Germany’s ban on arms exports to Saudi Arabia after Khashoggi’s killing is having a bigger impact than expected

Ripple effects of last year’s decision are becoming increasingly apparent

February 19 at 4:36 AM

When German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced in October that her coalition government would halt all arms equipment exports to its second-biggest customer, Saudi Arabia, the move instantly put pressure on other major exporters to do the same. The German ban came amid outrage over the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen and the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, which the CIA later assessed was ordered by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

Human rights activists applauded Germany for setting an international example at the time. But to critics, the German decision still appeared mostly symbolic, given that its exports to the kingdom were dwarfed by the United States, Britain and France in recent years.

None of those countries subsequently decided to join the Germans, but almost six months on, the fallout is now being felt in some of those places, too. Concerns in Britain and France are mounting that the German ban could have a severe impact on arms equipment exports to Saudi Arabia from other European nations. Representatives for Britain’s key weapons company, BAE Systems, have acknowledged concerns over their future access to crucial parts of Eurofighter Typhoon planes, which are partially produced in Germany. The exports ban has also affected air-to-air missiles for those jets, produced by a joint venture that is partially owned by European aerospace company Airbus, of which Germany is a shareholder.

When the Merkel government banned sales to the kingdom last year, it not only excluded fully assembled products such as ships, but also high-tech components used by companies across Europe. Germany may have recently reduced its overall arms exports, but it remains a European hub for such high-tech components.

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