Mideast arms import increased sharply: report

Arms transfers to the Middle East increased sharply in the past four years with the United Arab Emirates becoming the third-largest arms importer worldwide in a “worrying trend” in the region, a leading defense think tank said Monday.

A report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) showed a 38 percent increase in arms imports in the Middle East in 2004-2008 compared to the four years prior.

“During the past five years, we have seen the re-emergence of the Middle East as a major recipient of conventional weapons systems,” SIPRI Researcher Pieter Wezeman said in a statement.

“While we are a long way from the levels reached in the early to mid-1980s, this is still a worrying trend in a region beset by multiple sources of potential conflict and limited intergovernmental trust and transparency,” Wezeman added.

Israel was the second largest recipient of arms in the Middle East with 22 percent followed by Egypt with 14 percent.

The Israeli arms import consisted mainly of F-16I combat aircrafts as well as air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons with the vast majority of the transfers coming from the U.S.

The United States remained the largest weapons supplier, with 37 percent of arms deliveries going to the Middle East.

During the past five years, we have seen the re-emergence of the Middle East as a major recipient of conventional weapons systems

SIPRI Researcher Pieter Wezeman

UAE third largest worldwide

The UAE's position as the third largest importer was all the more conspicuous because in the previous study, covering the period 1999-2003, the oil-rich country was only the 16th biggest importer of military equipment worldwide.

The UAE accounted for six percent of the world’s arms imports between 2004 and 2008, according to the SIPRI report, with only China, at 11 percent, and India at seven percent, enjoying a larger share of the import market.

Despite concerns by some Western countries and Israel over Iran’s military capabilities, The Islamic Republic only accounted for five percent of the arms transfers to the Middle East and was the 27th largest importer of major conventional weapons worldwide.

Iraq was number 28 on the list with 40 per cent of imports coming from the U.S.

With a 31 percent share of the world market, ahead of Russia with 25 percent and Germany with 10 percent, the United States remained the biggest supplier of military equipment.

Worldwide transfers to countries involved in armed conflict, including Afghanistan, Pakistan and Israel, increased over the same period.

The study also found that the average volume of worldwide arms transfers for 2004-2008 was 21 percent higher than the period 1999-2003.

Although the volume of arms transfers worldwide increased by 21 percent, the report noted that there are signs the global financial crisis could also impact arms imports but added that it was still too early to confirm a trend.

While we are a long way from the levels reached in the early to mid-1980s, this is still a worrying trend in a region beset by multiple sources of potential conflict and limited intergovernmental trust and transparency

SIPRI Researcher Pieter Wezeman