Appendix 7C. Transparency in arms transfers

Appendix 7C describes the current status of existing mechanisms for international transparency in arms transfers.

Summary

Official and publicly accessible data on arms transfers is important for assessing states’ arms export and arms procurement policies. However, publishing data on arms sales and acquisitions is a sensitive issue for nearly all states.

The United Nations Register of Conventional Arms (UNROCA) is the key international mechanism of official transparency on arms transfers. The recent downward trend in states’ participation in UNROCA continued during 2009. As of 31 December 2009, only 79 states had submitted reports on their arms transfers during 2008. 

Since the early 1990s an increasing number of governments have published national reports on arms exports.  As of January 2010, 32 states had published at least one national report on arms exports since 1990, and 28 have done so since 2006.

Reports to UNROCA, 1999–2008

Mark Bromley (United Kingdom) is a Researcher with the SIPRI Arms Transfers Programme, where his work focuses on European arms exports and export controls and South American arms acquisitions.

Dr Paul Holtom (United Kingdom) is the Director of the SIPRI Arms Transfers Programme.