West Africa is expected to remain the largest regional drugs market in Africa, with the number of drug users set to more than double from about 5.7 million in 2018 to 13 million in 2050. This policy brief looks at trends in drug supply and how some of the region’s internal vulnerabilities to drug trafficking and production are likely to evolve. It considers possible future trajectories of drug trafficking and production and recommends suitable responses, with a focus on demand reduction.
About the authors
Julia Bello-Schünemann is a senior research consultant who focuses on analysing long-term trends in Africa. Between 2013 and 2018 she worked for the African Futures and Innovation programme at the ISS. Before that she provided policy advice on peace and security issues to the European Union and the United Nations Development Programme among others.
Lily Welborn is a researcher at African Futures and Innovation programme at the Institute for Security Studies, Pretoria. Previously, she was a research consultant at the Frederick S Pardee Center for International Futures at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver. She has written/contributed to long-term trends reports on African security and development concerns and specialises in transnational crime and climate change.
Photo © New Africa – Adobe Stock.
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