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South African defence exports for 2023 are set to ‘greatly exceed’ those of the previous year, according to the Aerospace, Maritime and Defence Industries Association (AMD).

This ‘miraculous’ increase in exports of defence equipment seems to coincide with a global rise in defence spending, driven in large part by the paranoia that the Ukraine/Russia war has sparked.

According to National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC) figures, South African exports are up from R4.6 billion in 2022 and R3.3 billion in 2021 to R4.9 billion for the first three quarters of last year.

Before anyone begins to raise the ‘Lady R issue’,  it’s important to put this rise in exports in its proper context, and according to Sandile Ndlovu, AMD CEO, there are three reasons for the booming trade:

“Firstly, the work we have been doing through the AMD Export Council has been very effective. Industry has invested quite a lot in opening up markets that have not been considered our traditional markets. So this has helped.

“Secondly, as a sector, we are well regarded globally. We still have products that people want and are prepared to buy. This is a strong testament to the high standards that our sector prescribes to.

“Thirdly, the non-aligned (and principled) stance that our government has taken has ensure that countries feel very comfortable in dealing with South Africa. In the world where global dynamics are constantly changing, it is important for countries to trade with dependable and reliable countries, especially in the area of security.”

“Despite the challenges we have with our control regime, the rise has been nothing short of miraculous.”

Defenceweb reports that the South African defence industry has been hampered by ‘slow NCACC export approvals, as well as decisions that are put on hold indefinitely as opposed to blocked or approved, and difficulty in the NCACC switching over to a digital system’.

Following the conflict in Ukraine, and now in the Middle East, global defence spending has been increasing, and this has trickled down to South Africa. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reported that global military expenditure continued to increase in 2022, remaining well over the $2 trillion (R38 trillion) mark, to reach a new high of $2 240 billion (R42 trillion).

The planet is growing increasingly paranoid about all-out war every day.

“The continuous rise in global military expenditure in recent years is a sign that we are living in an increasingly insecure world,” said Dr Nan Tian, Senior Researcher with SIPRI’s Military Expenditure and Arms Production Programme. “States are bolstering military strength in response to a deteriorating security environment, which they do not foresee improving in the near future.”

“The increased defence spending is as a result of this realisation, by many nations, that the responsibility to defend and protect yourself cannot be delegated or outsourced. The same should hold true for South Africa as well, seeing that right next door in Mozambique there is conflict,” Ndlovu said.

He emphasised that, when considering which countries to export to, “governments have a moral and, mostly, constitutional responsibility to provide security for their citizens”.

This however does not mean that SA is cashing in on instability on the continent, and in the wider world. As Ndlovu says: “The South African government does not approve the proliferation of weapons in areas where these will exacerbate rather than end conflicts.”

Although it may be good for business, it needs to be said that more guns might not be the answer to the conflicts burning across our planet. But as Iron Man’s dad said: “Peace means having a bigger stick than the other guy.”

[source:defenceweb]