France weapons exports drop 41 percent in 2020, Saudis still biggest buyers

Egypt shows off three Rafale fighter jets newly delivered in 2015 under a previous deal with French defence firm Dassault Aviation KHALED DESOUKI AFP/File

French arms exports declined dramatically in 2020, as a result of the global health crisis and the absence of major contracts, according to the annual report on arms exports submitted to parliament by the Ministry of Defence on Tuesday.

In 2020, orders were worth 4.9 billion euros, compared to 8.3 billion euros the previous year.

The biggest clients were Saudi Arabia (€704 million), the United States (€434 million) and Morocco (€426 million).

Je présenterai à la presse, ce jour à 14h30, le rapport au parlement 2021 sur les exportations d’armement de la France. #NotreDefense pic.twitter.com/3Mfn33VQSO

— Porte-parole du ministère des Armées (@HerveGrandjean) June 2, 2021

The sales figures were lower than in 2019 due to "constraints linked to the global health crisis which pushed back several arms prospects to 2021...and the absence of major contracts exceeding 500 million euros for the year 2020", according to the report.

However, the ministry said the decrease in sales "does not reflect a fundamental trend" given the recent signing of large sales contracts for Rafale jet fighters to Egypt (30 aircraft worth 4 billion euros), Greece (18 aircraft, including 12 used) and Croatia (12 used Rafales).

Major arms market

French arms exports had already showed an 8.6 percent decline in 2019, in the wake of major sales of Rafale fighter jets to Egypt, India and Qatar in previous years.

The European zone represents France's major arms market for the second consecutive year with 25 percent of sales (15 percent for EU countries and 10 percent for other European clients) with the UK and Greece being among France's top six customers.

In this photo provided by the Greek National Defence, a French Rafale fighter jet at Souda airbase on the island of Crete, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020. Greece's prime minister warmly thanked France Thursday for its decision to boost its military presence in the eastern Mediterranean, where Greek and Turkish warships are closely shadowing each other over a Turkish energy exploration bid in waters Athens claims as its own. AP

The Middle East zone accounts for 24 percent of orders, and the Asia-Pacific region for another 22 percent or "a slightly higher share than that observed over the past three years". Africa accounts for 16 percent of total orders.

War in Yemen

French arms sales to Saudi Arabia continue to be a matter of concern for NGOs. Late last year, several rights groups issued a joint press release, saying that parliamentary control is “essential since French arms sales have been shown to be responsible for certain serious violations of humanitarian law, particularly in Yemen (where Saudi Arabia is fighting a brutal war), where those violations have dramatic consequences for the civilian population".

In this Oct. 13, 2016, file photo, members of the Higher Council for Civilian Community Organization inspect a destroyed funeral hall as they protest against a deadly Saudi-led airstrike on a funeral hall in Sanaa, Yemen. French NGO's have expressed concern about French arms sales to Saudi Arabia. AP - Hani Mohammed

In December 2018, the Foreign Affairs Committee of France’s parliament established a fact-finding mission on arms export control, headed by MPs Michèle Tabarot and Jacques Maire, as a result of negative public opinion and NGO mobilisation against French arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, “likely to be used illegally against civilians in Yemen”.

French weapon sales to Saudi Arabia were first exposed to the public by the investigative website Disclose, in a report entitled "Made in France".

(with agencies)