From the Conversion of the Arm Industries to the Search for Security

The repercussions of the geostrategic revolution brought about by the end of the Cold War are many, especially in the arms industry, as might be imagined. The fall of the Berlin Wall immediately caused a large number of people to think that converting the arms industry had become a real possibility.

Although no miracle has occurred over the last ten years, real openings can be observed in regard to conversion. In particular, modernisation within the industry has encouraged diversification, with the development of dual technologies capable of civil and military applications. Above all, attention should be drawn to the magnitude of this phenomenon of conversion that affects the entire economy and society, not merely a handful of companies. Indeed, conversion concerns governments as much as industry, civil societies and local communities. Therefore, a whole range of parameters have changed, as have mentalities. However, the holistic and interdependent nature of this phenomenon requires concerted action at different levels that to a great extent remain to be defined, thought out and organised.

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