January 2011

The politics of peacekeeping in Africa: the end of indifference?

Sharon Wiharta

SIPRI implements European Union Council Decision projects

In December SIPRI signed a 24-month contract with the European Commission for the technical implementation of an EU Council Decision adopted by EU member states at a ministerial meeting in Brussels in November 2010. Under the terms of the Decision, SIPRI is implementing two projects to counter small arms and light weapons (SALW) trafficking. The SIPRI projects are the responsibility of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The projects will complement and strengthen efforts to reduce the proliferation of SALW undertaken by the United Nations (UN), the African Union (AU), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) as well as EU member states, the European Commission and the new European External Action Service (EEAS). Read more here or contact Outreach and Communications Manager Caroline Säfström for more information.


SIPRI receives new support for work towards an Arms Trade Treaty

In December the SIPRI Arms Transfers Programme received funding from the foreign ministries of Norway and Sweden to undertake studies to inform discussions towards an arms trade treaty (ATT). Through this support SIPRI can continue to be actively engaged in the ATT process. The findings will be presented at the Preparatory Committee for the United Nations Conference on the ATT in July 2011. For more information contact SIPRI Senior Researcher Dr Paul Holtom or SIPRI Senior Researcher Mark Bromley.

Fourth issue of Mercury Project newsletter out now

The latest issue of the Mercury Project newsletter highlights recent events and several new publications. It also includes profiles of two Mercury Project members: Fudan University (Shanghai), and Charles University (Prague). The Mercury Project is a global network of academic institutes that critically examines the European Union’s contribution to multilateralism. Using case studies on Africa, the neighbourhood, and East Asia, the Mercury Project aims to find out whether the EU lives up to its ambitions and its commitment to multilateralism and what lessons can be drawn from its experience. The Mercury Project newsletter is prepared by SIPRI. Read the newsletter here and contact SIPRI Project Coordinator Rebecka Salim Shirazi for further information.

Save these dates!

• 21 February: Launch of the SIPRI Top 100—the 100 largest companies in the global arms industry.
  
• 14 March: Launch of SIPRI's international arms transfers data—details of all international sales, transfers and donations of major conventional weapons in 2010.
  
• 11 April: Launch of SIPRI's world military expenditure data—comprehensive information on global, regional and national trends in military spending.
  
•   7 June: Launch of the SIPRI Yearbook—cutting-edge information and analysis on developments in armaments, disarmament and international security, featuring a lead essay on corruption in the international arms trade by Andrew Feinstein.
  Contact SIPRI Communications Director Stephanie Blenckner for more information.

Upcoming SIPRI events and activities

SIPRI in the media

SIPRI Research Coordinator Dr Ian Anthony discussed US missile defence for Al Jazeera.

SIPRI Senior Researcher Dr Paul Holtom commented on Russian arms trading to the BBC.

SIPRI Senior Fellow Siemon Wezeman talked to Reuters about China's naval spending, in an article picked up by, among others, ABS-CBN News.

SIPRI Senior Researcher Shannon Kile commented on Iran's nuclear programme for Reuters.

SIPRI Researcher Vitaly Fedchenko commented to Reuters on North Korea's nuclear offer, in an article picked up by the Gulf Times and others.

The SIPRI Policy Paper New Foreign Policy Actors in China was awarded an Albie by Foreign Policy. The Albies are given to the 10 best publications on the global political economy of the past year. Read more here.

Last month's SIPRI Update lead article was republished by the African defence portal defenceWEB.

Arabian Business based a feature article on the recent SIPRI Fact Sheet 'Military spending and arms procurement in the Gulf states' by Carina Solmirano and Pieter D. Wezeman.

SIPRI data has been quoted in Op-Eds in the New York Times, Financial Times, Washington Post, The Guardian, Business Week, Bloomberg and more.

SIPRI researcher to join UN Congo expert group
SIPRI Researcher Ruben de Koning has been invited to join the UN Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from 1 February. The Group of Experts is mandated by the UN Security Council to investigate violations of the arms embargo on the DRC for the purpose of recommending targets for travel bans and asset freezes. Ruben will retain his link to SIPRI as an associate researcher with the SIPRI Armed Conflict and Conflict Management Programme, where he specializes in studying the links between conflicts and natural resources. Read more about the UN Group of Experts here.

