been a blessing for the continent. The development of African states is often said to be hindered by a ‘resource curse’ and, not surprisingly, most contemporary instances of armed contest over state power, authority, and legitimacy contain their fair share of a ‘natural-resources’ story.