In the late nineties AFrI changed its focus to the issue of the arms trade as a major cause of famine, food insecurity and human rights violations throughout the world.

In this regard, AFrI co-organised a conference entitled 'Militarisation and the International Arms Trade' to examine this issue.

Militarisation and the International Arms Trade -
"A Trail of Destruction"

This conference was organised by AFrI in association with CRD (Centre for Research and Documentation) and Calypso Theatre Company. The aim of the conference was to examine the impact of the arms trade on Ireland and the Majority World.

As a result of this conference AFrI commissioned John Cullen to investigate Irish companies' involvement in the international arms trade.

The Links Report was published in 1996 and identified over a dozen Irish companies that were involved in the arms manufacturing business