Arms trade 'hitting poverty fight'

3:24am Wednesday 8th October 2008

The arms trade is "out of control" and is destroying global attempts to tackle poverty, according to a new report.

International aid agency Oxfam said many developing countries will not reach their fundamental targets for human advancement because of "irresponsible" arms dealing.

Its report, Shooting Down The Millennium Development Goals, said weapons trading had damaging consequences far beyond the immediate effects of stoking conflict.

The charity said some governments increase their national debts by buying arms at high prices, reducing the amount of money available to fight poverty. It also said a lack of transparency in arms transfers can also lead to corruption and waste.

Oxfam called for the Arms Trade Treaty, currently being debated at the United Nations, to include powers to stop an arms transfer if it could put development at risk.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were agreed in 2000 as an international target for human development to be met by 2015.

Oxfam's report said two thirds of the countries most likely to miss the deadline are in conflict. It cites Burundi which is not expected to meet any of the MDGs and has suffered savage civil wars that killed hundreds of thousands of people and destroyed basic infrastructure.

The country has a per capita government expenditure on health of five US dollars (£2.85), but each firearm injury costs the health system 163 dollars (£92.90), it said.

Other states were also accused of spending excessively on arms.

According to Oxfam, Turkey has struggled to achieve some of the MDGs, including reducing child mortality. It said this was in part because of the country's national debt, which includes up to 15 billion dollars (£8.5 billion) from arms imports accrued between 2000 and 2007.

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