Project
Methodology
Monitoring U.S. government efforts to leverage arms sales and military assistance to prevent the recruitment and use of child soldiers
  • Updated August 27, 2026

The CSPA Implementation Tracker monitors how the U.S. government implements the CSPA. The tracker captures information based on the terms of the law itself and examines four key elements on an annual basis to inform analyses of the law’s implementation:

  • The countries identified on the annual CSPA list;
  • Evidence of (a) the use and/or recruitment of child soldiers by government armed forces, police, or other security forces, and (b) government provision of support to entities which recruit and/or use child soldiers by the countries included on the annual CSPA list;
  • The national interest waiver (if any) that is applied to each country annually by the U.S. president — e.g., a full, partial waiver, or no waiver — and the types of U.S. arms sales and military assistance relevant to each country that are prohibited or allowed by those waivers; and
  • The amount of U.S. arms sales and military assistance that is either prohibited or allowed for each country through a national interest waiver.

The Stimson Center is the only source for consolidated information on this issue. The CSPA Implementation Tracker collects open-source information from government documents and packages this information to provide the U.S. executive branch, Congress, the public, and the media with an essential resource that demonstrates how the United States implements the CSPA and maintains its commitment to prevent the use of child soldiers around the world.

Sources of Data

The CSPA Implementation Tracker is informed exclusively by information provided in publicly available U.S. government documents.

  • Countries included on each annual CSPA list are captured in the U.S. Department of State’s annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Federal law requires that the TIP Report be delivered to Congress by June 30 each year.
  • The values of CSPA-relevant arms sales and military/ security assistance are found in
    • (1) the U.S. Department of State’s annual Congressional Budget Justification documents;
    • (2) the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls’ Section 655 Reports, within the U.S. Department of State;
    • (3) the Defense Security Cooperation Agency’s Excess Defense Articles database, within the U.S. Department of Defense;
    • (4) supplementary information captured in reports from the Congressional Research Service and/or the Government Accountability Office; and,
    • (5) U.S. Department of State annual reports on CPSA implementation, found within the U.S. Department of State’s annual TIP report.8Following a 2019 amendment to the CSPA, the U.S. Department of State is now required to report annually in the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report on how the U.S. government implemented the CSPA’s provisions during the previous year. The report includes the countries identified on the previous year’s CSPA list, a list of any waivers or exceptions granted by the administration, the administration’s justifications for those waiver or exception determinations, and a description and amount of any U.S. arms sales or military assistance waived or withheld under the law’s terms to-date (of note, as the TIP Report is published midway through the fiscal year, the amounts given are only partial). The U.S. Department of State published its first such report in 2020.
  • Details on the type of national interest waiver applied to each country are found in annual U.S. presidential determinations, published in the Federal Register.9Following the release of each year’s CSPA list, the executive branch has until the end of September, when the fiscal year ends, to determine whether there are any national security grounds to waive the law’s prohibitions for any CSPA-listed countries in the following fiscal year.
  • Descriptions of child soldier use/ recruitment (or provision of support to other entities which use/ recruit child soldiers) by countries included on the CSPA list are sourced from the U.S. Department of State’s annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report.

Stimson calculates the amount of U.S. arms sales and military assistance that is either prohibited or waived for each country by comparing the value of CSPA-relevant arms sales and military assistance provided in the government sources listed above against the associated annual waiver determinations. These calculations are rounded to the nearest dollar.

Given the historical and current gaps in public information on U.S. government arms sales and military assistance, calculations reflect a conservative approximation based on the data that is publicly available. Stimson regularly updates and revises its sources to provide the best current snapshot of available data, and thus figures are subject to change.

Complete List and Annual Break Down of Data Sources

Note: The U.S. National Security Engagement Assistance (NSEA) program was named Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) until 2025. 

Information derived from the Department of State’s annual Congressional Budget Justification documents reflects actual amounts for Fiscal Years 2011-2022, estimated amounts for Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024, and requested amounts for Fiscal Year 2025. As the International Affairs Budget for Fiscal Year 2024 was funded through a continuing resolution, FY2024 data is copied from the FY2023 estimate. The Congressional Budget Justification for Fiscal Year 2026 did not provide country-disaggregated data.

