New Zealand Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Trade
Manatū Aorere
22 June 2021
195 Lambton Quay
Private Bag 18−901
Wellington 6160
New Zealand
D Maclure
T +64 4 439 8000
[FYI request #15507 email]
F +64 4 472 9596
OIA 27493
Tēnā koe D Maclure
I refer to your email of 26 May 2021 in which you request the following under the Official
Information Act 1982 (OIA):
Arm Export Update 2020 to 2021 - I am requesting information on list of countries that
export all type of military equipment to foreign armed forces, with table of list to export
to these armed forces around the world.
We have interpreted your request to be for a list of the export permits, by country, approved
for the year 2020 – including military end users. We have included data for all approved export
permits from 1 July 2019–15 February 2021, in line with information that has previously been
released on this topic.
The permit values, quantities, and serial numbers are withheld from these records. In some
instances, the names of the exporter and/or end user are withheld, and a summary description
of the items for export is provided in place of a full item description. In each case, this
information is withheld under the following sections of the OIA:
9(2)(ba): to protect the supply of confidential information by another party; and
9(2)(b)(ii): to avoid prejudice to the commercial position of another party.
We do not hold a comprehensive list of countries that export all types of military equipment to
foreign armed forces. Should you be interested in this we can recommend a public source of
information – the well-respected Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (see their
yearbook for 2020 here
: https://www.sipri.org/yearbook/2020).
Where the information has been withheld under section 9 of the OIA, we have identified no
public interest in releasing the information that would override the reasons for withholding it.
Please note that we may publish this letter (with your personal details redacted) and enclosed
documents on the Ministry’s website.
e [MFAT request email]
w www.mfat.govt.nz
Page 2 of 2
You have the right under section 28(3) of the OIA to seek a review of this response by the
Ombudsman.
Nāku noa, nā
Julie-Anne Lee
for Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade