• illicit arms in Liberia

Right from the time of decolonisation, followed by end of cold war, subsahara Africa has enjoyed a relative peace. This is due to continued civil wars that still exist in some parts of the continent. The preliminary research on this topic found that the Subsahara Africa appears to have an abundant supply of illegal Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALWs) such as AK-47, which are supposed to be exclusively owned and used by the military, police officers or other security agencies in the region. In Liberia, the emergence of domestic conflicts fleared up by warlords and warlordism during the reign of ex presiedent Charles Taylor that led to the rampant use of SALWs in conflict areas. Nonetheless, the threat of illegal supply of SALWs has not been placed under International security priorities. In fact, illegal production, transfer and possession of firearms are considered only as criminal activities. This thesis has an important question; to what extent the circulation and the illicit proliferation of SALWs have posed a threat to Liberian national security? The major assumption is that the illicit proliferation of SALWs in Liberia’s conflict areas such as Monrovia, Nimba county, and Mano River basin, threatened not only its national but rather regional and continental security because it became a base for nurtruing radicalist minds like Al-queada. Thus, this research aims firstly to analyse SAWLs proliferations in Africa and Liberia and secondly to analyse the capability of the regionals state (ECOMOG), African Unione, international bodies like UN how it responsended to those threats. This research used quantitative methods by using primary as well as secondary data as major sources of references. Primary data gathered were from government official documents as well and some scholars on the issue. The findings of the research show that the illicit proliferation of SALWs has threatened wide range of national security at three levels: individual, societal and state and as well as at Continental and International level. Furthermore, this thesis concludes that the Liberia’s national legislations on SALWs are insufficient to regulate and control SALWs proferation. Hence, the research suggests that Liberia should accept the assistance offered by the: Regional Programmes on SALW, Proper disarmament and rehabilitation, Role of African Unione and European Unione, United Nations Programme of Action (UNPOA) to update and develop its national legislation on the illicit proliferation of SALWs.