New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Ministry granted export permits for military equipment that was sent to Saudi Arabia's forces in 2016 and 2018, raising concerns the government may have breached its human rights obligations. Documents obtained by RNZ under the Official Information Act detail transactions that experts say raise human rights concerns due to Saudi Arabia's military intervention in Yemen's civil war. The documents showed that in May 2016, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) approved a permit for military simulation training equipment to be sent to Saudi ground forces. Stuff-co-nz Security analyst Paul Buchanan has said the export permits meant MFAT and the New Zealand exporter could be part of a “kill chain”. Some believe the 2016 and 2018 permits may already have legally compromised the government.

Source: Stuff February 14, 2021 23:26 UTC