Norway won’t be issuing new licenses for the export of defense-related equipment to Saudi Arabia, Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide announced on Friday. The Norwegian government won’t allow exports of Norwegian weapons or ammunition, after “an overall evaluation” of developments in Saudi Arabia and the region.

“We have decided that in the current situation, new licenses won’t be issued for the export for other types of defense material or other products for military use in Saudi Arabia,” Søreide said.

She added, in an email to Norwegian news bureau NTB, that the foreign ministry stopped processing new applications “a while ago,” while the government evaluated both the situation in Yemen and other events including the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi that took place inside Saudi Arabia’s own consulate in Istanbul.

Several humanitarian organizations and, most recently, the Norwegian Church have been pressuring the government to stop providing arms and defense material to Saudi Arabia. NTB reported that Norwegian exports last year were valued at more than NOK 41 million.

newsinenglish.no staff