Updates of the Website grip.org/en http://www.grip.org/en en http://www.grip.org/fr/logogrip.gif http://www.grip.org/en/ GRIP Asbl webmaster@grip.org Mali is absorbed since the beginning of 2012 in a worrying situation : a new Tuareg rebellion in the north of the country claims to free this region called Azawad, the presence on the territory of armed salafists groups is noticed, the threat of a famine in the Sahel is realistic, dozens of thousands of Malians are displaced because of the battles between Bamako and the Tuareg (for an overview, refer to the first semester Monitoring). Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:27:59 +0100 Peace and conflicts in Africa http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=871 This quarterly monitoring is part of a 3 years project (2011-2013) on “Improving human security, conflict prevention and strengthening the rule of law in eight countries in West and Central Africa” funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Thu, 5 Apr 2012 12:43:04 +0100 Peace and conflicts in Africa http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=870 In November 2010, the conclusion of the two treaties between France and the United Kingdom sparked numerous suspicious reactions in Europe. This article is led by a double question. More than one year after they have been concluded, what are the achievements of the treaties in terms of cooperation? Do the accomplishments allow to have a better view of their impact on the European Security and Defence Policy? Without jumping to conclusions, it is already obvious that the progress is tenuous because of several technical and political obstacles. While the operation in Libya highlighted the European shortage in military means, a strict bilateral cooperation among the two European states is more than ever questionable. In an era where the world is in permanent mutation, a deeper European political integration seems to be necessary. Mon, 2 Apr 2012 10:52:06 +0100 UE and international security http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=869 This report summarizes the main statistics on global military expenditure, arms production and international transfers of conventional arms. The data in this report are essentially from databases of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), possibly supplemented by socio-economic statistics extracted from the databases of Eurostat, the World Bank, UN agencies or the press. Fri, 23 Mar 2012 14:14:32 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=868 April 29, 2012 will mark the fifteenth anniversary of entry into force of the Convention on Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (CWC), which prohibits chemical weapons’ development, production, acquisition, storage, possession and direct or indirect transfer. By requiring the destruction of stockpiles and production facilities - or their conversion to peaceful purposes - under the supervision of an organization created for this purpose, the CWC is a real instrument of disarmament. Fri, 23 Mar 2012 11:05:35 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=866 Thomas Lubanga Dyilo was convicted of crimes of enlisting and conscripting children under the age of 15, on 14 March, 2012 in The Hague. This decision by the International Criminal Court (ICC) is unanimously recognized as a strong signal to all those who recruit and use children in armed conflicts around the world. Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:06:11 +0100 Peace and conflicts in Africa http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=865 On 8 March 2012, the European Union Council has finally adopted a new European legislation that sets the rules and procedures to be followed by Member States on export, import and transit authorizations of firearms for civilian use (such as hunting weapons and sporting weapons), their parts and components, and ammunition, to and from the EU. These new rules therefore only address firearms transfers with non-EU countries. They complement the existing European legislation on civilian firearms and thereby strengthen the fight against illicit trafficking. Tue, 13 Mar 2012 17:12:10 +0100 UE and international security http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=864 Description Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:34:45 +0100 GRIP News http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/default.asp?N=homepage&O=1 A few days after announcing further improvements in its nuclear program, Iran refused again to answer questions from the IAEA inspectors and to allow them access to a site suspected of harboring military nuclear activities. International actors are divided on the measures to be undertaken. The military option is on the table but Israel does not obtain the consent of the majority of great powers who prefer the policy of sanctions /negotiations. The question is whether, after this succession of provocations, the 5 +1 group will accept the Islamic Republic offer to resume negotiations. Fri, 24 Feb 2012 14:38:51 +0100 Security strategies http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=863 There is no consensus on whether ammunition should be included in the scope of the international Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). Most states support its inclusion and point towards the negative impact of irresponsible and poorly controlled transfers of ammunition. The insecurity and tremendous human suffering associated with such transfers in the context of armed violence in Africa are a case in point. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:39:14 +0100 Peace and conflicts in Africa http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=862 Torn between the conflicting notions of national sovereignty and humanitarian intervention, the international community has long been in search for a way to cope with mass atrocities. The debate around the UN response to crisis situations has evolved quite substantially through the years. In 2000, the introduction of the concept of “responsibility to protect”, as a new milestone, paved the way to a possible reconciliation of national sovereignty and humanitarian intervention in particular crisis situations. Adopted by UN Member States in 2005, this new principle was first put into practice in 2011, in Libya and Ivory Coast. Yet, it remains to be seen whether this implementation resulted from a new and larger consensus within the so-called international community, or simply reflects the mere pursuit of national interests by UN Member States through interventionist policies. Thu, 9 Feb 2012 14:12:23 +0100 Security strategies http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=861 The conflict in Ivory Coast after the Ivorian presidential election of November 28, 2010 is not a new or surprising phenomenon. It follows a decade of crisis which finds its origin in various internal causes, crystallized around the concept of “ivority”. Moreover, these internal tensions were exacerbated by an unstable regional context. This study on the origins of the Ivorian conflict is complemented by a report on the impacts of the Ivorian crisis Tue, 7 Feb 2012 13:38:53 +0100 Peace and conflicts in Africa http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=860 In spite of recent developments including the marked expansion of democratic spaces, West Africa remains particularly affected by outbreaks of latent conflicts, related to the presence or activity of armed groups. Beyond specific backgrounds –local or national– these players and sources of instability are part of underlying and interdependent dynamics, which are real "conflict systems" with sub-regional implications. This briefing note completes and puts into perspective data available in our briefing notes dedicated to armed groups in West Africa. These fact sheets provide condensed information on the historical and ideological foundations, objectives, operation and procedures of armed groups in West Africa. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:33:07 +0100 Peace and conflicts in Africa http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=859 With the borderless economy developing and multipolarity becoming a reality, China has succeeded in taking the lead of a dynamic that pushes Asia ever more to the centre of the global geopolitical landscape. