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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:Civilianising Military Functions in Sub-Saharan Africa
Author:Harris, GeoffISNI
Year:2003
Periodical:African Security Review
Volume:12
Pages:83-89
Language:English
Geographic terms:Africa
Subsaharan Africa
Subjects:national security
armed forces
privatization
Military, Defense and Arms
Politics and Government
Development and Technology
Economics and Trade
External link:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10246029.2003.9627254
Abstract:The privatization of activities previously performed by government has been a major characteristic of economic policies over the past two decades. This article examines the potential for privatization of military activities in the African context. Four categories in which this has occurred or might occur are mercenaries employed by a government to provide for defence or to supplement its own military; private security company personnel employed to protect economic assets or to advise and train the local military; the contracting out of the provision of goods and services ranging from heavy weapons through to accounting services; and the transfer of non-core activities currently undertaken by the military to other government departments or civilian bodies. Of these, the last is of potential importance in Africa, given the wide range of activities which its militaries have come to perform. Three examples where private sector organizations or other government departments could play a much larger and probably more cost-effective role are peacekeeping, internal security and surveillance, resource protection and rescue activities. Notes, ref., sum. [Journal abstract]
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