Daniel Brombacher Déborah Alimi Bernice Auma Apondi Charity Monareng Clemence Rusenga

Africa and drugs: Rewriting the tale? Presenting the forthcoming JIED Special issue on drugs markets and policies in Africa

A Talk by Bernice Auma Apondi , Déborah Alimi , Daniel Brombacher , Charity Monareng and Dr Clemence Rusenga

About this Talk

Over the past decade, a strong and unifying narrative has developed to characterize drug markets and related problems in Africa. Although documented to some extent, the idea of a region being only a transit point of the global drug markets not only misses to consider the specificities of drug related issues in each country of the continent, but also categorizes the multidimensional realities of drug-related phenomenon into a small grid of interpretation. Multiple factors contributed to forge this narrative. One of the main ones relates to the limited access and/or lack of accurate, quality data and diversely sourced information, strongly linked to a long history of straitjacket, repressive drug control models.

This panel presents the research, fieldwork and policy analyses undertaken by young and established scholars from the continent and beyond, who contributed to the forthcoming Special Issue of the Journal of Illicit Economies and Development (JIED) dedicated to Africa drugs markets and policies. Bringing academic and field insights, the JIED Special Issue hopes to bring into light more nuanced perspectives on drug-related issues and phenomenon across the region. The discussion it opens, questions the need to rewrite the narratives on drugs in Africa, adopting a more people-centered and multidimensional reading of the drug-related realities, challenges, and policy responses ahead.

About The Speakers

Say hello to your Speakers for this Talk.

Bernice Auma Apondi

Bernice Auma Apondi

VOCAL- Kenya


Drug policy and human rights advocate from Kenya

Déborah Alimi

Déborah Alimi


Independent consultant, Daleth research. Researcher, Université Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne.

Daniel Brombacher

Daniel Brombacher

GPDPD, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH


Head of GPDPD

Charity Monareng

Charity Monareng

TB HIV Care


Parliamentary and Policy Research Officer, TB HIV Care

Dr Clemence Rusenga

Dr Clemence Rusenga

Research Associate, University of Bristol


Researcher on the Cannabis Africana: Drugs and Development in Africa project, in the School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol.

Categories Covered


drug trafficking

Africa