While updating the Conventional Arms Transfer Policy regulating arms sales, the US administration announced that the extent to which the recipient country complies with human rights and democratic governance norms will also be evaluated when making arms sales decisions.
The administration of US President Joe Biden has updated the US Conventional Arms Transfer Policy, which has been renewed by every administration since 1977.
In the circular sent from the White House to the institutions regarding the policy update, several new conditions were added to the internal affairs of the arms recipient countries, such as human rights, rule of law, democratic governance and accountability, as well as US interests and international threats.
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The circular noted that arms transfer decisions will take into account the risk that the recipient country will use the weapons in any way to violate human rights, the country’s political stability, the existence of an effective civilian authority over its security forces, the government’s commitment to the rule of law, and its commitment to transparency in defense procurement.
It will also assess whether the arms sold will “adversely affect human rights, fundamental freedoms or civil society activities within the recipient country”, lead to “corruption, instability, authoritarianism or transnational repression” and undermine “democratic governance or the rule of law” in any way.
The previous Conventional Arms Transfer Policy was enacted in 2018 under former US President Donald Trump.
Trump’s arms sales policy prioritized US military and commercial interests.
Trump was criticized for not restricting arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which have caused many civilian casualties in operations in Yemen.
