The London-Based International Institute for Strategic Studies released a report last October estimating that about 60,000 people were killed in the first six months of 2001 in various wars around the globe. Fully half of those killed were in sub-Saharan Africa.
Despite the fact that many countries in sub-Saharan Africa routinely have trouble feeding their citizens, the IISS reported that,
There has been a general increase in military spending by regional governments, which has been helped, at least among the oil-producing countries, by higher oil revenues, resulting mainly from increased production rather than rising prices.
Military spending in sub-Saharan Africa was $9.4 billion in 2000. An astounding amount of money for such a poor region.
Sources:
The Military Balance 2001/2002. International Institute for Strategic Studies, 2001.
Report highlights Africa war toll. The BBC, October 18, 2001.