Small arms proliferation: A national security threat to Botswana

Threats to national security have radically shifted from militaristic to non-militaristic, which in most cases are very difficult to predict. During the Cold War era, the state was the referent point when it came to analysing national security threats.

However, in the post-Cold War era, it is the core survival of human beings that is the central focus of national and international security. Transnational crime is one of those non-traditional security threats that affect all the seven dimensions of human security. Within the realm of transnational crime, the proliferation of small arms and light weapons has become a central focus of debate in Botswana as the violent use of these weapons have escalated to new highs over the past two years. It is therefore important to make introspection on the role played by the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the national security landscape of Botswana.