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:40:27 +0100 UE and international security http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=857 Following the fall of the regime of Muammar Gaddafi in the autumn of 2011, the EU faced several challenges likely to generate political instability, security and humanitarian issues in the Sahel-Saharan region. Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:14:15 +0100 UE and international security http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/default.asp?N=homepage&O=1 Illegal trafficking and irresponsible arms transfers are a threat to peace and security. Their consequences are often measured in terms of human losses and development in many parts of the world. Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:48:37 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=853 Beyond its borders, when faced with major international security challenges, the European Union is rather understood for what it is not than for what it really is. Wed, 4 Jan 2012 14:21:36 +0100 UE and international security http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=851 This GRIP report studies the concept of transparency in armaments and provides an overview of the European States’ activities in the field of exchange of information and reporting on arms transfers. Transparency, more than a fashionable concept, is key to improve democratic accountability over arms transfers and must be regarded as a factor underlying every political decision. Each transparency mechanism has been put into place to fulfill specific goals such as improving regional and international security and stability. Tue, 27 Dec 2011 12:57:38 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=849 The adoption of a strategy against the proliferation of SALW (small arms and light weapons) has allowed the EU to better structure its many initiatives to assist areas affected by the proliferation of SALW and the promotion of multilateralism in fight against this scourge. Still its Member States are struggling to harmonise their practices in the SALW trade and thus to act preventively against diversion and proliferation. This lack of coordination could be filled through practical initiatives such as the introduction of a "New for Old" clause and a better exchange of information between the 27 on diversion. Failing to do so, the EU policy in this area will be forever limited to repair the damage caused by SALW (including those coming from the EU) in post-conflict countries. Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:27:50 +0100 Security strategies http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=850 Peacekeeping operations multiply and evolve, and weapon transfers towards these missions rarely raise questions. This article develops the conditions necessary for such transfers and their implications. Even though they always appear as transfers to peacekeeping operations, they are above all transfers to the troop contributing countries, which assign them to their regiments deployed in an international operation. Within these missions, with losses, corruption and traffic, the opportunities for diverting the weapon are numerous. We should also not overlook the risks that appear after the end of the mission, when the soldiers go home, armed but sometimes aimless. Fri, 16 Dec 2011 09:32:11 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=848 The threat posed by armed and terrorists groups on peace and security in West Africa deserves our utmost attention. This datasheet on the Mouvement des Forces Démocratiques de Casamance (MFDC) aims to provide information about the historical and ideological foundations of this Senegalese separatist movement. It focuses on its complex structural organization and its sources of funding. The datasheet is also exploring its supporters and the involvement of the neighboring countries in the conflict. Finally, the most recent actions of this armed group are listed. This datasheet is part of a series of fact sheets on armed groups in West Africa. Wed, 7 Dec 2011 10:09:08 +0100 Peace and conflicts in Africa http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=847 European NGOs and academics launch a report today that sheds light on the vast tide of arms that has swept across the Mediterranean from Europe to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) over the past decade. The report, Lessons from MENA – Appraising EU transfer of military and security equipment to the Middle East and North Africa, is conceived as a contribution to the review of the EU Common Position on arms exports, which EU member states are scheduled to begin before the end of 2011. The report makes specific recommendations as to how the EU instrument could be improved. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 13:50:56 +0100 GRIP News http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=845 Non state actors get their weapons from several sources: theft from government stockpiles, capture from the enemy, diversion, black market, and transfers from a foreign state. One thing is certain though, the State is the main arms supplier to non state actors, willingly or not, from its own territory or from abroad. The impacts of these acquisitions are real in terms of proliferation on the short and long term and at the national and regional levels, as the Libyan case recently highlighted. Proliferation in the hands of civilians, diversion to undesirable actors, human rights abuses: States must use caution when they consider arms transfers to non state actors. Mon, 7 Nov 2011 14:10:57 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=842 With the conviction of Viktor Bout in New York, a crucial milestone has been reached on Wednesday 2nd November in the fight against international weapon trafficking. Few weapon smugglers have to this day been effectively convicted. Fri, 4 Nov 2011 10:10:27 +0100 GRIP News http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=840 The threat posed by armed and terrorists groups on peace and security in West Africa deserves our utmost attention. This datasheet on the Nigerians Movement for Justice aims to provide information about the historical and ideological foundations of this former Tuareg movement present in the North Niger. It focuses on its modus operandi and its area of influence. The datasheet is also exploring its various sources of funding and its supporters, among other the former Libyan dictator, Muammar Gaddafi. Finally, the most significant actions of this armed group are listed. This datasheet is part of a series of fact sheets on armed groups in West Africa. Fri, 4 Nov 2011 12:48:01 +0100 Peace and conflicts in Africa http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=841 This quarterly monitoring is part of a 3 years project (2011-2013) on “Improving human security, conflict prevention and strengthening the rule of law in eight countries in West and Central Africa” funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It aims to monitor the security situation in West Africa with a focus on Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Niger and Senegal. It examines in particular issues related to regional tensions, terrorism and cross-border trafficking, production and transfer of arms and cooperation mechanisms in the fight against terrorism and transnational organized crime. Fri, 28 Oct 2011 12:28:50 +0100 Peace and conflicts in Africa http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=839 The new website to the United Nations Register on Conventional arms (URL : http://www.un-register.org/HeavyWeapons/Index.aspx) is a step forward toward increased transparency in armaments. More didactic and interactive, the website allows the user to easily access a valuable source of information on annual transfers of conventional arms and small arms and light weapons (SALW). Mon, 24 Oct 2011 13:44:47 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=838 The threat posed by armed and terrorists groups on peace and security in West Africa deserves our utmost attention. This datasheet on Boko Haram aims to provide information about the historical and ideological foundations of this Islamist movement raging in the North of Nigeria. It focuses on its modus operandi more and more terrorist and its area of influence which is now extended to the capital, Abuja. The datasheet is also exploring its various sources of funding. Finally, the most significant actions of this armed group are listed. This datasheet is part of a series of fact sheets on armed groups in West Africa. Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:25:33 +0100 Peace and conflicts in Africa http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=837 The trial of Viktor Bout, suspected of international arms trafficking, will begin on the 11th October in New York. Former officer of the Soviet Air Force, Bout allegedly supplied illegal weapons to many conflict zones such as Angola, Congo, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Sudan or Afghanistan. Until March 2008, however, he had always escaped justice in spite of information and documented evidence of his actions. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:00:16 +0100 GRIP News http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=830 The illegal exports of dual use items pose a major risk to the struggle against the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction. Faced with this danger, public authorities have adopted new policies, progressively paying more attention to the role of exporting companies. In particular the latter are requested to become more aware of their duties in matter of illegal exports of dual use items. Their commitments take the shape of “internal compliance programmes” initiated by some companies. Belgian companies also need to comply with this new dynamic. Wed, 17 Aug 2011 16:10:40 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=829 On Thursday 14 July, GRIP and IKV Pax Christi will co-organize, together with the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a side-event on the theme: “Looking back to move forward: Experiences from implementing arms transfers policies for an Arms Trade Treaty”. Tue, 12 Jul 2011 15:39:59 +0100 GRIP News http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=827 Legally transferred weapons can be diverted in two ways: either they are transferred by the authorized end-user to an unauthorized end user, or they are used in unauthorized or illegal ways by the authorized end-user. This Analysis addresses the latter aspect: the end-use control. It highlights the challenges faced by exporting states when assessing the risk of diversion at the licencing stage, both in terms of collecting information and using end-user certificates. Fri, 24 Jun 2011 12:06:55 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=826 In 2009, jointly with the Parliament, the European Commission adopted the 2009/43/EC directive aimed at liberalizing de defense European market by harmonizing the national legislations of EU member states, which have until June 30, 2011 to implement it in their national legislations. Nonetheless, it presently has been observed that the transposition process entails some deficiencies, namely delays in the transposition process by some EU countries, the emergence of divergent viewpoints regarding the perimeters of licences and certifications, and a lack of transparency by certain EU members. Wed, 29 Jun 2011 10:37:20 +0100 UE and international security http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=825 This paper provides an analysis of the principal mechanisms of exchange of information and reporting on transfers of conventional arms and small arms and light weapons (SALW) in which the European States take part. Because of the complexity of the Belgian institutional configuration, the participation of the four Belgian actors in charge of arms trade will be analyzed. Transparency, more than a concept in fashion, is an essential ingredient to improve democratic accountability over arms transfers. Fri, 10 Jun 2011 12:04:44 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=824 For many years, the United Nations (UN) regularly uses sanctions to intervene in situations that threaten international peace and security. The arms embargoes are one of the sanctions used by the UN as an alternative to the use of force. It has always been difficult to enforce an arms embargo. The media and non-governmental organizations regularly report cases of illegal shipments of weapons to countries under an arms embargo. These violations contribute to the proliferation of weapons in conflict areas that they continue to fuel and exacerbate. Thu, 9 Jun 2011 16:16:52 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=823 The ambiguity of international standards on arms trade control is well known. The Libyan crisis, however, has highlighted how weak these standards are and how easy it is to circumvent their spirit. This key dimension of international trade remains surrounded by a thick fog, through which one can barely see the tip of the iceberg. The case described here, concerning an arms export from Italy to Libya via Malta, is only an example that came to the surface by accident. Mon, 6 Jun 2011 17:50:41 +0100 UE and international security http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=822 On April 27, 2011, the Congress of Costa Rica passed a law prohibiting Uranium Weapons in its territories. Costa Rica becomes the second country in the world to pass such a law, Belgium was the first (Belgian law of May 11, 2007, in effect since June 21, 2009, and Belgian law of July 16, 2009). This law will prohibit the use, commerce, transit, production, distribution and storage of uranium weapons in Costa Rica's territories. This landmark legislation gives momentum to other countries seeking to pass similar legislation in their own countries. Presently New Zealand and Ireland are discussing similar legislation. ... Mon, 2 May 2011 15:33:06 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=818 Sometimes considered as military and in other circumstances as civilian, demilitarized armaments are subject to divergent interpretations by different actors involved in their exports. This ambiguity highlights the weaknesses of both European and Belgian laws’ regarding the control of arms exports. Various cases of demilitarized armaments’ diversions have shown the specificity of these goods and the difficulties to control their exports. As negotiations about an arms trade treaty are underway, both European and Belgian controls’ systems need to be adapted as well as the demilitarized armaments definitions. Wed, 4 May 2011 10:41:51 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=821 This report is mainly focused on the understanding of the importance of the private sector in terms of propaganda, in the Afghan (2001) and Iraqi (2003) conflicts. This issue will be analyzed through the Rendon Group’s activities (American company actives in public diplomacy), and the ones accomplished by a company, created with the help of the Rendon Group: the Iraqi National Congress (INC), which was composed of Iraqi opponents to Saddam Hussein. Tue, 3 May 2011 10:56:23 +0100 GRIP News http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=820 This report summarizes the main statistics on global military expenditure, arms production and international transfers of conventional arms. The data in this report are essentially from databases of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), an international standard since 1966, possibly supplemented by socio-economic statistics extracted from the databases of Eurostat, the World Bank, UN agencies or the press. In 2009, the world military expenditures amounted to 1 522 billion dollars which represents 2.6% of the world GDP and about 220 dollars per capita. The United States accounts for 43.4% of the total. Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:47:13 +0100 GRIP News http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=817 The Belgian Minister of Defense Pieter De Crem has recently mentioned the risk that Kaddafi could use chemical weapons against his own population. This announcement came few weeks after a similar call done by the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in March . Nevertheless, this possibility should be nuanced. Tue, 5 Apr 2011 16:03:44 +0100 Security strategies http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=815 The link between underdevelopment and insecurity is undeniable, these two elements mutually reinforcing each other. This vicious circle can also be fueled by international arms transfers, where economic and geo-strategic considerations too often prevail at the expense of considerations on sustainable development. Yet, the criterion 8 of the EU Common Position on Arms Exports focuses on sustainable development. However, differences of interpretation of this criterion between the 27 did not lead to a harmonization in practice. Significant inconsistencies in the implementation of criterion 8 are frequently observed. Wed, 30 Mar 2011 16:03:07 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=814 The new Franco-British military treaties, the other initiatives existing in this field within the EU, the unity between Paris and London against Qaddafi, the relation with Germany, the EU’s role in the Libyan crisis … which is the French strategy with regard to the European Defence? Tue, 29 Mar 2011 11:32:48 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=813 The European Union is the first regional organization to have tried to impulse a harmonization of its Member States’ practices and transparency in the field of arms transfers. Since the adoption of the Code of Conduct which clearly states the willingness of Member States to achieve greater transparency, the relevance of reporting and information exchanges has been unquestionable. On the eve of the Revision of the European Common Position on arms exports, three years after its adoption, this paper attempts to assess achievements in terms of transparency at European level. Mon, 28 Mar 2011 12:01:17 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=812 The adopted Resolution 1973 this March 17, 2011 by the Security Council of the United Nations approves a zone of air exclusion above Libya and authorizes the recourse to all the means necessary to protect the Libyan civil population. Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:30:42 +0100 Security strategies http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=811 Though the Chinese foray in Africa has been subject to wide exposure, its impact on regional peace and security remains by and large overlooked. However, aside from its arms sales and political support to dictators, China is gradually engaged toward peace and security in the continent, as this is the only way to secure its investments and interests there in the long run. As the Sino-African partnership develops and grows, new opportunities and prospects for international cooperation arise. This in turn should result in more effective mechanisms to promote and enforce regional peace and security, but it remains to be seen whether China will keep wishing for more inclusivity in the management of the “irregular threats” it faces in Africa. Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:29:46 +0100 Peace and conflicts in Africa http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=810 From February 28th to March 4th 2011 will be held in New York the third session of the preparatory negotiations for the adoption of an international Treaty on the Trade of the Conventional Arms (TCA) in 2012 at the time of a Conference of the United Nations. The States will continue the discussions started in July 2010. Those had finished on a positive note, almost all the States have testified a will to commit themselves to one international treaty at the conclusion of the discussions. Fri, 25 Feb 2011 13:37:46 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=809 A video posted on Monday 21st February on YouTube shows an assembly of Libyan civilians holding up an anti-riot weapon FN 303, called “Less-Lethal Weapon”. Two thousand weapons of this type, produced by the company FN Herstal, belonged to the batch of armaments for which the Walloon Government had granted the export licenses to Libya in June 2009... Wed, 23 Feb 2011 14:31:45 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=808 There has never been any dearth of literature on the European Union and its external actions. How is it possible to make an informed choice from the thousands of pages displayed on the web on this topic? The goal of this book is to guide the reader through this inextricable jungle towards quality publications. Fri, 18 Feb 2011 16:14:01 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=807 In the framework of the EU-Pax COST Action led by GRIP, the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), Switzerland, will organize a Summer School entitled “The EU in the World: Towards Global Partnerships in Peace Operations”. Mon, 14 Feb 2011 16:39:03 +0100 UE and international security http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=806 La Mission des Nations unies en République centrafricaine et au Tchad (MINURCAT) a clôturé ses activités en décembre 2010, à la veille des élections générales dans les deux pays. La fragilité de ses acquis résulte des faiblesses de son mandat, essentiellement humanitaire alors que les problèmes sont politiques. Ainsi la mission a dû gérer les conséquences d’une situation sur laquelle elle ne pouvait pas intervenir. En outre, la lenteur de son déploiement a contribué à la discréditer. Fri, 11 Feb 2011 15:32:10 +0100 Peace and conflicts in Africa http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=804 The European Union has been developing an effective policy to deal with the destructive nature of the uncontrolled accumulation of small arms and light weapons, with particular emphasis on the African continent, one of the most affected areas. The Commission and the Council are involved, through various financial instruments, at different levels. If the implementation of actions through the various regional communities seems to be the preferred approach, the 27 also intend to act at national and continental levels. Therefore, research and enhancing the coherence between the initiatives developed as well as between the two institutions are a major target for Brussels. Mon, 7 Feb 2011 11:36:39 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=803 Saddled with vengeful nicknames as Reaper or Predator, drones gradually become essential weapons for the military in modern warfare. Not a day goes by without the media recount the assassinations of insurgents fallen under the missiles dropped by drones in the North of Pakistan. To these victims we should add civilians killed by inaccurate CIA bombings. The drone became a legally questionable dreadful weapon but it also provides numerous opportunities in the civilian sector such as for instance forest fire prevention and in rescue missions after natural disasters. Thu, 3 Feb 2011 15:36:57 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=800 Written upon request of the Council of Europe, Senator Dick Marty’s report on secret places of detention of the Kosovo Liberation Army in northern Albania in 1999-2000 has deeply shaken the Kosovo society and the international supporters of the ruling government. As he confirmed the allegations of organ trafficking and identified the current Prime minister, Hashim Thaçi, as the leader who controlled this squalid trade, Marty has ... Fri, 14 Jan 2011 13:31:27 +0100 UE and international security http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=799 The Iranian nuclear program is at the heart of the international community concerns. The lack of cooperation of Tehran with the International atomic energy agency created a situation in which exports towards Iran are strictly checked especially in regard to dual-use goods, which can be used for civil and military purposes. Wed, 5 Jan 2011 13:00:08 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=794 The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) who’s origins date back in the 1970s and is the world’s biggest organization for regional security is very little known today. It is facing a series of challenges which might weaken it and question its “raison d’être”. Mon, 3 Jan 2011 16:38:59 +0100 UE and international