Abundant natural resources, swathes of unprotected territory and porous
borders make resource extraction an attractive source of wealth for
opportunistic extremist groups in Africa – most notably al-Shabaab, the
Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and the Janjaweed militia. This policy insight
paper outlines the extent to which each group is engaged in the extraction of
natural resources and the degree to which this activity is funding the group.
In the case of al-Shabaab, it appears that the funds it derives from natural
resources are due to the taxation of charcoal rather than extraction itself. The
LRA, on the other hand, seems to be relying heavily on poaching and ivory
sales for capital. The Janjaweed has acquired considerable funds through
artisanal mines in Darfur, a region rich in gold deposits. Lastly, research
suggests that Boko Haram receives little or no revenues directly from natural
resource extraction.
