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Boom time for British arms exports to Saudi Arabia

UK arms export licences average $11 million per day in 2015

Co-founder, former CEO, and editor

Yemeni men survey damage caused by a fallen shell in their northern Sana'a neighborhood on September 21, 2014. Shia Muslim Houthi rebels took control of Sana'a after a week of fighting government and opposition forces. IRIN

Co-founder, former CEO, and editor

    The British government is coming under increasing pressure about continued arms sales to Saudi Arabia, given its conduct in Yemen, which is alleged to cause disproportionate harm to civilian targets. In the meantime, UK arms manufacturers are selling, and selling.
    LONDON

    UK arms exporters were granted licences for military exports to Saudi Arabia worth £2.8 billion.

    Updated 26 April 2016 - the final quarter of 2015 showed a steep drop in export licences granted. This makes the daily average £7.7 million (US $11.2m). 

    Britain is exporting an average of $11 million of weapons to Saudi Arabia every day.

    The scale of humanitarian needs in Yemen is overwhelming. The UK is a significant donor to Yemen but its humanitarian spending is dwarfed by its companies' arms sales.

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