Tuesday, February 28, 2017

International Arms Transfers 2016: China, Russia, US and Africa

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) published in February 2017 its "Trends in International Arms Transfers, 2016" by Aude Fleurant, Pieter D. Wezeman, Siemon T. Wezeman, and Nan Tian.

The SIPRI report looks at transfers of major weapons (not small arms and light weapons) globally in 2012-2016. It contains useful information on exports to Africa and the major African importing nations. Russia was the largest supplier of major weapons to Africa, accounting for 35 percent, followed by China at 17 percent, US at 10 percent, and France at 7 percent. The three largest importers in Africa were Algeria (46 percent of imports), Morocco (15 percent), and Nigeria (5 percent).