Italy bans arms sales to Saudi Arabia and UAE

The Italian government has banned arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, in a move campaigners have described as "historic". The ban makes a temporary suspension decided 18 months ago permanent. Saudi Arabia and UAE are Italy's 10th and 11th biggest markets for arms. In 2019 Italy exported €105.4 million worth of arms to Saudi Arabia, and €89.9 million to UAE.

The decision would mean that at least 12,700 bombs would not be exported - in 2016 the government approved the sale of 20,000 MK series aerial bombs worth €400 million. as well as the F-35 advanced war plane to UAE.