Arms Trade

Many ECAs play a major role in the financing and export of weapons to developing countries.


The problem with the arms trade

The arms trade does not promote development, occurs in a climate of secrecy conducive to corruption, has devastating impacts on security and human rights and is aggressively and disproportionately promoted by some governments (and so their ECAs) as a part of defense and foreign policy.

ECAs to the arms trade

The arms trade is heavily subsidized by governments at all stages, from the early days of research, through guaranteed procurement, right through to export. Without a government loan guarantee there would often be no finance, and so no arms sale.

More information

For more information on the arms trade, visit the Campaign Against the Arms Trade website