Arms trade

Between 1994 and 1998, WDM worked on a number of arms trade issues.

Export credits and arms

In November 1994, we launched a campaign to stop the use of export credits to support arms sales.  This campaign alerted many other organisations to the issue.  The chancellor of the Exchequer announced a ban on the use of export credits for ‘unproductive’ expenditure (which includes arms sales) for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) in 1997.  This ban was extended to over 50 low income countries in January 2000.

For further information on on this issue contact:

• Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT) http://www.caat.org.uk

For information on the current Ilisu Dam Campaign contact:

• http://www.ilisu.org.uk

EU Code of Conduct on Arms Sales

Together with Saferworld and the British and American Security Council (BASIC), WDM helped promote an EU Code which drew on all the voluntary agreements EU countries had signed up to.  The EU Code agreed by EU Foreign Ministers in May 1998 is not seen as being tough enough on situations of internal conflict or human rights, and there is no transparency.

For further information on this issue contact:

• Saferworld http://www.saferworld.co.uk
• Basic http://www.basicint.org

During the 1990s, WDM’s research and campaigns also exposed the investment of Britain’s high street banks in financing the arms trade; the link between aid and arms in Indonesia (mirroring the Pergau Dam case) and the scale of ECGD support for arms sales to Nigeria.  WDM also highlighted the need for greater transparency and accountability of arms sales.

Organisations working on arms trade issues include:

• Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT) http://www.caat.org.uk
• International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) http://www.IANSA.org
• Amnesty International (AI) http://www.amnesty.org.uk