security http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=793 The Obama Administration notched up a new success with the START Treaty ratification by the US Senate. The text was the object of a very stormy debate within the Senate as some Republican senators vainly tried to slow down the adoption. The last obstacles were overcome after President Obama vigorously testified that the US anti-missile defense project in Europe will not be undermined by the new START Treaty. In addition, Democrats emphasized the ... Fri, 24 Dec 2010 16:08:09 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=792 In the most comprehensive study ever undertaken into weapons and violence in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Belgian, German and Congolese researchers estimate that at least 300,000 firearms are currently in the hands of civilians in Kivu, Ituri, Maniema and Tanganyika. Carried out by the Groupe de recherche et d'information sur la paix et la sécurité (GRIP, Brussels) and the Bonn International Center for Conversion (BICC) at the request of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP-DRC) and the Congolese Commission nationale de Contrôle des Armes (CNC), l'Etude sur la prolifération des armes légères en RDC, is now available online at the UNDP website. ... Mon, 22 Nov 2010 15:01:41 +0100 GRIP News http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=791 In Africa, perhaps more than elsewhere, the lack of common international standards on arms transfers fuel armed violence, whether in war or in crime, and represents a serious obstacle to economic and social development. While the UN Member States are now engaged in negotiating an international Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), this GRIP Report provides an overview of the national regulations and practices in the French-speaking States of sub-Saharan Africa. It shows that, in general, these countries ... Fri, 19 Nov 2010 11:02:14 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=790 Monday 29 November 2010, from 9.00 to 18.00, at the Flemish Parliament in Brussels. This conference is jointly organized by the Flemish Peace Institute, SIPRI, the Strategic Goods Control Unit of the Flemish Department of Foreign Affairs, and the GRIP, with support of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Can the European Union pursue a rationalization of its defence market without compromising its objectives and legitimacy in regard to conflict prevention? The conference “Export controls and the European defence market: Can effectiveness be combined with responsibility?” will try to answer this question by evaluating the recent changes the European defence market has recently experienced. ... Wed, 10 Nov 2010 11:33:59 +0100 GRIP News http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=788 Border controls are an important dimension of the international efforts to combat the uncontrolled proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and their ammunition. Indeed, even if their relevance sometimes seems to be challenged by some changes (such as new technologies and globalization), borders remain the most visible sign of the sovereignty of a State on its territory. Borders management are crucial to a State’s involvement in the protection of its population. ... Fri, 15 Oct 2010 15:33:43 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=787 On 9th September, the UN General Assembly adopted a joint Serbian-European Union draft resolution, in which it “welcomes the readiness of the EU to facilitate a process of dialogue” in order to “achieve progress on the path to the EU and improve the lives of the people”. Settled the day before by Serbian President Tadic and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Catherine Ashton, this text represents a radical U-turn of Serbian policy. ... Fri, 1 Oct 2010 12:04:36 +0100 UE and international security http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=786 The disclosure of Iranian nuclear ambitions in 2002 led to an arm wrestling between Teheran and states such as France, the United Kingdom and the United States. After unsuccessful negotiation rounds, the United Nations Security Council voted resolutions sanctioning the Iranian uncooperative behavior. At the same time, Washington and its allies adopted unilateral sanctions with the objective to isolate the Ayatollah Regime and press it to cooperate. ... Fri, 24 Sep 2010 13:01:56 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=785 In strong recrudescence for a few years, maritime piracy off Somalia has had constrained the “international community” to intervene militarily to make safe the maritime ways forwarding in the area. This analysis draws up an inventory of fixtures of maritime piracy in the Gulf of Aden (legal aspects, origins, stakes, modus operandi) as well as answers brought by the “international community”. ... Wed, 22 Sep 2010 11:53:46 +0100 Peace and conflicts in Africa http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=784 On September 16, 2010, a major step was accomplished on the START ratification. After five months of intense negotiations, the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations approved the US-Russia agreement on strategic nuclear weapons reduction with a large bipartisan majority (14 – 4). The main concerns expressed during the Committee hearings were the relation between the START Treaty and the US missile defense system in Europe; the Obama Administration financial commitment to modernize the national military nuclear infrastructure and the question of Russian tactical nuclear weapons. ... Sun, 19 Sep 2010 11:04:17 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=779 The debate on Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), an enigmatic novelty introduced by the Lisbon Treaty on the field of defense, raises fundamental questions about the nature of European integration and the way the EU is trying to assert itself as a global actor. Inspired by the lessons that Europe should learn from the Euro, this article tries to identify these questions. ... Wed, 15 Sep 2010 11:15:31 +0100 UE and international security http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=778 On August 30th 2010, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev submitted two protocols attached to the Treaty of Pelindaba to the Duma for ratification. Through this treaty, Africa has been, in theory, a nuclear weapon free zone (NWFZ) since last year; joining four other NWFZ in the world (South Pacific, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean). The protocols ban the use or the threat to use a nuclear weapon against the States parties to the treaty and any test of a nuclear explosive device on this continent by the five nuclear States (China, France, Russia, the United States and the United Kingdom). ... Fri, 3 Sep 2010 11:41:45 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=776 The first Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) of the United Nations Conference for an Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) was held in New York from 12 to 23 July 2010, four years after the first UN resolution on this issue. Even though no actual element of a Treaty has been negotiated yet during this first PrepCom, the meeting is considered generally positive. Indeed the very principle of ... Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:49:57 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=775 This Tuesday 17 August, Afghan President Karzai signed an order to disband all private security companies (PSC) in his country by the end of the year. According to the Afghan government, these companies undermine the work of the national security forces and contractors should be incorporated into the Afghan police. An estimated 52 PSCs are registered with the government, which represents 24,000 armed men. Nevertheless several companies did not register and in reality the contingent of contractors in Afghanistan is of around 40,000 men, from which 26,000 work with the U.S forces. Their main missions consist of protecting NATO convoys and securing international and national institutions like ministries or embassies. ... Thu, 19 Aug 2010 09:45:44 +0100 GRIP News http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=773 The Fourth Biennial Meeting of States on the implementation of the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms (SALW) took place in New York from 14 to 18 June 2010. Drawing on the 2008 meeting which managed to put the process back on track, the meeting reached a consensus-based outcome document focused on 3 specific topics (plus a miscellaneous point) of the Programme of Action (illicit cross-border trade, international cooperation and assistance, follow-up mechanism). ... Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:52:37 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=772 The commemorations of Hiroshima and Nagasaki tragedies on 6 and 9 August will have a special meaning this year. For the first time for 65 years, the United-States, which committed one of the worst crimes of the last century by bombing these two cities, decided to take an active part in these days of remembrance ... Thu, 5 Aug 2010 22:32:29 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=771 Jean-Paul Hébert and Pierre Piérart died this week... Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:05:17 +0100 GRIP News http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=770 On July 12 opened the first of four sessions of preparatory negotiations which should lead to the adoption in 2012 of a global and legally binding instrument establishing common standards for conventional arms transfers. Representatives of 192 States gathered until July 23 at the ... Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:12:39 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=769 Since 2 July 2010, Bruno Barrillot, founder member of “Observatoire des armements”, has been one of the five winners of the “Nuclear Free Future Award” which honors individuals and organizations acting in favor of a world without nuclear weapons. Bruno Barrillot is awarded for his 20-year-long work helping victims of nuclear tests. He also wrote a book ... Wed, 7 Jul 2010 10:24:59 +0100 GRIP News http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=768 The European Commission has published a new book on the EU crisis management policy (Making the Difference? What Works in Response to Crisis and Security Threats). Federico Santopinto has contributed to this book with an article on the role of the EU development cooperation in this field. Even if less dramatic or visible than military missions, the EU cooperation policy, ... Thu, 1 Jul 2010 12:38:26 +0100 UE and international security http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=764 On Wednesday 16 June, GRIP and the 'Biting the Bullet'-Project (Saferworld and Bradford University) will co-organize, together with the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a side-event conference on “Preventing Illicit Small Arms (SALW) trafficking: Priorities for Strengthened Border Controls”. ... Fri, 11 Jun 2010 16:00:26 +0100 GRIP News http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=762 The Norwegian research institute NOREF (Norsk Ressurssenter for Fredsbygging) published an article by Federico Santopinto called «The Lisbon enigma: crisis management and coherence in the European Union». The article, which is ... Wed, 16 Jun 2010 12:06:34 +0100 UE and international security http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=763 On 9 June 2010, the United Nations Security Council adopted a fourth round of sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran with a strong majority. Brazil and Turkey voted against while Lebanon abstained. The idea of new sanctions dated from September 2009 but had been suspended after Iran accepted to join an international meeting on its nuclear program in October in Geneva. During this meeting, the negotiators concluded a draft agreement on uranium exchange between the countries of the Vienna Group (IAEA, the United-States, France and Russia) and Iran. However, the project failed after Iran changed its mind few weeks later. ... Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:59:48 +0100 UE and international security http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=760 The current military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq put on the agenda a new modern version of one of the oldest jobs: mercenary. A mercenary is a versatile fighter essentially motivated by the desire for private gain.The early days of this activity go back to 2 500 BC but has developed to an unprecedented scale during the decolonization process in the 1960's and 1970's despite regional and international conventions to end this illegal activity. ... Tue, 1 Jun 2010 16:05:10 +0100 UE and international security http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=755 After a month of tough negotiations, the eighth NPT Review Conference concluded on Friday 28 May with an agreement welcomed unanimously by the 189 member-states to the Treaty. The final declaration restates the vital role of the NPT as the cornerstone of the non-proliferation regime. It has also revived the importance of the International Atomic Energy Agency after a period of exacerbated critics. ... Mon, 31 May 2010 15:12:18 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=754 On Thursday, May 27, 2010, the White House released the new "National Security Strategy" prepared by the president Barack Obama. The document breaks with the rhetoric of the two strategies enacted by the Bush Administration, the first in 2002 following the attacks of September 11, 2001; the second in 2006 (which had in fact disappeared from all official websites immediately after Barack Obama's inauguration). ... Mon, 31 May 2010 08:49:17 +0100 UE and international security http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=753 Since its foundation 30 years ago, GRIP has always striven to study issues related to arms trafficking and arms embargoes. For some years now, the expertise developed by GRIP researchers has been put to work for the United Nations within the framework of the investigations conducted on the respect of arms embargoes. As an example, Claudio Gramizzi ... Wed, 19 May 2010 12:33:30 +0100 GRIP News http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=751 Composed of 413 articles, 37 protocols and 65 declarations, for a total of more than 400 pages, the new European treaties amended by the Treaty of Lisbon are not easy to read. Besides, the fact that these articles do not have any title helping to identify the topic treated is another factor which complicates the reading. In order to face these difficulties, GRIP has decided to collect all the dispositions of the European Treaties which regards the external policy. ... Fri, 14 May 2010 15:37:17 +0100 UE and international security http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=750 On 1 May, Bernard Adam will be stepping down as director of GRIP (Group for Research and Information on Peace and Security), a post he has occupied for 31 years, since founding the organisation in 1979. With his forthcoming early retirement, Bernard Adam is not entirely leaving the GRIP as he will become president of the board of directors and take over from Jean-Paul Marthoz, who has occupied this post since 2003. In addition to this new role, ... Fri, 30 Apr 2010 13:52:22 +0100 GRIP News http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/default.asp?N=homepage&O=1 A new information portal, EthicalCargo.net, was put online, on April 20th, at the service of humanitarian and military organizations. The goal of this new internet clearinghouse is to reduce the use of air cargo companies involved in destabilizing commodity flows and arms trafficking in humanitarian aid logistics and the shipment of military equipment. Indeed, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), one of the instigators of the website, stresses that one ... Fri, 23 Apr 2010 12:30:30 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=746 In the continuation of his efforts to develop a positive dynamic for a nuclear disarmament, President Obama hosts an extraordinary summit on nuclear security on the 12th and 13th of April at Washington. 