As highlighted in Maplecroft’s latest security briefing on the Sahel and West Africa, arms circulation in the region has been enhanced by the fall of Gaddafi’s regime in 2011. The collapse of Gaddafi’s regime and weak state presence and capacity in northern Mali have contributed to enhanced arms circulation and helped fuel the conflict in northern Mali. If the degenerating crisis in northern Mali stays unresolved, it is very likely to spread to neighbouring countries and heighten insecurity in the region. Such a scenario is also likely to cause serious disruptions to business operations across sectors in the entire Sahel region.