  • Trafficking in Persons Report 2025, Annual Report on the Use of Child Soldiers1Following a 2019 amendment to the CSPA, the U.S. Department of State is required to report annually in the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report on how the U.S. government implemented the CSPA’s provisions during the previous year. The U.S. Department of State published its first such report in 2020. The report includes the amount-to-date of U.S. arms sales or military assistance waived or withheld under the law’s terms for the countries identified on the previous year’s CSPA list. As the TIP Report is published midway through the fiscal year, the amounts given are only partial. The Stimson CSPA Tracker uses these partial figures for FY2020-2025 since there are no other public sources reporting on Section 1206/333 assistance. (for FY2025)
  • Trafficking in Persons Report 2024, Annual Report on the Use of Child Soldiers2Following a 2019 amendment to the CSPA, the U.S. Department of State is required to report annually in the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report on how the U.S. government implemented the CSPA’s provisions during the previous year. The U.S. Department of State published its first such report in 2020. The report includes the amount-to-date of U.S. arms sales or military assistance waived or withheld under the law’s terms for the countries identified on the previous year’s CSPA list. As the TIP Report is published midway through the fiscal year, the amounts given are only partial. The Stimson CSPA Tracker uses these partial figures for FY2020-2025 since there are no other public sources reporting on Section 1206/333 assistance. (for FY2024)
  • Trafficking in Persons Report 2023, Annual Report on the Use of Child Soldiers3Following a 2019 amendment to the CSPA, the U.S. Department of State is required to report annually in the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report on how the U.S. government implemented the CSPA’s provisions during the previous year. The U.S. Department of State published its first such report in 2020. The report includes the amount-to-date of U.S. arms sales or military assistance waived or withheld under the law’s terms for the countries identified on the previous year’s CSPA list. As the TIP Report is published midway through the fiscal year, the amounts given are only partial. The Stimson CSPA Tracker uses these partial figures for FY2020-2025 since there are no other public sources reporting on Section 1206/333 assistance. (for FY2023)
  • Trafficking in Persons Report 2022, Annual Report on the Use of Child Soldiers4Following a 2019 amendment to the CSPA, the U.S. Department of State is required to report annually in the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report on how the U.S. government implemented the CSPA’s provisions during the previous year. The U.S. Department of State published its first such report in 2020. The report includes the amount-to-date of U.S. arms sales or military assistance waived or withheld under the law’s terms for the countries identified on the previous year’s CSPA list. As the TIP Report is published midway through the fiscal year, the amounts given are only partial. The Stimson CSPA Tracker uses these partial figures for FY2020-2025 since there are no other public sources reporting on Section 1206/333 assistance. (for FY2022)
  • Trafficking in Persons Report 2021, Annual Report on the Use of Child Soldiers5Following a 2019 amendment to the CSPA, the U.S. Department of State is required to report annually in the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report on how the U.S. government implemented the CSPA’s provisions during the previous year. The U.S. Department of State published its first such report in 2020. The report includes the amount-to-date of U.S. arms sales or military assistance waived or withheld under the law’s terms for the countries identified on the previous year’s CSPA list. As the TIP Report is published midway through the fiscal year, the amounts given are only partial. The Stimson CSPA Tracker uses these partial figures for FY2020-2025 since there are no other public sources reporting on Section 1206/333 assistance. (for FY2021)
  • Trafficking in Persons Report 2020, Annual Report on the Use of Child Soldiers6Following a 2019 amendment to the CSPA, the U.S. Department of State is required to report annually in the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report on how the U.S. government implemented the CSPA’s provisions during the previous year. The U.S. Department of State published its first such report in 2020. The report includes the amount-to-date of U.S. arms sales or military assistance waived or withheld under the law’s terms for the countries identified on the previous year’s CSPA list. As the TIP Report is published midway through the fiscal year, the amounts given are only partial. The Stimson CSPA Tracker uses these partial figures for FY2020-2025 since there are no other public sources reporting on Section 1206/333 assistance.
  • U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), “Counterterrorism: DOD Should Fully Address Security Assistance Planning Elements in Global Train and Equip Project Proposal,” May 2018. (for FY2016 and FY2017)7This GAO May 2018 report provides a combined Section 1206/333 figure for both Fiscal Years 2016 and 2017. When figures in this report are used in the CSPA Implementation Tracker’s data visualizations, they are placed under FY2017 and marked as combined FY2016/17 figures.
  • U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), “Counterterrorism: DOD Should Enhance Management of and Reporting on Its Global Train and Equip Program,” April 2016. (for FY2015)
  • Congressional Research Service, “Security Assistance Reform: “Section 1206” Background and Issues for Congress,” Product #RS22855, December 8, 2014. (for FY2013 and FY2014)
  • Department of Defense, “Section 1209 of the NDAA for FY2008 Report to Congress on Foreign-Assistance Related Programs for Fiscal Year 2012,” May 2013. (for FY2012)
  • Congressional Research Service, “Security Assistance Reform: “Section 1206” Background and Issues for Congress,” Product #RS22855. April 19, 2013. (for FY2013)

This collection of sources is compiled by the Stimson Center’s Conventional Defense Program team. Please email [email protected] with any questions, comments, or concerns. We welcome notice of any public sources relevant to Stimson’s CSPA Implementation Tracker that are not already included in the above list.

