An uphill battle : understanding small arms transfers

Abstract

This chapter provides an annual update of the authorized trade in small arms and light weapons. It examines trends in the trade, and provides information on major exporters and importers, whom they trade with, and in what types of weapons. The lack of transparency on the part of many important suppliers and recipients in this global trade makes this effort an uphill battle. In fact, although the issue of small arms and light weapons has been on the international agenda for over a decade, few, if any, states provide full information on their small arms and light weapons exports and imports. So clearly, the Small Arms Trade Transparency Barometer, introduced in Small Arms Survey 2004, remains an important tool. Following up on the analysis of the illicit trade in Europe in Small Arms Survey 2005, this chapter provides more systematic information on the illicit trade in South America. The analysis is based on two sources of internationally comparable data partially available for the illicit trade, namely customs and police seizure data.