In this way, these three cases are representative of sustained, localized instability deriving from armed conflict between the state and non-state armed groups.Īll three conflict areas overlap with areas of established illicit economies. All situations lack a swift resolution, and the instability persists primarily in areas outside capitals, even after formal conflict resolution. The national response to the conflict is supplemented with regional and international responses. In these cases, unrest is created after an armed group or groups counter the legitimacy of the state. While these conflicts present three distinct cases, they also share relevant similarities. Armed insurgency in northern Mozambique.These three case studies offer unique perspectives in terms of duration, size of the conflict area and stage of the conflict: This report considers three case studies at different stages of armed conflict to assess the dynamic relationship between criminal networks, illicit economies, and conflict actors and conditions. The GI-TOC’s 2021 Global Organized Crime Index shows that of the ten highest-scoring countries for criminality, meaning those with the most pervasive criminal markets and influential criminal actors, the overwhelming majority are countries experiencing conflict or fragility. From the diamond trade in Sierra Leone to the heroin trade in Afghanistan, illicit economies have been shown to fund insurgencies and political actors, and to contribute to ongoing conflict. The relationship between illicit economies, conflict and instability has been long debated in academic and practitioner circles, and part of the international policy agenda for some time.

Infographics about armed conflicts