Transparency International: Mideast and North African Military Corruption “Critical”
The 17 countries: countries collectively spent more than $135 billion
in 2014 alone. That’s 7.6 percent of global military spending, but
about one-quarter of the world’s “opaque defense spending,” which the
report defines as “defense spending that is either not revealed or
revealed in only highly aggregated form to a legislative committee.” And
it’s a growing market. The Gulf Cooperation Council countries —
Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates
— have increased arms spending by 71 percent in the last decade. Saudi
Arabia is the world’s top growth market for military spending, with a 17
percent increase from 2010 to 2015, the report states.
“Secrecy across security and defense establishments remains the norm,” the report states.
Sixteen of the 17 countries listed in the report were
scored as having a “very high” or “critical” risk of
defense corruption. Tunisia, in lighter orange, was the sole exception
with a “high” risk of defense corruption.
scored as having a “very high” or “critical” risk of
defense corruption. Tunisia, in lighter orange, was the sole exception
with a “high” risk of defense corruption.
Graphic: Transparency International
