2020counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)7In May, the British government said it would resume arms exports to Saudi Arabia, which had been temporarily suspended.announcementThe company also Also,2020counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)12As of June, the U.S. government is working with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to export state-of-the-art fighter jets, unmanned drones, and other equipment.reserveis moving forward. Saudi Arabia is alsoUAEInvolvement in war crimes, such as the conflict in Yemen, where the humanitarian crisis continues to escalate, has also been a major concern.pointing outand these exports have been strongly supported by politicians and civil society in the United Kingdom and the United States.criticismThe company has been

Thus, large quantities of weapons manufactured in faraway countries are being sold and bought to conflict zones where human rights are threatened. Who is carrying out the arms trade, and with what intention? And what are the problems associated with it?

Massive bullets, Democratic Republic of Congo (Photo: MONUSCO Photos / Flickr[)CC BY-SA 2.0])

Overview of the World Arms Trade

Let us begin with an overview of the current state of the global arms trade as a whole. There are many different types of weapons traded in the world. These include large weapons such as warships, military aircraft, drones, missiles, and military vehicles; small weapons such as hand grenades, machine guns, and pistols; radar sites for air surveillance; and reconnaissance satellites for observing the ground and sea from outer space. Most of the world's weapons are developed and manufactured by private companies, with the exception of state-owned enterprises, which are mostly found in China, and purchased by governments.

However, private companies are not completely free to do business in the arms trade, which involves cross-border sales and purchases. Companies are subject to export licenses and restrictions from the government of the country in which they are located. In the U.S., for example, the government negotiates on behalf of companies with allies and other countries to conduct arms transactions.FMS), a direct commercial sale in which a private company and a foreign government enter into a direct sales contract (DCSsuch asframeworkThere is aDCSIn addition, the exchange of a certain amount of money requires congressional approval. In addition, Iran, whose nuclear development has been called into question, is not allowed to import or export weapons.10The UN Security Council may set restrictions, such as a ban for more than a year.

 What about the value of the transaction? U.S. Department of State.reportAccording to,2007Since the year2017The global arms trade through 2006 averaged an annual value of1,810US$ billion,2007Since the year10In the year65The number of transactions has increased by 3%. Which countries are doing the most trading? The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRIDepends on2014Since the year2018Up to the year5The annualrecordIn the following table, the top exporters5The countries were, in order, the United States, Russia, France, Germany, and China. Together, these countries account for approximately75percent of the total.

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Among them, the U.S. share is36and bigger,2013Up to the year5Export volume compared to the year29The company is expanding its trade, with an increase of 3%. Behind this is the increase in exports to the Middle East and North Africa. U.S. arms exports are52Percentage of Saudi Arabia andUAEand other countries in the Middle East and North Africa, though,2018Up to the year5years before that.5The volume of exports to these countries compared to the annual134It had increased by as much as 20%. Vs,2The export volume of Russia, which is ranked No. 1, isdecreasing trendin the2014Since the year2018Russia's share during the year was21and larger, but before that5During the year27This was a 6 percentage point decrease compared to the percent. The significant decline in exports to India and Venezuela, two of Russia's most important trading partners, led to an overall17The percentage dropped. However, Russia's exports to the Middle East and North Africa region have increased, as has the United States. Russia's arms exports to this region, primarily to Egypt and Iraq, have2The volume of exports to each country is respectively150Percentage increase,780The increase was a percentage increase. The expansion of arms exports to the Middle East and North Africa region by both the U.S. and Russia had a base of control spanning Iraq and SyriaIS(Islamic State), the demand for weapons had increased significantly in the conflict with the1One factor would be.

So what about imports?2014Since the year2018Year.5The highest volume of imports during the year5counter for countriesare, in order, Saudi Arabia, India, Egypt, Australia, and Algeria. This5The total import volume of these countries is approximately the same as the world total.35%The above two figures show that exports of arms are monopolized by a limited number of countries, whereas imports are carried out by a relatively wide range of countries. By region, Asia and Oceania and the Middle East and North Africa are the largest importers, each accounting for about 10% of the world's total imports.40%,35percent of total imports. While imports are declining in most regions, only the Middle East and North Africa region is on the rise,2013Up to the year5with the year2018Up to the year5Comparing the years,87%It had increased.

