Australia is set to push billions of dollars' worth of arms at a major defence exhibition in Dubai, sparking fresh calls for scrutiny over the country's military exports to the United Arab Emirates.
The UAE has emerged as Australia's largest market for defence sales, with almost $300 million worth of equipment shipped there over the past five years. But human rights groups and politicians are growing increasingly concerned about the potential use of these arms in conflict zones like Sudan, where thousands have been killed and hundreds of thousands displaced.
Amid mounting evidence that the UAE is arming a paramilitary force accused of atrocities in Darfur, campaigners are urging Australia to reconsider its lucrative defence ties with the country. Critics say it's impossible to verify whether Australian-made weapons have not been used in Sudan, despite assurances from Canberra.
A major defence exhibition in Dubai, where more than 35 Australian companies will be represented, is expected to fuel debate over the ethics of arms sales to countries accused of violating human rights and war crimes.
Critics argue that Australia's opaque arms export regime lacks accountability, leaving it unclear how and where its military equipment ends up. A senior lecturer in international law told The Guardian: "It may be an increasingly lucrative business for Australian companies, but we should ask ourselves if it is really through the manufacturing of weapons that we want to increase our wealth."
The concerns come as Australia's government continues to defend its defence ties with the UAE, saying they are in line with international obligations and contribute to regional stability. However, campaigners argue that the lack of transparency over arms exports means Australians cannot be confident that their military equipment is not being used to fuel human rights abuses.
The Australian government has condemned the atrocities in Sudan and called for a three-month "humanitarian truce". But critics say more needs to be done to address concerns over its defence ties with countries accused of war crimes.
The UAE has emerged as Australia's largest market for defence sales, with almost $300 million worth of equipment shipped there over the past five years. But human rights groups and politicians are growing increasingly concerned about the potential use of these arms in conflict zones like Sudan, where thousands have been killed and hundreds of thousands displaced.
Amid mounting evidence that the UAE is arming a paramilitary force accused of atrocities in Darfur, campaigners are urging Australia to reconsider its lucrative defence ties with the country. Critics say it's impossible to verify whether Australian-made weapons have not been used in Sudan, despite assurances from Canberra.
A major defence exhibition in Dubai, where more than 35 Australian companies will be represented, is expected to fuel debate over the ethics of arms sales to countries accused of violating human rights and war crimes.
Critics argue that Australia's opaque arms export regime lacks accountability, leaving it unclear how and where its military equipment ends up. A senior lecturer in international law told The Guardian: "It may be an increasingly lucrative business for Australian companies, but we should ask ourselves if it is really through the manufacturing of weapons that we want to increase our wealth."
The concerns come as Australia's government continues to defend its defence ties with the UAE, saying they are in line with international obligations and contribute to regional stability. However, campaigners argue that the lack of transparency over arms exports means Australians cannot be confident that their military equipment is not being used to fuel human rights abuses.
The Australian government has condemned the atrocities in Sudan and called for a three-month "humanitarian truce". But critics say more needs to be done to address concerns over its defence ties with countries accused of war crimes.
this whole thing is a mess, you know? Australia's gonna keep shipping arms to UAE without knowing where they end up or if they're even being used for good... it's just not right 
. We need more transparency and accountability from the government, but I'm sure they'll just say it's all about regional stability 
. But what about our values as a nation? Are we really comfortable with profiting off of human rights abuses? 
I don't think so, but at the same time, I also don't want to see Australia being left out in terms of economic opportunities... it's like, how do you balance that? 
. Like, we know they're selling billions of dollars worth of arms there, but what if those arms end up being used in some conflict zone like Sudan? It's not like we can just assume it won't happen, right? The fact that the UAE is arming a paramilitary force accused of atrocities is a huge red flag 
. And Australia's all about transparency and accountability when it comes to their own defense dealings, but not so much with other countries... it's super sketchy.
And these arms are ending up in places like Sudan where people are being killed and displaced? 
It's just not right.
. I mean, what's the point of increasing our wealth if it's coming at the cost of human lives? 
It's time for Australia to step up its game and demand more transparency from the UAE.
I'm all for regional stability and whatnot, but at what cost? 
. And now they're pushing out even more cash at this defence expo in Dubai? Like, what's next? Selling tanks to Saudi Arabia and just hoping for the best? 
, Australia's defense ties with the UAE are getting too murky 
. We're basically selling arms to a country that might be using them in conflict zones where thousands of innocent people have lost their lives 
, how do we even know if our military equipment isn't being used to fuel war crimes? We need more scrutiny on these defense sales #NotForProfit #TransparencyMatters #HumanRightsFirst
. I'm no expert, but it seems like a bit of an arms race (get it? arm-eds... 
) to me. I mean, who needs all that firepower when you've got a nice cuppa and some vegemite sandwiches 
️? But seriously, it's not exactly the most reassuring news when it comes to Australia's defence ties with countries like the UAE. Maybe we should just stick to selling vegemite instead of tanks 
Maybe instead of demonizing Australia's defense industry, we should be having a conversation about how we can make sure our equipment is being used responsibly.
. I mean, thousands of people in Sudan have been killed and hundreds of thousands displaced - can't we do better than just turning a blind eye 
. We need more accountability in that arms export regime, you feel? 
. And honestly, if it were us in their shoes, wouldn't we want to know where our guns are going too? 