Middle Eastern countries together spend about 4.5% of their GDP on purchasing weapons (European News Agency)
Global statistics indicate a steady growth in spending on armaments among countries of the world, at a time when the Middle East and North Africa region constitutes one of the most attractive markets for this type of trade in the world.
In its report on trends in global arms sales, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) indicated that the volume of major arms trade in the period from 2015 to 2020 increased by 5.5% compared to what it was in the period from 2010 to 2014, and by 20% higher than it was. It was in the period from 2005 to 2009.
Volume of spending
The countries of the Middle East, for which data are available, collectively spend about 4.5% of their gross domestic product on purchasing weapons, which is the highest percentage among the regions of the world, as they are among the 10 countries that allocated more than 4.0% of their gross domestic product to military spending, out of 149 countries. Surveyed, 7 countries were in the Middle East and North Africa.
While these countries claim that purchasing weapons is the most important guarantor of regional stability, the results indicate exactly the opposite. Accumulating weapons and bragging about possessing the most lethal weapons would raise tensions between competing countries.
In this context, it is necessary to point out the vicious vicious circle, which states that “wars need weapons to the same extent that arms producers need wars.”
According to the Stockholm Institute report, the United States of America had the largest share of arms sales around the world, during the period from 2015 to 2019, with 36% of global sales, while Russia, France, Germany, and China occupied the next positions in order, and their combined share reached 40.2% of global arms deals. .
America's allies, the United Kingdom, Spain, Israel, Italy, and South Korea, occupied the rest of the top 10, as they together constitute 14% of the global share.
That is, these 10 countries alone acquired 90% of the global share, while the remaining 10% of the arms market share was distributed among 15 other countries.
The Middle East region remains the first destination for global arms exports.
There are 6 of the top 10 arms importers in the Middle East and North Africa region, led by Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, Algeria, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq are among the top 10, with their combined imports amounting to more than 30% of global arms imports during the last 5-year period.
Wars, conflicts, and national prestige are among the motivations for acquiring weapons (Associated Press - Archive)
Motives of importers
Hot and ongoing regional conflicts remain the main motive behind the growing purchase of weapons in Arab countries, and cold regional tensions, or the fire under the ashes, represent a major motive no less important than the previous ones in the arms race in this hot spot in the world, and the tension between Israel and Iran is at the forefront of these tensions.
While the Arab fronts with Israel have calmed down regarding the Palestinian issue, the ongoing Israeli conflict with the resistance factions in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and southern Lebanon makes this region one of the most greedy and greedy regions for purchasing weapons and ammunition, or developing existing defense systems.
The same situation is in the North African countries, where diplomatic disputes and fears of matters developing into military clashes remain among the strongest motivations for acquiring and developing weapons, and increasing the military arsenal and strategic stock of ammunition.
Wars and conflicts are not the only motive for acquiring weapons, as national prestige, wealth, geopolitics, and competition and boasting among rich countries play a strong motive, as countries seek to build a modern and advanced army that possesses the latest weapons and technology in accordance with the conditions permitted by the global arms export policy.
Motives of exporters
Just as importing countries have their own goals and motives for amassing weapons, exporting countries have their own economic and geostrategic reasons. The commercial and financial benefits that arms exporters gain are balanced by the political and diplomatic influence that these countries exert in the areas that import weapons.
For example, Russia sought to advance its political agenda in the Gulf region and the Middle East, by selling its main weapons, such as MiG-29 aircraft and S-400 missile systems, as a major competitor to American weapons in the region.
Because the language of interests often trumps the language of principles, you will find a country like America, for example, that does not mind supplying weapons to states and regimes that violate the rights of their people, or attack their neighbors unjustly. There is no clearer example of this policy than providing Israel with the most lethal weapons to confront the Palestinians. .
Many challenges stand in the way of localization and development of military industries in Arab countries (Reuters - Archive)
Obstacles to the localization of military industries in the Arab world
There are many challenges that stand in the way of the localization and development of military industries in Arab countries. According to a report published by the Arab Affairs magazine issued by the Arab League, these challenges can be summarized as follows:
The narrow scientific base, low cultural and scientific awareness, and limited military technologies, as weapons industries require enormous human potential in a variety of specializations, including experts in applied mathematics, electronics, aeronautical engineering, electricity, mechanics, nuclear physics, chemistry, and other branches related to the field. Weapon manufacturing.
The inability to provide the necessary money, through credit facilities, loans, etc., to import the machinery and equipment needed for military manufacturing. If the artillery industries require a billion dollars during the establishment phase, then tanks need two billion, and aircraft need many times these numbers, and these rates are much higher when it comes to the technology industry. minute.
The huge gap in technology between Western countries and Third World countries represents a source of frustration, which discourages many of these countries from pursuing their national production projects, under the pretext that they are not competitive with Western products, which calls on these countries to rely on imports at the expense of developing production projects.
The resistance of countries and major companies that manufacture weapons and military equipment to every Arab military industrialization project, as these scientifically, technologically and industrially advanced countries and their major companies seek to remain a monopoly of the Arab market for importing weapons and equipment.
Some Arab countries have taken great steps towards localizing military industries (Reuters - Archive)
Localization and export opportunities
Despite the low rates of spending on the national arms industry compared to import rates, some Arab countries have taken great steps towards localizing military industries, exchanging technology and training with Western countries, and even finding foreign markets to sell their local products.
For example, Egypt owns more than 26 military industries factories, most of which are owned by the Ministry of Military Production. The Ministry is affiliated with a group of institutes and research centers, and cooperates with a number of advanced countries in this field, such as the United States, Russia, Britain, China, South Africa, and France. .
Billions of dollars were invested in infrastructure work for military production factories and retraining and qualifying cadres working in military factories.
These factories were able to produce many types of weapons, such as light attack aircraft and training aircraft, in addition to multi-purpose armored vehicles, advanced tanks and armored personnel carriers.
As well as the production of missiles, guided missiles, and all kinds of ammunition.
Algeria also began, through 7 public state companies, some light military industries, such as the manufacture of military munitions, small arms, and hand grenades.
It then evolved into patrol ships, light helicopters, armored vehicles, and heavy vehicles for providing logistics services.
Its first actual steps in this direction were joint projects with Germany that allowed it to obtain technology related to radar detection, tactical communications, night surveillance equipment, the manufacture of electronic devices, and projects to produce heavy four-wheel-drive vehicles to cover the needs of the army, and establish a base for electronic systems for defense.
There is no doubt that there are great challenges facing the defense industries in Arab countries, but most of them can be overcome if those countries strive to overcome them, and succeed in distributing roles and tasks, and joint coordination within the framework of an organized collective effort.
Source: Al Jazeera + websites