UKTI: Armed...
UKTI (UK Trade & Investment) is a government department that helps businesses sell their products worldwide. In 2008, it opened the Defence & Security Organisation to promote arms exports. Essentially, it now employs civil servants to help private companies sell arms.
... & Dangerous
UKTI helps arms companies sell to countries involved in conflict. Arms exports facilitate and prolong conflict. In modern warfare, the casualties are overwhelmingly civilian.
UKTI helps arms companies export to repressive regimes, including to countries classified as ‘major countries of concern’ in the UK government’s own human rights report.
The arms industry is one of the world’s most secretive and corrupt sectors – making arms a dangerous investment in every way. UKTI supports companies such as BAE systems: in 2008 seven of its deals were the subject of corruption investigations.
UKTI DSO – making DSEi happen.
This September, arms dealers will descend on London, to attend DSEi, the world's largest arms fair. Those shopping for weapons will include countries involved in conflict and human rights abuses, as well as those with desperately underfunded development needs. UKTI DSO co-organises DSEI, providing political, financial and logistical support, and giving legitimacy to this deadly trade.
A high price to pay
UKTI's support for the arms trade is a shocking use of taxpayers' money, and one for which there is no economic justification. Arms sales account for just 1.5% of UK exports – yet UKTI now devotes as many staff to arms sales as it does to every other industry sector combined.
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