Germany extends Saudi Arabia arms export embargo passed after Khashoggi murder

The German government will extend a ban on weapon sales to Saudi Arabia by another six months, initially implemented following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi last October.

After German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday that she would like to keep the moratorium in place, the following day a government spokesperson announced the extension of the ban.

“Until March 31, 2020 no applications (for arms exports) to Saudi Arabia will be approved,” the spokesperson said.

Despite being reluctant to enter into the Yemeni fray, earlier this week Merkel reached a deal with her French counterpart Emmanuel Macron to allow for the sale of French weapons that use German components, according to a report in the Times. The weapons were previously included in the German export ban. United Kingdom has also pressured Berlin to ease the embargo, arguing that it hurts the bottom line of European arms manufacturers.

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