Q&A: Kelsey Gallagher in Armenia

Wendy Stocker Analysis and Commentary, Conventional Weapons, Featured, News, Ploughshares Monitor

Meeting other practitioners working in the field of human rights monitoring is always a great opportunity. Arms control wasn’t a topic largely explored, except for the panel I presented on. Therefore, the conference provided the opportunity to meet others that are working in generally the same field, but with diverging approaches and interests. This exposure broadened my own perspective. I expect that I will find ways to interact with some of these people on projects of common interest in the future.

5 lessons from the cancellation of Canadian arms exports to Turkey

Cesar Jaramillo Analysis and Commentary, Featured, Ploughshares Monitor

On April 12, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) announced the cancellation of 29 permits for the export of Canadian-made surveillance and targeting sensors to Turkey. The decision was based on what GAC described as “credible evidence” that the exports in question were being unlawfully diverted by Turkey to the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. The same report that announced the cancellation indicated that Turkish drones had also been diverted to support Turkish military operations in Syria.

An unparalleled look into Canada’s arms trade

Kelsey Gallagher Analysis and Commentary, Conventional Weapons, Featured, Ploughshares Monitor

Just before Canada halted certain weapons exports to Turkey in April 2021, the FAAE committee released nearly 1,000 pages of government documents on Canada’s arms deals with Turkey. Although heavily redacted, the documents provide an unmatched look into the Canadian arms trade, including previously confidential memoranda to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, hundreds of pages of internal correspondence by Global Affairs Canada (GAC), and never-before-seen Canadian export permits for weapon systems.

Export suspension exposes flaws in Canada’s arms controls

Kelsey Gallagher Analysis and Commentary, Conventional Weapons, Featured, News

On October 24, Radio Canada International reported that Canadian-based Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) had suspended the export of aircraft engines to “countries with unclear usage.” This action followed reports that these engines were being used in Turkish-built Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that Turkey had sent to support Azeri forces in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.