A new study from the international aid group Oxfam International says internal fighting has cost Africa more than $285 billion since 1990. Oxfam says the findings highlight the need for better arms control as most of Africa’s weapons are imported.

Oxfam policy adviser Irungu Houghton: “We hope it will support those who are pushing for a stronger arms trade treaty. We hope that by quantifying the cost of this, the $300 billion that I mentioned, which is actually more than the aid flows into Africa during the same period, will really make people sit up and realize that there is a massive cost, not only in human lives, but in development and progress in Africa.”