Arms exports to Saudi Arabia increased significantly in 2022

DDespite extensive export restrictions, the federal government approved the delivery of armaments to Saudi Arabia for 44.2 million euros last year – more than at any time since 2018. That comes from a response from the Ministry of Economic Affairs to a request from the left-wing MPs Sevim Dagdelen out, which is available to the German Press Agency. It points out that these are exclusively exports for joint projects with other EU or NATO countries.

A total of 48 permits were granted for Saudi Arabia granted. War weapons account for 7.1 million euros of the export volume, and other armaments for 37.1 million. These include supplies for Tornado and Eurofighter fighter jets, which are manufactured in Great Britain. In addition, the federal government allowed the United States to export €40.8 million worth of combat ship components originally from Germany to Saudi Arabia.

The previous federal government had that arms exports in the desert state, which was ruled with an iron fist, was largely stopped because of the kingdom’s involvement in the Yemen war and the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the consulate general in Istanbul in 2018. However, the government of the Union and the SPD allowed exceptions for joint projects with alliance partners – and made use of them again and again. However, not as strong as the traffic light government of the SPD, Greens and FDP in their first year in office.

In 2019, the black-red government approved arms exports for 0.8 million euros, in 2020 for 30.8 million euros and in 2021 for 2.5 million euros. The traffic light government has now increased export permits to 44.2 million in 2022. In the one led by Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck (Greens). Ministry of Economy an arms export law is currently being drawn up. The original aim was to significantly restrict arms exports to third countries.

The left-wing foreign expert Sevim Dagdelen sharply criticized the export permits. “The fact that the traffic light government is undeterred and continuously approves its own arms deliveries and arms exports to Saudi Arabia via third countries, even though the head-on dictatorship is responsible for the Yemen war with almost 400,000 deaths, is criminal and illustrates what Greens mean by value-based, feminist understand foreign policy.”