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Resource Discovery and Conflict in Africa: What Do the Data Show?

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  • Rabah Arezki
  • Sambit Bhattacharyya
  • Nemera Mamo

Abstract

The empirical relationship between natural resources and conflict in Africa is not very well understood. Using a novel geocoded dataset on resource discovery and conflict we are able to construct a quasi-natural experiment to explore the causal effect of (giant and major) oil and mineral discoveries on conflict in Africa at the grid level corresponding to a spatial resolution of 0.5 x 0.5 degree covering the period 1946 to 2008. Contrary to conventional wisdom, we find no evidence of natural resources triggering conflict in Africa after controlling for grid-specific fixed factors and time varying common shocks. Resource discovery appears to have improved local income measured by nightlights which could be reducing the conflict likelihood. We observe little or no heterogeneity in the relationship across resource type, size of discovery, pre and post conclusion of the cold war, and institutional quality. The relationship remains unchanged at the regional and national levels.

Suggested Citation

  • Rabah Arezki & Sambit Bhattacharyya & Nemera Mamo, 2015. "Resource Discovery and Conflict in Africa: What Do the Data Show?," CSAE Working Paper Series 2015-14, Centre for the Study of African Economies, University of Oxford.
    • Handle: RePEc:csa:wpaper:2015-14
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    Cited by:

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    3. Maarten Voors & Peter Van Der Windt & Kostadis J. Papaioannou & Erwin Bulte, 2017. "Resources and Governance in Sierra Leone’s Civil War," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(2), pages 278-294, February.
    4. Anouk S. Rigterink, 2020. "Diamonds, Rebel’s and Farmer’s Best Friend: Impact of Variation in the Price of a Lootable, Labor-intensive Natural Resource on the Intensity of Violent Conflict," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 64(1), pages 90-126, January.
    5. Anouk Rigterink, 2018. "Diamonds: Rebel's and Farmer's best friend," OxCarre Working Papers 211, Oxford Centre for the Analysis of Resource Rich Economies, University of Oxford.
    6. Lessmann, Christian & Steinkraus, Arne, 2019. "The geography of natural resources, ethnic inequality and civil conflicts," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 33-51.
    7. Sambit Bhattacharyya, 2021. "Commodity boom‐bust cycles and the resource curse in Australia: 1900 to 2007," Australian Economic History Review, Economic History Society of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 61(2), pages 186-203, July.
    8. Sambit Bhattacharyya & Michael Keller, 2021. "Resource Discovery and the Political Fortunes of National Leaders," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 88(349), pages 129-166, January.
    9. Christian Lessmann & Arne Steinkraus, 2017. "The Geography of Natural Resources, Ethnic Inequality and Development," CESifo Working Paper Series 6299, CESifo.
    10. Keller, Michael, 2020. "Wasted windfalls: Inefficiencies in health care spending in oil rich countries," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    11. Ralph De Haas & Steven Peolhekke, 2016. "Mining Matters: Natural Resource Extraction," OxCarre Working Papers 175, Oxford Centre for the Analysis of Resource Rich Economies, University of Oxford.
    12. Joeri Smits & Yibekal Tessema & Takuto Sakamoto & Richard Schodde, 2016. "The inequality-resource curse of conflict: Heterogeneous effects of mineral deposit discoveries," WIDER Working Paper Series 046, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    13. Joeri Smits & Yibekal Tessema & Takuto Sakamoto & Richard Schodde, 2016. "The inequality-resource curse of conflict: Heterogeneous effects of mineral deposit discoveries," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2016-46, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    14. Nouf Alsharif & Sambit Bhattacharyya & Maurizio Intartaglia, 2016. "Economic Diversification in Resource Rich Countries: Uncovering the State of Knowledge," Working Paper Series 9816, Department of Economics, University of Sussex.
    15. Mario Krauser, 2020. "In the Eye of the Storm: Rebel Taxation of Artisanal Mines and Strategies of Violence," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 64(10), pages 1968-1993, November.
    16. Nouf Alsharif & Sambit Bhattacharyya & Maurizio Intartaglia, 2016. "Economic Diversification in Resource Rich Countries: Uncovering the State of Knowledge," Working Paper Series 09816, Department of Economics, University of Sussex Business School.
    17. Ralph de Haas & Steven Poelhekke, 2016. "Mining Matters: Natural Resource Extraction and Local Business Constraints," CESifo Working Paper Series 6198, CESifo.
    18. Henry, Alexandre, 2019. "Transmission channels of the resource curse in Africa: A time perspective," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 13-20.
    19. Nemera Gebeyehu Mamo, 2018. "Essays on natural resources in Africa: local economic development, multi-ethnic coalitions and armed conflict," Economics PhD Theses 0518, Department of Economics, University of Sussex Business School.
    20. Nouf Nasser Alsharif, 2017. "Three essays on growth and economic diversification in resource-rich countries," Economics PhD Theses 0317, Department of Economics, University of Sussex Business School.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Resource discovery; Conflict onset; Conflict incidence; Conflict intensity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development

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