International Weapons Transfers Down for First Time in Years, Except in Middle East
Uri Cohen
Five-year research details how the coronavirus and other factors changed the world’s weapons landscape
After a decade and a half of steady and significant increases in global weapons transfers, the past five years have seen a noticeable dip in the scale of arms deliveries on the international level, and especially last year, according to a new study by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
According to the study, considered one of the most comprehensive and accurate on the matter, the 2016-2020 time frame registered a 0.5% decrease in the volume of major arms transfers compared with the previous five-year window, due in large part to sharp declines in exports by key manufacturers like Russia and China.