Supplementary memorandum from the Department
for International Development
RESPONSES TO
QUESTIONS FROM
THE QUADRIPARTITE
COMMITTEE ON
STRATEGIC EXPORT
CONTROLS
(a) French interpretation of Criterion
8
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(b) Why do we use the IDA list? Why
is a country such as Morocco not on the list?
The list of countries eligible for IDA loans
is the most authoritative, comprehensive, and up-to-date list
of the world's poorest countries. Eligibility is based on low
income (low GNI per capita), so IDA countries have the least available
resources and the greatest need to use those scarce resources
in a productive way. The list is produced by the World Bank, and
is updated annually. It now includes 82 countries (Montenegro
is the 82nd).
By contrast, the UN's list of Least Development
Countries (LDCs) covers 50 countries and is only updated every
three years. It excludes, for example, India and Pakistan. It
is therefore of less relevance to exporters like the UK.
In 2005, Morocco's GNI per capita ($1,059) was
slightly higher than that of Guyana ($1,000). As the cut-off point
for eligibility for IDA loans is $1,025, Morocco is not on the
IDA list. In the specific case of Morocco we feel that factors
causing concern are subject to scrutiny under other criteria:
Morocco's relatively high level of military spending and its occupation
of Western Sahara would be taken into account under criteria 3
(internal tensions) and 4 (regional peace and stability).
(c) Bradford University study
The Centre for International Co-operation and
Security (CICS) at Bradford University prepared a paper for DFID
entitled, "The Impact of Arms Transfers on Poverty and Development".
The paper can be found at: http://www.bradford.ac.uk/acad/cics/publications/AVPI/transfers/
The research was conducted through the Armed
Violence and Poverty Initiative (AVPI), which was established
by DFID using funds from the Small Arms Strategy of the Global
Conflict Prevention Pool. The AVPI gathered evidence on the impact
of arms transfers and armed violence on poverty and other development
indicators. We are now using this research, and similar work from
elsewhere, to develop programming guidance for donors in small
arms control and armed violence reduction. We aim to have this
guidance adopted by OECD member states through agreement by its
Development Assistance Committee (DAC) in 2008.
(d) Transparency in the defence sector
As discussed we will keep the Committee informed
about the progress of this work. At present, we are trying to
determine whether such an initiative is feasible and whether it
might have a significant impact on development.
(e) Refusals under other criteria
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
ON THE
CRITERION 8 METHODOLOGY
All the information used in the methodology
was updated at the end of 2006.
Paragraph 4:
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Paragraphs 7, 9 and 13:
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March 2006
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