How the UK government justifies its arms exports to Saudi Arabia

What is it about?

How is it that the UK government continues to export weapons to Saudi Arabia for use in the war in Yemen, despite an explicit commitment to international humanitarian law (IHL)? Through a flexible interpretation of risk, reliance on secret information, and deference of the High Court to the executive.

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Why is it important?

The government claims to operate a robust risk-based licensing process - but the use of UK-supplied weapons by Saudi Arabia in the war in Yemen suggests otherwise. Understanding how the government juggles its commitments to international law and its relationship with Saudi Arabia helps us see how arms exports continue despite all the evidence of excessive civilian harm in Yemen.