Theresa May Must Use Saudi Visit to End Arms Sales, Campaigners Urge

With Theresa May on her way to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for trade talks, campaigners have called on her to promote human rights and end arms sales to the brutal Saudi regime.

 

It has been over two years since the Saudi-led bombardment of Yemen began. Since then, 10,000 people have been killed and millions have been left without access to vital infrastructure, clean water or electricity. An estimated 17 million people are food insecure and require urgent humanitarian assistance.

Andrew Smith of Campaign Against Arms Trade said: “The humanitarian situation in Yemen is terrible. Thousands have been killed in a two year long bombardment and a civil war that has left the country on the edge of a famine. Whitehall has been complicit in the destruction since day one. It has sold billions of pounds worth of arms and offered an unlimited and uncritical political support to the Saudi regime.” 

Since the bombing of Yemen began in March 2015, the UK has licensed over £3.3 billion worth of arms to the Saudi regime, including:

• £2.2 billion worth of ML10 licences (Aircraft, helicopters, drones)
• £1.1 billion worth of ML4 licences (Grenades, bombs, missiles, countermeasures)
• £430,000 worth of ML6 licences (Armoured vehicles, tanks)

For decades now, Saudi Arabia has been the world’s largest buyer of UK arms. It is also on the UK government’s list of ‘priority markets‘ for arms sales. At present, BAE Systems is in negotiations to sell even more fighter jets to the Saudi military.

Andrew continued: “We are always being told how much influence the UK supposedly has over Saudi Arabia. But it hasn’t led to the regime improving human rights at home, and has only served to legitimise its brutal bombing campaign in Yemen. If May wants to play a positive role in turning around a dire situation, then she must end the arms sales and her government’s complicity in the destruction.