France appealed to stop arms sales to UAE

Two French human rights groups are campaigning for a halt to French arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Legal non-governmental organisations, Droit Solidarite and Aser, had given Prime Minister Edouard Philippe a two-month ultimatum in March to suspend licenses for arms sales to the two Gulf states.

Having received no response, the groups said they would present a legal challenge to the Conseil d’Etat, France’s highest legal authority, which advises the government on legislative matters and arbitrates on public policy issues.

The two rights bodies argue that France is breaking international law by providing weapons for the Saudi-led aggression against war-ravaged Yemen and subsequently committing war crimes there.

Norway has already suspended arms exports to the United Arab Emirates. The German government has also said it would “immediately” stop weapons exports to anyone participating in the war in Yemen.