Germany exported almost €6 billion worth of arms last year, including a record amount to countries outside of the EU and Nato. Its biggest customers have questionable human rights records.
Weapon manufacturers sent €562 million worth of arms to developing countries, including €12 million to the world’s poorest nations, the annual government report into weapons export published this morning showed.
Some of Germany’s biggest customers have serious question marks over their human rights records, including Algeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia. It was the highest amount of weapons sold to developing countries since 2005.
The deals were approved by the last coalition government of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative bloc and the Liberals (FDP).
The total amount of arms exported in 2013 stood at €5.85 billion – a 24 percent rise on 2012 and the highest figure since 2004.
Germany’s biggest customers were Algeria, Qatar, the United States, Saudi-Arabia, Indonesia and Israel. (more)
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http://www.thelocal.de/20140611/germanys-weapons-exports-hit-ten-year-high
Source: The Local - DPA