Germany Extends Saudi Arms Embargo till December

Germany has extended an arms embargo against Saudi Arabia, imposed after the Khashoggi murder, till December 31 this year.

During a press briefing, a spokesman for the German chancellery announced Monday that "no new requests (for export licenses) on Saudi Arabia will be authorized until December 31, 2020.”

Berlin had decided in November 2018 to embargo arms sales and deliveries to Riyadh after the assassination of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. This freeze had been extended in September 2019 for six months.

However, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saoud recently urged Germany to lift its arms embargo. The Minister of Foreign Affairs said in an interview with the German news agency DPA "there are other sources where you can get such weapons” adding, " we are going to buy what we need, where we can get it.”

The ban has prevented German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall from exporting armoured vehicles to Riyadh.