47 delegations are present among which seven represent nuclear States. However, it is unfortunate that the main worrying countries concerned by ... Mon, 12 Apr 2010 15:59:25 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/default.asp?N=homepage&O=1 Three years after the vote of resolution 61/89 by the United Nations General Assembly, 153 States (including the United States) came to a conclusion once again in favor of an Arms Trade Treaty. The negotiations from now on entered their last straight line before the organization of an International Conference on an Arms Trade Treaty, planned for 2012. ... Fri, 26 Mar 2010 15:06:44 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=742 According to the proposition submitted on the 1st of February 2010 by Robert Gates, the military budget of the United States is expected to exceed 700 billion dollars for the fiscal year 2011. Despite this impressive figure, the first two budgets presented by the Obama administration represents a clear break with those of George W. Bush, and show a real commitment to curb financial excesses of several major weapons programs, previously considered as untouchable. However, it seems ... Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:20:57 +0100 UE and international security http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=739 Six years after the adoption of a Common Position on the control of arms brokering, some European Member States still lack the national legislation to control arms brokering activities. Other States still have to ensure the conformity of their legislation with the Common Position. ... Mon, 1 Feb 2010 07:32:51 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=738 In January 2010, ISIS - Europe (International Security Information Service), in collaboration with some twenty European think-tanks, amongst which GRIP, launched a website (http://www.csdpmap.eu) on the European Union military and civilian crisis management missions. ... Fri, 29 Jan 2010 09:05:51 +0100 GRIP News http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=737 During its 2009 Presidency of the European Union, Sweden re-launched the debate on the usability of battlegroups, a European military instrument conceived to facilitate the EU's involvement in global security. Despite their full operational capability since 2007 and the different crises that arose in the past two years, the battlegroups were never deployed. The failure to use this tool stems from the lack of sufficient political will by Member States to act in a common way. ... Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:00:19 +0100 UE and international security http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=736 This report summarizes the main statistics on global military expenditure, arms production and international transfers of conventional arms. The data in this report are essentially from databases of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), an international standard since 1966, possibly supplemented by socio-economic statistics extracted from the databases of Eurostat, the World Bank, UN agencies or the press. ... Fri, 22 Jan 2010 12:58:52 +0100 UE and international security http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=735 Following the discussions which took place on November 10, 2009 within the General Affairs Committee of the Walloon Parliament on the issue of arms sales to Libya, GRIP sent a letter to the members of the Walloon Parliament. The purpose of this letter was to correct some statements made by representatives of the Federation of Trade Unions of Metalworkers FGTB (WSF / FGTB) Provinces of Liege-Luxembourg, in their letter sent on November 4, 2009 to the Walloon Parliament and to clarify some important concepts on small arms transfers. This Analysis reproduces the entire text of GRIP’s letter sent on December 4, 2009 to the members of the Walloon Parliament. Wed, 9 Dec 2009 08:43:39 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=732 In March 2006, an investigation into international drug trafficking allowed antimafia prosecutor from Perugia, Italy, to dismantle a vast arms dealing proceeding from China to Libya which involved several Italian intermediaries and high ranking Libyan government officials. The Italian authorities named the investigation “Operation Parabellum”. ... Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:20:05 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=730 Permanent Structured Cooperation (PSC) is an enigma introduced by the Lisbon Treaty in the field of defence. Extremely technical and difficult to understand, it remained unperceived until now. The PSC is intended for “those Member States whose military capabilities fulfill higher criteria (…)”, which are willing to regroup on the basis, amongst other, of “approved objectives concerning the level of investment expenditure on defense equipment”. If its contents still has to be entirely defined, the PSC nevertheless has three remarkable characteristics for an initiative related to defense. ... Thu, 5 Nov 2009 15:14:29 +0100 UE and international security http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=729 In the last four decades, Syria has often been considered one of the pet peeves of the West and Israel because of its support to terrorist groups acting in the Middle East and Europe. This stigmatization has been masking the suspicion that Damascus wants to acquire nuclear weapons. The conjecture started in the seventies when the Syrian civilian nuclear program has been launched, and grew after the Israeli attack on the Deir-ezzor site in 2007. ... Tue, 3 Nov 2009 15:49:47 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=728 The European defence market always stayed out of the European community field. In order to integrate it into the European single market ensuring the competition, the European commission set out a directive about the intra-community arms transfers, inviting the member states to harmonize theirs conditions of transfers, in the final purpose of getting an European defence industry more stronger and more competitive. ... Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:01:13 +0100 UE and international security http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=727 The mineral richness of the DRC is no longer to be proven, especially in the provinces of North and South Kivu, where there are large deposits of cassiterite, coltan and gold. Coltan and cassiterite are particularly sought after in the electronics industry because they are necessary for the manufacture of mobile phones, computers and printed circuits. Recently, there has been a growing attention from the international community and the civil society for the exploitation of natural resources as vectors of violence, especially in eastern DRC. ... Mon, 12 Oct 2009 09:11:59 +0100 Peace and conflicts in Africa http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=726 Belgium is a small country but has dwindling influence on the international chessboard, with the notable exception of Central Africa and principally the Congo, where it has been able to retain an expertise and influence far above its real economic and geostrategic weight in the region. This paradox is not due to the defense of special interests or political power games, which had long since been abandoned by Belgian politicians. ... Mon, 5 Oct 2009 15:29:26 +0100 Peace and conflicts in Africa http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=725 The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and the increased presence of Al-Qaeda militants in Pakistan have brought back to the agenda the necessity of an amplified security for the nuclear facilities all around the country. In this perspective Pakistani authorities have created agencies in charge of the nuclear management with the financial support of the United States. ... Mon, 28 Sep 2009 09:01:41 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=721 The Iranian nuclear program has been at the heart of the international community concerns for seven years and this crisis calls into question the real motivations behind the Iranian attempt to possess the nuclear power. The Ayatollah Regime is to a large extent responsible for the current situation of mistrust. However a better understanding of the Iranian claims requires a comprehensive study of the political and religious context in the Middle East. Since the collapse of Saddam Hussein Iran is trying to regain its lost power but the established strategies are the wrong ones. ... Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:48:46 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=719 Despite the adoption of a voluntarist law in March 2003, there is no real control of arms brokers in Belgium. Moreover, the regionalization of the competence in the area of arms export in Belgium and the adoption of the EU Common Position on the control of arms brokering, which both happened a few months after the adoption of the Belgian law, had as consequences that the law’s objectives are not achieved and that Belgium does not comply to the European norms. ... Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:47:45 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=720 Used for its incendiary, smoke or illuminating effects, the deployment of white phosphorus weapons have proliferated in recent or ongoing conflicts, often indiscriminately affecting civilian populations and goods in densely populated areas. White phosphorus weapons are incendiary weapons whose use is regulated by Protocol III of the 1980 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons ... Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:36:28 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=718 A lack of controls on arms brokers operating outside their home state remains a critical loophole in the combat of undesirable brokering activities. Policy-makers are sometimes skeptical whether extraterritorial brokering controls are cost-effective and can be implemented. This paper considers enforcement challenges of extraterritorial brokering controls and presents different policy options ... Mon, 3 Aug 2009 16:40:17 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=717 The improper management of conventional ammunition and explosives poses significant safety and security risks. Frequent ammunition depot explosions and diversions from ammunition stocks of state actors testify to the relevance of the issue to Africa ... Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:43:42 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=716 There are quite a few ways of tracing the ammunition for small arms and light weapons. But despite all these various techniques, the tracing deficit is still dramatic – notably due to the absence of registration and the lack of adequate marking ... Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:31:10 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=705 This paper was presented on February 13, 2009 at the Université de Liège, during a conference on “Les armes de neutralisation momentanée: une réponse à l’insécurité grandissante?”. The PowerPoint presentation is attached. Should we or should we not equip the police with the so-called “less-than-lethal” weapons, for example the FN303 launcher produced by FN Herstal or electrical weapons such as the Taser? These new weapons have the advantage of providing law enforcement with a greater range of options before resorting to the conventional, and lethal, armaments. However, the risks of misuse and abuse, sometimes unsuspected technological innovations issued from military research, and the lack of a proper legal framework, raise many questions about the acceptability of these new generations of weapons. An independent and multidisciplinary evaluation of the “less-than-lethal” concept is absolutely necessary to meet certain legitimate demands from the police forces while ensuring very strict compliance with ethical and legal rules. Mon, 23 Feb 2009 11:21:34 +0100 Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=709 Contrary to received ideas, France and the United Kingdom are not the only nuclear powers in Europe. Under NATO, the United States has stationed nuclear weapons in several European countries since 1954. Left over from the Cold War, these weapons were originally intended to counter the superior conventional Warsaw Pact troops. From more than 7,000 tactical nuclear weapons in dozen European countries in the middle of the 1970s, the arsenal has been shrinking since the collapse of the USSR, totalling 350 weapons in 2007. Since the start of the current decade, the question of what the weapons are for, and therefore indirectly the question of their removal, has been raised with increasing frequency ... Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=708 The European Union’s role on the international scene is not easy to understand. The rule of unanimity and the complexity of its institutional mechanisms have kept the EU from imposing itself on the international scene with a clearly defined role. The result is a rather blurred positioning, where the Union appears and disappears according to the various crisis, the context, the mood of the European Council’s members. The recent wars in Georgia and Gaza are the latest examples. Faced with an emergency, the Union does not seem capable of diplomatic action - this was paradoxically demonstrated by the prompt intervention of the French Presidency in Georgia. This does not mean that the EU is absent from the international arena. After the diplomatic turmoil which regularly happens in major international crisis, the EU discretely reappears, notably through various instruments whose impact is above all long term. Security strategies http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=706 This report summarises the main statistics on global military expenditure, from production to international conventional weapons sales. The data in the report are mostly culled from SIPRI databases, at times supplemented by socioeconomic statistics from Eurostat, the World Bank, United Nations agencies and the specialist press. <BR> In 2007, global military expenditure totalled 1,339 billion dollars, representing 2.45% of global gross domestic product or around 198 dollars per inhabitant. The United States alone accounts for 45% of total expenditure. <BR> The accumulated arms production turnover of the world’s top 100 arms manufacturers was estimated at 347.4 billion dollars in 2007, when the top 100 arms producers comprised 45 US companies, 23 European Union companies and 32 companies established elsewhere in the world ... Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=704 Belgium’s arms export system was altered in several ways in 2003. Firstly, the law of 5 August 1991 which underlies the exercise of legal controls of arms exports underwent a considerable modification by strengthening the duties to be met and incorporating the European Union Code of Conduct’s criteria in law, making them binding. Secondly, legal competence for arms exports was divided among four levels of power – the federal state and the three Regions of Belgium. <BR> Have these changes impacted on Belgium’s foreign policy, which is still managed federally? How do the different levels of power exercise this competence? Are there any coordination mechanisms? ... Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=703 Wallonia's arms export in the Belgian, European and global context This presentation was made on 15 January 2009 at a public audience of the Commission for General Affairs of the Walloon Parliament, Namur, as part of the assessment of the legal system organising the granting of arms export licences. In his speech, the author first reset the reality of walloon export within the global geopolitical context, in particular after the emergence of the ‘conflicts prevention’ concept and of an increasing awareness of the excessive proliferation of small arms in the world. He then exposed the development in the Belgian law on arms export and its 2003 changes, including, amongst other, the regionalisation of the competence, stressing the risk of a lack of coherence in the Belgian foreign policy. The author also covered the issue of arms exports within the European context. Regarding transparency, he pointed at the improved presentation of the walloon annual reports and made a proposal for new improvements. Arms control http://www.grip.org/en/siteweb/dev.asp?N=simple&O=702