In a report dated Oct. 7, the European institute said the South African
purchase of Litening took place in 2009. The deal was one of the few South
African orders of major Israeli equipment since apartheid ended in 1994.
Titled "Israeli Arms Transfers to Sub-Saharan Africa," author Siemon
Wezeman said Israel accounted for less than one percent of major weapons
transfers to sub-Saharan Africa from 2006 through 2010. The report said
Israel delivered mainly artillery, unmanned aerial vehicles, armored
vehicles and patrol craft.
"However, in addition to major weapons, Israel also supplied small arms
and light weapons, military electronics and training to several countries in
the region," the report said. "Israeli weapons, trainers and brokers have
been observed in numerous African trouble spots and may play a bigger role
than their numbers imply."
SIPRI said over the last five years Africa comprised less than two
percent of Israeli weapons exports. The report identified Israeli clients in
sub-Saharan Africa as Cameroon, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Lesotho, Nigeria,
Rwanda, Seychelles, South Africa and Uganda.
"Nigeria is the largest African importer of Israeli weapons, accounting
for almost 50 percent of Israeli deliveries to sub-Saharan states," the
report said. "The value reported in 2009 of recently signed Israeli deals
with Nigeria, most likely since 2006, was $500 million."
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