Switzerland has come out top in a ranking about the world’s most transparent small arms exporters. With a score of 21.75 out of a possible 25 points, Switzerland came first ahead of the Netherlands, Britain, Italy and Serbia, according to the 2018 Transparency Barometer, published on Wednesday. Switzerland has held the lead since 2007, except for the past two years, when it dropped to fifth and second position respectively. The least transparent exporters are Iran, North Korea, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Israel in the 2018 barometer. The survey by the Geneva-based Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies includes 49 countries. The latest report focused on the period up to the end of 2015 and takes account of exports of light weapons, their parts, accessories and ammunition worth at least $10 million (CHF9.9 million). For the first time, the barometer uses the reports of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) and the United Nations Programme of Action on ...
