Germany allows for supply of Egypt with warships

The sale must have been approved just before the change of year. It's about a Meko 200-type frigate built by the Thyssen Kruppe Maritime Systems. Next year, the Egyptian navy will receive another frigate of the same type. According to expert data, such a ship costs 500m euros.

With the new permission, the German government continues to remain loyal to its line, allowing for weapons supply of countries with authoritarian governments if they are seen as regional partners, writes “Spiegel” In Egypt, the former army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Asci, who heads hard and strikes hard on the opposition and his critics.

Coalition Pact Bans Arms Exports

With this decision the German government has violated the coalition pact. It says the Christian Democrat Union, Christian and the Social Democrat Party are obliged not to supply weapons to states participating in the Yemen conflict. “We will no longer allow the supply of seats, as long as they participate directly in the Yemeni fight”, the coalition text said. Egypt is officially part of the coalition led by Saudi Arabia, which fights against rebels in Yemen.

Since 2014, there has been a war in Yemen between the land rebels, assisted by Iran, and the troops of President Abdbbo Mansur Hadi, supported by Arabia and other Arab states. According to UN data, 10,000 people have been killed so far, among whom thousands of civilians.

Left and Green criticise government

New arms export permit has sparked criticism. The politics of the left, Sevim Douglasen, said: “who sends warships to countries like Egypt, who easily accept Yemen's genocide, should not speak in the future of international responsibility.” The German government makes itself “an accomplice for crimes against the civilian population in Yemen”. Green politician Jürgen Trittin said: “Even this year the German government continues with arms exports, as if there were no war in Yemen and Libya”.