Rome, June 1 (FN Bureau) The Italian government said on Wednesday it had lifted an embargo on arms exports to Saudi Arabia in light of the improved situation in Yemen and a reduced risk of these weapons being used against civilian targets. “The restrictions on the export of some military materials to Saudi Arabia were introduced in 2019-2020 … to prevent their use in the war in Yemen. The reasons for taking such measures no longer exist. The regional context in Yemen has changed. Since April 2022 … military activities have slowed down significantly and are now limited. The significant reduction in war operations entails an equally significant mitigation of the risk of misuse of aircraft bombs and missiles, especially against civilian targets,” the Italian government said in a statement following a cabinet meeting.
The statement also emphasized that Riyadh had carried out an intense diplomatic activity in support of the UN mediation efforts and at the same time, had acted decisively on the economic and humanitarian assistance front. The Italian government also recalled that that in April, it had adopted a similar decision regarding arms exports to the United Arab Emirates. Yemen has been engulfed in an armed conflict between the government forces and the Houthi rebels since 2014. The situation was exacerbated in March 2015, when the Saudi-led coalition, working in cooperation with the internationally-recognized Yemeni government, began conducting air, land and sea operations against the Houthis. The latter retaliated by attacking Saudi forces and firing missiles into Saudi Arabia. The war has exacted a heavy civilian toll and unleashed a humanitarian disaster on impoverished Yemen.