Download the Data

Glossary

Actual amount: The amount of money spent by federal agencies on U.S. military assistance. Actual amounts reflect spending priorities approved by Congress during the annual appropriations process.

Arms sales: The transfer of U.S. military equipment, defense services, or weapons to a foreign country, foreign private firm, or international organization via sale, lease, loan, or granted funds. The CSPA Implementation Tracker uses the term to refer generally to sales conducted under the Direct Commercial Sales program.

Child soldier: The CSPA states that the term “child soldier” means any person under 18 years of age who takes a direct part in hostilities as a member of governmental armed forces, police, or other security forces; any person under 18 years of age who has been compulsorily recruited into governmental armed forces, police, or other security forces; any person under 15 years of age who has been voluntarily recruited into governmental armed forces, police, or other security forces; or any person under 18 years of age who has been recruited or used in hostilities by armed forces distinct from the armed forces of a state; and includes any person above who is serving in any capacity, including in a support role such as cook, porter, messenger, medic, guard, or sex slave.

Child Soldiers Prevention Act (CSPA): U.S. law enacted in 200810Amended in the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 and the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2018. For more information, see the legislative timeline on the ‘About the CSPA’ page. that prohibits the U.S. government from providing certain types of arms sales and military assistance to countries that have governmental armed forces, police, or other security forces, or government-supported armed groups — including paramilitaries, militias, or civil defense forces — that recruit or use child soldiers. The law allows the U.S. president to waive these prohibitions if doing so is determined to be in the national interest and if the government concerned is taking “effective and continuing steps to address the problem of child soldiers.”

CSPA list: An annual list of countries identified by the U.S. Secretary of State as having governmental armed forces, police or other security forces, or government-supported armed groups that recruited or used child soldiers during the previous year. Under the CSPA, countries appearing on this list are prohibited from receiving certain types of U.S. arms sales and military assistance during the following fiscal year. The CSPA list appears in the U.S. Department of State’s annual Trafficking in Persons report.

Direct Commercial Sales (DCS): U.S. arms sales licensed by the U.S. Department of State and conducted between U.S. weapons manufacturers and foreign clients.

Estimated amount: The amount of money that federal agencies are estimated to have spent on U.S. arms sales and military assistance.

Excess Defense Articles (EDA): Defense articles owned by the U.S. Government that are in excess of approved or required U.S. stockpiles and provided to foreign governments or international organizations at a reduced price or as a grant.

Fiscal Year: U.S. government accounting period beginning October 1 and ending September 30 of the following year. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends. Countries included on the CSPA list in a given calendar year are subject to restrictions on arms sales and military assistance the following fiscal year.

Foreign Military Financing (FMF): Grants provided to foreign governments that are used to purchase U.S. weapons, training, and other defense articles and services. FMF grants are typically used to purchase defense articles and services from the U.S. government through its Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program, though a limited number of countries may also use FMF to purchase U.S. defense articles and services through direct commercial sales.

International Military Education and Training (IMET): A U.S. military assistance program that provides grants for members of foreign governments (civil servants) and militaries to participate in U.S. military management and technical training courses offered at U.S. military schools and training institutions. IMET is jointly managed by the Departments of State and Defense, though the Department of State has overall responsibility for the program.

Military assistance: The provision of U.S. military education, training, equipment, or financing for U.S. arms or weapons to a foreign country. Guided by the CSPA’s text and operationalization, the CSPA Implementation Tracker uses the term to refer generally to assistance provided under Excess Defense Articles, Foreign Military Financing, International Military Education and Training, and National Security Engagement Assistance,11National Security Engagement Assistance was known as Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) until 2025. as well as assistance provided under Section 333, 1206, and 1208 authorities.

International Military Education and Training (IMET): A U.S. military assistance program that provides grants for members of foreign governments (civil servants) and militaries to participate in any of more than 2,000 courses in U.S. military management and technical training offered at U.S. military schools and training institutions. IMET is jointly managed by the Departments of State and Defense, though the Department of State has overall responsibility for the program.

