Shooting down the MDGs: How irresponsible arms transfers undermine development goals

Irresponsible arms transfers are undermining many developing countries' chances of achieving their Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets. This paper shows new evidence of how this is happening in parts of Asia, Latin America, and Africa – either by draining governments' resources or by fuelling armed violence or conflict. Either way, irresponsible arms transfers undermine governments' development objectives and their citizens' economic, social, and cultural rights. Governments and their citizens urgently need a strong Arms Trade Treaty to ensure that all states involved in an arms transfer consider the impact of that transfer on the MDGs and sustainable development.