conversion survey 2004

Currently, problems such as poverty, lack of basic health care, HIV/AIDS and even small arms are being pushed into the background by more direct threats to security in the form of international terrorism and the spread of weapons of mass destruction. This year’s annual publication of the Bonn International Center for Conversion (BICC), the conversion survey 2004, documents, describes and analyzes this shift in the perception of security problems and the extent to which it has had an adverse effect on human development and security throughout the world. Unless poverty is reduced worldwide and the security situation for all people improved, global security cannot be achieved. The analyses and recommendations contained in the conversion survey are based on a careful evaluation of current data, in particular in the areas of military expenditures, the defense industry, security sector reform, demobilization of soldiers, military bases closures, and surplus weapons. In addition to this, three further topics are covered in more detail: the increasing classification of refugees as a security risk; how surplus small arms are being dealt with in OSCE countries; and growing cooperation in the defense industry between Russia and the rest of Europe.