Italy suspends arms shipments to UAE and Saudi Arabia

Italy has been plunged into political chaos since former prime minister Matteo Renzi withdrew his party from the governing coalition. Against this backdrop of uncertainty in the country, the government has announced that it is suspending ongoing authorisations for the shipment of missiles and bombs to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Italy's foreign minister, Luigi Di Maio, justified this decision as a further step towards peace in the region, "[This is] an act that we consider due, a clear message of peace coming from our country. For us, respect for human rights is an unwavering commitment". During his plea he made no direct mention of the conflict in Yemen, where both Gulf countries are heavily involved.

The Italian Network for Peace and Disarmament has applauded the move as "historic" and estimated that it would see orders for more than 12,700 devices cancelled. According to the organisation, the blocked sales were part of a total allocation of 20,000 missiles worth more than 400 million euros ($485 million) agreed in 2016 under a centre-left government led by former prime minister Matteo Renzi himself.

In 2019, several EU countries froze arms sales to Saudi Arabia, which leads a military coalition fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen in a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people, and is already predicted to be the worst humanitarian crisis in history.

Italy's latest figures - dating back to 2019 - show that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates rank tenth and eleventh on the list of the biggest markets for Italian arms exports.

This decision has not been without controversy, coming as it does after former prime minister Renzi's appearance as a guest at a high-level event hosted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Matteo Renzi, who flew to Riyadh to attend a conference, had to return urgently after the prime minister, Giuseppe Conte, submitted his resignation to the head of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, due to a lack of support.

Italy follows the new Biden administration's decision to suspend arms shipments to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The US president has ordered a temporary pause in arms sales to the Gulf states while his administration reviews arms exports.