Military Sales: An Increasing U.S. Role in Africa

Since 1974, there has been a trend toward increasing U.S. foreign military sales (FMS) to African nations which until recently have been lightly armed with unsophisticated weapons. Military sales to five African nations -- Morocco, Ethiopia, Zaire, Kenya, and Nigeria -- were reviewed. Morocco, Ethiopia, and Zaire have been the largest African purchasers of U.S. military equipment and services. Kenya has recently agreed to a large sale, but Nigeria, which has the largest military force in sub-Sahara Africa, currently procures few U.S. military items.