Guerres de conquête et contrôle de la circulation des armes à feu et des munitions en Afrique Occidentale sous domination française (1834–1903)

Abstract

During the colonial conquest (nineteenth century), France enforced the prohibition of the sale of firearms and ammunition in its colonies in West Africa. The French administration did this in order to prevent the supplying of firearms, ammunition, and powder to resistance fighters such as El Hadj Omar, Ahmadou, Behanzin, and Samori. It was very efficient, but the legislation of France's neighbors in West Africa (England, Germany, Portugal, and Liberia) was less severe. The resistance fighters were thus supplied with firearms and ammunition by means of smuggling guns and powder in these nations' colonies (Gambia, Gold Coast, Nigeria, Guinea, Togo): consequently the war continued until the end of the nineteenth century. The European powers and the United States decided to produce an international legal instrument to control the circulation of firearms and ammunition and signed the Brussels Conference Act in 1890. The aim of this pact was to crush the last fighters like Behanzin and Samori, but its enforcement was very difficult because of the rivalry between European nations. Nevertheless, the act gave to the European powers an instrument to regulate the circulation of firearms and ammunition in their territories in West Africa.