SIPRI, in conjunction with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the German Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA), organized a counter-proliferation and strategic trade controls course for export licensing, customs and law enforcement officials belonging to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states.
The four-day course, the first of its kind, featured a number of SIPRI experts. SIPRI Senior Researcher Aaron Dunne welcomed participants and presented on ways forward for strategic trade controls in the GCC. Senior Researcher John Hart presented on chemical and biological weapons. Senior Researcher Vitaly Fedchenko presented on nuclear and radiological weapons.
Senior Researcher Pieter D. Wezeman presented on conventional weapons and means of delivery and gave a separate presentation on the regional military balance. Senior Researcher Hugh Griffiths presented on transport actors and consignments of concern.
A range of counter-proliferation experts from the European Union (EU) and the United States also gave presentations on areas of export control and proliferation financing. The course was co-funded by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the EU.
Read more about SIPRI’s Dual-use and Arms Trade Control Programme.