Israeli arms sales drop by a billion in 2014, but grow by 40 per cent in Africa
Jerusalem (AsiaNews) – Israeli arms exports declined overall last year by 12.9 per cent, except for Africa, where they increased by 40 per cent. However, Israel is among the world’s top 10 arms exporters.
Citing figures released by Israel’s Defence Ministry, Haaretz noted that export deals worth US$ 5.66 billion were signed with Israeli defence industry companies in 2014. The 2013 total had been US$ 6.5 billion, itself a US$ 1 billion drop from 2012 figures.
According to the Defence Ministry, the drop stems from cuts in defence budgets and acquisition programmes in the United States and Europe.
Although exports are down in key areas like Asia and North America, sales are up in Africa. Last year, deals worth 8 million were signed – a 40 per cent increase over the preceding year.
Israel’s Defence Ministry said countries in Africa and Latin America are the only ones in which markets are still expanding, with a growing demand for arms and military technology, as well as equipment dedicated to internal security needs.
In 2014, Asian and Pacific buyers purchased Israeli arms and technologies to the tune of US$ 2.96 billion, especially planes, electronic warfare and signals intelligence systems, weapons, aerial defence systems and radar, and drones (UAVs).
A recent UN report also found that Israeli weapons are being used in South Sudan by the local army and its senior officers.
The report, issued by a panel of experts appointed by the UN Security Council to study the civil war in South Sudan, is based on photographs from the field showing weapons manufactured by Israel Weapon Industries (IWI).
One of the main weapons in question is the Ace, an upgraded version of the Galil assault rifle.
The UN panel noted that at least some of the weapons were given to the local national security service before the outbreak of the war, but now Israeli weapons are in use by all of the country’s security forces, including the army (SPLA) and the local police.
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12/02/2016 15:14
03/02/2023 20:15
