Norway has suspended exports of weapons and ammunition of the United Arab Emirates over concerns they could be used in the war in Yemen, the foreign ministry has said.
The UAE is part of a Saudi-led coalition formed in 2015 to fight the Iran-aligned Houthi group that controls most of northern Yemen and the capital Sana’a.
There is currently no evidence that the Norwegian-made ammunition has been used in Yemen, but there is a rising risk of the UAE’s military involvement, the ministry said.
Existing export permits have been temporarily revoked and no new licences would be issued under the current circumstances.
In 2016, Norwegian exports of weapons and ammunition to the UAE rose to NOK 79m (~€8m) from NOK 41m in 2015, Statistics Norway data showed.