Military assistance: The provision of U.S. military education, training, equipment, financing for U.S. arms, or weapons to a foreign country. The CSPA Implementation Tracker uses the term to refer generally to assistance provided under the Excess Defense Articles, Foreign Military Financing, International Military Education and Training, and Peacekeeping Operations programs, as well as assistance provided under Section 333, 1206, and 1208 authorities.

National interest waiver: A feature of the CSPA, national interest waivers allow the U.S. president to exempt a given country from the CSPA’s prohibitions on the provision of U.S. arms sales and military assistance if the president determines that doing so is in the national interest of the United States.

  • Full waiver: National interest waivers that exempt a given country from all of the CSPA’s prohibitions on the provision of U.S. arms sales and military assistance. The term is not referenced in the text of the CSPA itself.
  • Partial waiver: National interest waivers that exempt a given country from some, but not all, of the CSPA’s prohibitions on the provision of U.S. arms sales and military assistance. The term is not referenced in the text of the CSPA itself.

Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO): Discretionary budget authority designated to fund war-related activities in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks. The U.S. Department of State first requested OCO-designated foreign affairs funds in FY2012. Since then, Congress has used the OCO designation for funds appropriated for several military assistance programs. This designation has applied to Foreign Military Financing and Peacekeeping Operations assistance subject to the CSPA.

National Security Engagement Assistance (NSEA) (formerly known as Peacekeeping Operations, or PKO): A U.S. military assistance program that provides funds to support voluntary multi-national stabilization efforts, including peace support and stability operations as well as counterterrorism operations that are not funded through the United Nations. NSEA funds are appropriated to the Department of State and may be used to reimburse assistance activities carried out by the Department of Defense. The NSEA program was called Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) until being re-named in 2025. The CSPA contains exceptions that allow for NSEA-funded assistance to be provided without the need for a waiver, including for programs that support military professionalization, security sector reform, respect for human rights, peacekeeping preparation, or the demobilization and reintegration of child soldiers.

Requested Amount: The amount of money requested by federal agencies for an upcoming fiscal year to spend on U.S. arms sales and military assistance as part of the annual federal budget process.

Section 1206/2282: A consolidated global train and equip program for the Department of Defense authorized by Section 1206 of the Fiscal Year 2006 (FY2006) National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and codified in Section 2282 of Title 10 of the U.S. code. Between FY2006 and FY2015, Section 1206 allowed the Department of Defense to use its operations and maintenance funds to train and equip foreign military forces to conduct counterterrorism operations or to participate in or support military and stability operations in which U.S. forces participated. Section 1206 was repealed in 2014. These authorities have since been incorporated into Section 333.

Section 333: A consolidated global train and equip authority enacted by the Fiscal Year 2017 (FY2017) National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and codified under Section 333 of Title 10 of the U.S. code. Section 333 allows the Department of Defense to use its operations and maintenance funds to train and equip foreign militaries to conduct a range of operations — including counterterrorism, counter-weapons of mass destruction, and counter-illicit drug trafficking operations — through the provision of defense articles and services, training, supplies, and small-scale construction. It requires concurrence from the Secretary of State, that assistance be accompanied by human rights training and institutional capability building, and that assistance be consistent with other provisions of U.S. law. Section 1206/2282 was repealed and incorporated into Section 333, along with several other authorities under Title 10 of the U.S. Code. While not explicitly mentioned in the CSPA, presidents have waived the application of CSPA prohibitions to support provided under Section 333.

Section 331: A Department of Defense authority under Section 331 of Title 10 of the U.S. code that allows the Secretary of Defense to provide logistical assistance, equipment, training, and small scale construction to support a foreign country in connection with the conduct of a U.S. operation. While not explicitly mentioned in the CSPA, presidents have waived the application of CSPA prohibitions to support provided under Section 331. Given a lack of public, country-disaggregated information on Section 331 funding, it is difficult to know whether any CSPA-listed countries have received such assistance.

Section 1208/127e: A consolidated global train and equip program for the Department of Defense enacted by Section 1208 of the Fiscal Year 2005 (FY2005) National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and codified in Title 10 U.S.C. Section 127e. Section 1208 allows the Department of Defense to provide material and non-material support to foreign forces supporting counterterrorism operations carried out by U.S. special operations forces. U.S. presidents waived CSPA prohibitions on the provision of Section 1208 assistance to the Democratic Republic of Congo for FY2015 and to South Sudan for FY2015, FY2016, and FY2017. Given a lack of public, country-disaggregated information on Section 1208/127e funding, it is difficult to know whether these countries received such assistance.