Transparency International Defence and Security Programme (TI DSP) continues its efforts to lobby for a strong anti-corruption mechanism in a robust UN Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), and calls on UN member states to agree an ATT as soon as possible.

In July, the 193 member states of the United Nations met in New York for the “UN Conference on the ATT”, tasked to “attain an effective and balanced legally-binding instrument on the highest possible common international standards for the transfer of conventional arms. The conference saw an unprecedented level of support for the inclusion of strong anti-corruption mechanisms, which ultimately led to helpful anti-corruption risk assessment before approving an arms transfer in the draft treaty text. Unfortunately, an ATT was not agreed in July.

In the run-up to new ATT negotiations, TI-DSP will continue its longstanding collaboration with civil society (Oxfam, Saferworld, the Arias Foundation, and many others), governments, and the defence industry to illustrate the benefits of addressing corruption risks at all stages of an arms transfer and to demonstrate options as to how anti-corruption provisions can best be practically implemented.

In July 2012, the inclusion of anti-corruption in an ATT received support from more than 60 UN member states. This included the European Union (not only on behalf of the EU-27 but also on behalf of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Iceland, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, and Turkey), ECOWAS (on behalf of its 15 member states), as well as CARICOM (on behalf of its 15 member states). A large number of UN member states furthermore called for strong anti-corruption mechanisms in a robust ATT in their national capacity. These included Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Cameroon, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Cyprus, Denmark, DRC, France, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Hungary, Holy See, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Kenya, Liberia , Luxemburg, Malawi, Mexico, Nigeria, Netherlands, Palau, Philippines, Senegal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Togo, United Kingdom, Uruguay, and Zambia.

Support to the Un Arms Trade Treaty also came from the private sector, as 21 large institutional investors issued a statement supporting the inclusion of anti-corruption mechanisms in an ATT. These investors – both asset owners and asset managers – collectively represent assets over USD 1.2 trillion, an amount larger than the total volume of the global arms trade, estimated by SIPRI to be around USD 50 billion per year. They demand that an ATT includes a commitment by State parties “to prevent the transfer of conventional arms […] which are likely to encourage corruption and unaccountable and non-transparent diversion of public spending”.

Why anti-corruption provisions need to be included in the ATT

The international arms trade is among the most corruption-prone sectors. Arms deals tend to be surrounded by high levels of commercial and national security. This makes the trade particularly susceptible to the risk of corruption as a vehicle for illegal and undesirable arms transfers. Illicit arms transfers have negative consequences for international humanitarian law, human rights, and sustainable development as well as for efforts to combat violent organised crime and terrorism.

In their 2007 replies pursuant to paragraph 1 of General Assembly resolution 61/89, many states explicitly recognised the need for an anti-corruption mechanism in an ATT. The urgent need to tackle corruption and bribery in the ATT was emphasised by Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina-Faso, Chile, Côte d’Ivoire, France, Iceland, Japan, Liberia, Mali, the Netherlands, Niger, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Togo, the UK, and Zambia.

In October 2009, the General Assembly, consisting of all 192 UN member governments, adopted a resolution setting out a timetable for talks during the next two years on the proposed Arms Trade Treaty, including a UN conference to produce a final accord in 2012. The vote was 153-1, with 19 abstentions. Some of the world's biggest arms traders, including the United States, Britain, France and Germany, supported the resolution. Zimbabwe cast the only vote against the resolution. China, Russia, Iran, Syria, India, Pakistan and Cuba were among the nations that abstained from the vote.

Already 20 years ago, the United Nations Guidelines for International Arms Transfers, as developed by the Commission on Disarmament and endorsed by the UN General Assembly, called on States to “intensify their efforts to prevent corruption and bribery in connection with the transfer of arms” (Art. 25).

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