Canadian-built light armored mobility vehicles utilized by the New Zealand military, Afghanistan (Photo: New Zealand Defence Force / Flickr[.CC BY 2.0])

What type of company manufactures the weapons?2018in the yearSIPRIThe world's top annual weapons manufacturing value, as announced by the100About the companydataThe U.S. still stands out in the In terms of number of companies100troupe42companies, and in terms of sales3,982Of the US$100 million57The U.S. companies accounted for the largest percentage of the total. The top manufacturer was the U.S.-based Lockheed Martin Corp,2with the rank of3Boeing and Raytheon, also American, follow in second place. The main weapons produced by the top manufacturers are military aircraft for Lockheed Martin and Boeing, and missiles for Raytheon.10The top three are from countries other than the U.S., including the U.K., which mainly manufactures military aircraft, and the U.K.BAESystems ranked fourth; Airbus Group, which manufactures military aircraft with headquarters in the Netherlands and France, ranked seventh; Thales of France, which manufactures aircraft carriers, ranked eighth; Leonardo of Italy, which manufactures military aircraft, ranked ninth; and Almaz Antey of Russia, which manufactures anti-aircraft missiles, ranked tenth. Leonardo of Italy, which manufactures military aircraft, ranked ninth. It is also estimated that three Chinese arms manufacturers are likely to be included in the top 10, although they are excluded from this ranking due to lack of data. The above is an overview of the arms trade.

Arms and Armed Conflict

Let us then turn to the relationship between the arms trade and conflict. Although the number of armed conflicts varies by definition,Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP)According to,2019The number of ongoing conflicts in 2006 was54The number of cases was The role played by the arms trade is significant here. The majority of countries in conflict do not manufacture weapons within their own borders, so the weapons manufactured, imported, and exported enable the conflicts described above.

Weapons may be purchased by governments for their own defense and not used, or they may be purchased to actively carry out attacks within or outside their own countries. In either case, once a conflict begins, it is certain that not only military personnel but also many civilians will be killed. In many cases, civilians are intentionally targeted and attacked, making it impossible for them to lead the same life as before. Refugees and internally displaced persons, who are no longer able to live in their old places due to conflict or persecution, are also likely to be killed,2020In mid-2009, the world's population of about1Percent Equivalent8,000allexceeded the number of people who have been killed or injured. In some cases, governments even take up arms to suppress peaceful demonstrations and rallies by citizens even when there is no conflict. For example,2020It occurred in Nigeria in 2006.demilitarized demonstrationThe public security forces opened fire on at least56One person was killed, and the bullets found at the scene were bullets purchased by the Nigerian government from Serbia.

Soldier with gun, Bogota, Colombia (Photo: Pikist)

Even if the seller intends to trade weapons simply for defensive purposes, it does not necessarily mean that they will be used as intended. The weapons may later be resold or looted by domestic or foreign rebel groups or terrorist organizations, and used in ways that do not fit the original purpose, such as attacks on civilians or war crimes. The muzzle may even be pointed at the country that exported the weapons itself.2003Although the U.S. has exported large quantities of arms to Iraq since the invasion and occupation in 1949,2014in the yearISThe rise of many of these weapons in theISto U.S. forces in Iraq, in the hands of theusedThe Also,1962It has been repaired repeatedly since it was last delivered in 1949.2050The U.S. bomber, scheduled to be in service untilB-52Some weapons have a very long lifespan and cannot be bought and sold and immediately discarded. Once purchased, there is no guarantee as to how they will be used over time and across borders, and it is difficult to control how they will be used later.

The direct use of weapons is not the only reason why conflicts afflict people.food shortageConflict is also considered to be a major factor in the In addition to the inability to farm in conflict areas, prices can skyrocket, making it impossible to buy.2019In 1949, the United Nations World Food Programme (World Food Programmeis the world's1hundred million3,500million people are in a "critical situation" or more with regard to food, with conflict being the main factor.Analysis.For example. For example.2020In 2006, in West African countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, due to the instability caused by conflicts,4.8 millionwere considered to be food insecure. In addition,water shortageare also exacerbated by conflict. Wells and other facilities may be targeted by air raids in order to strategically cut off the enemy's water supply, or water resources may be made unavailable due to massive bombing or contamination, even if not directly targeted. Furthermore, access to medical care is also hindered. Hospitals in conflict zones are crippled by air strikes and other damage, and some are closed for fear of attack, making it difficult to get medical services in an emergency. Thus, conflicts aided by the arms trade threaten the lives of civilians.