Recent publications

		SIPRI Fact Sheet Chronology of armaments, disarmament and international security 2010 Nenne Bodell This chronology lists the significant events in 2010 related to armaments, disarmament and international security. In addition to the headline-grabbing events, it also records the less publicized, but no less important, advances and setbacks in arms controls and international security. Download the Fact Sheet here.
		SIPRI Map of Multilateral Peace Operation Deployments in 2010 This SIPRI map presents a snapshot of multilateral peace operation deployments worldwide using the latest data available. The map shows where missions are taking place, when they started, how large they are and which organizations and coalitions are conducting them. Comprehensive data on multilateral peace operations is available in the SIPRI Multilateral Peace Operations Database, including fatalities, costs, mission mandates, national personnel contributions and lead nations. Download the map here.
		SIPRI Monograph Governing the Bomb: Civilian Control and Democratic Accountability of Nuclear Weapons edited by Hans Born, Bates Gill and Heiner Hänggi ISBN 978-0-19-958990-6 With a special emphasis on civilian control and democratic accountability, Governing the Bomb seeks to illuminate the structures and processes of nuclear weapon governance of eight nuclear-armed states: the USA, Russia, the UK, France and China as well as Israel, India and Pakistan. It examines the theoretical as well as practical functions and structures of those who possess the power to make nuclear decisions and those who have the practical means and physical opportunity to execute those decisions. Read more and order the book here.
		SIPRI Fact Sheet International transfers of combat aircraft, 2005–2009 Siemon T. Wezeman Stories like the USA's planned sale of combat aircraft to Saudi Arabia, Israel's and Canada's selection of the US Joint Strike Fighter, and ongoing competition for large orders from India and Brazil are making headlines in the media. This SIPRI Fact Sheet shows that combat aircraft together with related weapons and components accounted for one-third of worldwide arms transfers in the past five years and highlights concerns about the economic and security consequences of these transfers. Download the Fact Sheet here.
		SIPRI Background Paper Arms flows and the conflict in Somalia Pieter D. Wezeman The combination of conflict and weak governance in Somalia has had a devastating impact on civilians as well as exacerbating regional tensions and facilitating the rise of piracy. This Background Paper examines recent arms supplies to Somalia and to other African countries that have directly supported the various Somali armed actors, both government and opposition. It discusses the effects of the United Nations arms embargoes on Somalia and Eritrea and presents the risks involved in supplying arms to the various actors. Download the Background Paper here.
		SIPRI Background Paper Arms transfers to the Democratic Republic of the Congo: assessing the system of arms transfer notifications, 2008–10 Mark Bromley and Paul Holtom The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been subject to a United Nations arms embargo since 2003. In 2008 the UN Security Council lifted the last remaining restrictions on arms acquisitions by the Congolese Government, but maintained a requirement that states supplying arms notify the Sanctions Committee on the DRC prior to delivery. Ensuring that the Congolese system works as intended is important for improving the situation in the DRC but also has implications for the use of such systems in other conflict zones. Download the Background Paper here.
		SIPRI Fact Sheet Military spending and arms procurement in the Gulf states Carina Solmirano and Pieter D. Wezeman In September 2010 it was reported that Saudi Arabia had sought the US Government’s permission to purchase large numbers of combat aircraft and helicopters from US companies. This was just the latest indication that Saudi Arabia is planning a new arms-purchasing spree similar to that in the 1990s, raising questions about the possible impacts of military build-ups in the Gulf region. This SIPRI Fact Sheet combines data on known military spending and recent and planned arms imports in the Gulf states. Download the Fact Sheet here.
		SIPRI Policy Paper no 26 New Foreign Policy Actors in China Linda Jakobson and Dean Knox The dynamic transformation of Chinese society that has paralleled changes in the international environment has had a direct impact on both the making and the shaping of Chinese foreign policy. The international community needs to understand the complex nature of these changes in seeking China’s engagement and cooperation. Uniquely informed by the authors’ access to individuals across the full range of Chinese foreign policy actors, this SIPRI Policy Paper reveals a number of emergent trends, chief among them the changing face of China’s official decision-making apparatus and the direction that actors on the margins would like to see Chinese foreign policy take. Download the Policy Paper here.
		SIPRI Yearbook 2010: Armaments, Disarmament and International Security The 41st edition of the SIPRI Yearbook includes coverage of developments during 2009 in major armed conflicts, multilateral peace operations, military expenditure, arms production, international arms transfers, world nuclear forces and fissile material stocks, nuclear arms control and non-proliferation, reduction of security threats from chemical and biological materials, conventional arms control, controls on security-related international transfers and multilateral arms embargoes. Read more here. To order a copy, click here.