Reaction to UK Government announcemernt on arms licences to Saudi Arabia

“It’s shocking that less than a week after signing up to a UN Security Council resolution for a global ceasefire, the UK government is announcing a resumption of weapons exports to Saudi Arabia. The UK should not licence arms to a country that has led a coalition in their bombardment of Yemen over more than five years.

“Even before the coronavirus hit, Yemen was already facing the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis and had seen its hospitals and clinics decimated in the conflict.

“It’s nothing short of cruel that the government should take the decision to restart sales to Saudi Arabia at such a time.”

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Notes to editors:

The UK government today announced it would withdraw its appeal in the Supreme Court over the judgment of the Court of Appeal in June 2019 regarding licences for military exports to Saudi Arabia. It announced it would resume processing licences for Saudi Arabia under a revised methodology.