Bullet holes in a window, Mogadishu, Somalia (Photo: United Nations Photo / Flickr[])CC BY-NC-ND 2.0])

Arms Trade and Corruption Issues

And in the arms trade, there have been more reported cases of corruption than in any other industry, where arms manufacturers in exporting countries have bribed government officials in importing countries to sign contracts. In one case, an order of magnitude more money was spent on bribes than in any other industry,1985There is an Al Yamamah arms sale contract signed by the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia in 2006. During the phase in which either Britain or France could export fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, British arms manufacturer British Aerospace (nowBAESystems) obtained the rights by handing out hefty bribes to various parties. In order to make up for the bribes, which had become too expensive, the transaction price was32%.He said that it was topped up.

The motivation for the exporters to engage in such large-scale bribery is the sheer size of the transaction. The export of large amounts of arms represents a significant opportunity for both arms manufacturers and the governments of the exporting countries, and they want to win the contracts by any means necessary to avoid being outbid by rival countries and manufacturers. The largest arms trade in history is2017The contract between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia in 2006 was for a whopping10In the yearUS$350 billionThe company also said that this would be a good thing. In addition to the increased secrecy that would result from the collusion of the government of the exporting country and the manufacturer in negotiations from the perspective of economic benefits and strengthening security ties, if the importing country is a dictatorship, it would be more difficult for domestic monitoring to take place, further lowering the hurdle for bribery.

Russian military helicopter Mil Mi-28 (Photo: Dmitry Terekhov / Flickr[)CC BY-SA 2.0])

In addition to simple bribery, a form of contract known as an offset contract also aids corruption. Offset contracts refer to the negotiation of arms deals in which some beneficial terms are offered in return for a contract. For example, the arms manufacturer may promise to invest in the importing country's industry or offer to create jobs through local production. In selling submarines to the Republic of South Africa, a German arms manufacturer has been involved in the film "Mandela: The Long Road to Freedom (original title, "Mandela: The Long Road to Freedom")," based on the autobiography of former South African President Nelson Mandela:Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom), which partially covered the production costs ofExampleThere were also Offset agreements can be beneficial to both sides and are not in themselves problematic, but many companies refuse to monitor them because they are commercially confidential, and in addition, the companies' close relationship with the politicians who make import decisions can result in the inclusion of corruption.

Also, when high bribes are exchanged, officials in the importing country do not scrutinize their purchases. They prioritize contracts with companies and governments that will line their own pockets, and end up purchasing weapons that are expensive despite their low performance, or even unnecessary in the first place. For example, in the case of the Republic of South Africa, an expensive submarine was purchased from Germany, but the submarine is now hardly used due to high maintenance costs, and some people question whether it was really necessary.It's going up.The national budget spent on expensive and unnecessary weapons should have been used to support the lives of citizens. The national budget spent on expensive and unnecessary weapons could have been used to support the lives of citizens, such as health care, infrastructure development, and education. The negative impact of corruption in the arms trade is significant.

Unmanned aerial vehicles on display at the arms fair (Photo: rhk111 / Wikimedia Commons[)CC BY-SA 4.0])

Background of the Issue

As described above, the arms trade is a serious problem that threatens people's safety and encourages corruption, placing an unnecessary burden on taxpayers. What are the reasons behind the increase in the value of the trade? First.1To, it is a perspective of international politics. From the perspective of a military power, allies and countries with which it has close relations have the advantage of selling arms and providing military assistance to expand its arsenal. There are also political games to be played in which countries the importing country chooses to purchase from. For example,2020counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)10In May, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member country, Turkey,NATOand testing surface-to-air missile systems purchased from Russia, which is at odds with the U.S. and strongly opposed to the U.S.Blamed.The following is a list of the most common problems with the

