Arms embargo is a global system of strict regulations and prohibitions that are intended to prevent weapons from falling into the wrong hands or contributing to escalation of conflict. They can be imposed on either the whole country (e.g., Ukraine) or specific individuals and companies who may be attempting to procure or export arms.
Despite their strict regulations, there are always ways to circumvent arms embargoes. For example, front companies and third countries can help facilitate illicit procurement of conventional weapons by allowing for concealed transfers of materials through multiple entry points into the country under embargo. Furthermore, emerging technologies such as 3D printing are lowering transaction costs and making it easier for non-state actors to obtain sophisticated weapons.
As a result, arms embargoes are often ineffective at achieving their intended objectives. They can even make situations worse as they exacerbate state instability and entrench a culture of criminalization in fragile states. Arms smuggled into and out of embargoed states are often stolen, diverted to belligerents or unauthorized users through battlefield capture, or sold on the black market. They are also subject to the risks of being repurposed for other uses, illicitly re-exported, reverse-engineered and replicated, or ad hoc manufactured by local communities.
Moreover, states are often willing to breach embargoes in order to gain access to resources, support preferred political partners or military alliances, increase interoperability between their armed forces, or change the balance of power in the region. Therefore, it is critical to improve our understanding of the motivations and drivers behind arms transfer violations and explore options for strengthening enforcement.
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