Second, there is the business perspective. Companies and government officials on the side of exporting countries that can greatly benefit from the arms trade, the so-calledThe military-industrial complex (military-industrial complex)The existence of the The military-industrial complex is the political and economic structure that facilitates the domestic production and export of arms. It is created by those who benefit from the arms trade: government officials, the military, and private corporations. These private companies include not only the major arms manufacturers and their subcontractors, but also the steel and electronics industries, which are not directly involved in the military industry but are involved in the production of materials. And in recent years.Google (WWW search engine)or some suchITAnd companies.AIThey cooperate with the military's unmanned aerial vehicle video identification and analysis by providing technology, for example. These actors are deeply interconnected, with military personnel descending on arms manufacturers, and companies and industries lobbying governments to ensure that their products are incorporated into national defense. By promoting the manufacture and sale of arms, politicians can gain an edge in the upcoming elections. They can gain the support of citizens by creating jobs, and they can collect campaign contributions from corporations for policies that favor them. And private corporations can also enter into huge sales contracts. If each side acts to maximize its own profits, then all but the taxpayers and the victims of armed conflict benefit from the continued production and export of weapons.

ordinal3The use of the arms trade as an opportunity to show off their technological prowess to the "neutral" countries. The "neutral countries"Swedenis actually an example of this, promoting its large military industry as a national brand power. Those involved in the production and export of arms have promoted the arms trade for this very reason, creating the attendant out-of-control problems.

The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) was adopted by a majority vote at the UN General Assembly in April 2013 (Photo: Norway UN(New York) / Flickr[.CC BY-NC-ND 2.0])

How to Address the Problem

It is not necessarily the case, then, that the problems caused by the arms trade have been left unchecked.2014Year,Arms Trade Treaty (ATT:Arms Trade Treaty)has entered into force. It is a treaty aimed at preventing the illicit trade in conventional arms that adversely affects the security, social, economic, and humanitarian interests of countries,2020counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)12As of May.110The treaty has been ratified by several countries.ATTratifying countries must have domestic systems in place to control international trade and must not permit their own arms exports that are deemed to be at high risk of being used for human rights abuses or war crimes. They also have an obligation to record measures taken to prevent diversion and transactions, and to report on these measures to the treaty secretariat. Although various rules had been established for the arms trade within each country, this was the first time that international regulatory standards were required. It is probably true that many nations have a growing sense of urgency about the problems associated with the arms trade.

however2A look at the major arms-exporting countries,ATTis not ratified by the U.S. and Russia is not a member, and it is a countermeasure to the problems caused by the arms trade.ATTThe magnitude of the effect of the "Mere Old Man" is questionable. Furthermore, even within ratifying countries, it cannot be said that the regulations are working effectively. The situation is such that regulations can be evaded depending on the interpretation of the risk of being used for human rights violations. France, Germany, Italy, etc,ATTMany of them have ratified theWest European countriesand ... andCanadais exporting large quantities of arms to Saudi Arabia, which is believed to be involved in human rights abuses and war crimes in the Yemen conflict.

But it is not only international treaties that place restrictions on the arms trade. Politicians, civil society groups, and the media can also play an active role. For example, human rights groups are strongly opposed to the U.S. arms exports mentioned at the beginning of the article.Protested.In the past, the South African dockworkers' union has also blocked trade by refusing to unload ships. Also in the past, South African dockers' unions refused to unload ships and resisted arms exports from China to Zimbabwe, where human rights abuses were allegedly taking place, blocking tradeSuccess.There have also been times when the media has been involved in the arms trade. The media also have a role to play in exposing and informing the public about issues such as corruption in the arms trade and human rights abuses in conflict zones to which arms are exported, through investigation and reporting.2016In 2006, a journalist uncovered a case in which employees of German firearms manufacturer Heckler & Koch were illegally exporting guns to Mexico.ExampleThere is also If governments, along with big business, are going to promote the arms trade, there needs to be oversight by civil society.

Guns being destroyed, Kosovo (Photo: Arben Llapashtica / Wikimedia Commons[)CC BY-SA 3.0])

It is legitimate for a country without the technology to manufacture weapons to import tools for its own defense and police from another country. The production and export of weapons by a technological superpower is another economic activity.1The arms trade is one of the most important. However, the arms trade, a growing entanglement of political agendas and commercial interests, has become a breeding ground for massive corruption and threatens the livelihoods of many people in the countries to which it is exported, taking the form of attacks on civilians, food crises, water shortages, and medical collapses. Necessity and merit in no way justify putting people at risk or allowing powerful people and large corporations to line their pockets with taxpayer funds. Structures that allow the powerful to pursue their own interests and impose excessive damage and burdens on the vulnerable must be revised immediately.

Writer: Suzu Asai

Graphic: Suzu Asai

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