Saudi Arabia is first destination for Canadian weapons after US

WORLD, June 08 (YPA) – Saudi Arabia was Canada’s top customer for weapons and other military supplies after the United States in 2022, according to new data from Global Affairs Canada, the country’s department that manages diplomatic, consular and trade relations.

The data shows that Saudi Arabia received around $1.15 billion in Canadian military exports last year, making it the largest non-US customer of Canada’s materiel.

Saudi Arabia accounts for around 54% of the total value of non-US military exports. Armored vehicles constituted a big part of Canada’s exports to Saudi.

Of Saudi Arabia’s military purchases from Canada, 92% were armored combat vehicles with most of the shipments coming from a $15 billion contract reached in 2014 but only approved for export by Canada’s current government.

The majority of the light-armoured vehicles (LAVs) are equipped with machine guns or anti-tank cannons.

The report marks the 11th year in which Saudi Arabia has been Canada’s second-largest purchaser of military equipment.

In 2021, Canada exported $2.2 billion worth of goods to the kingdom and imported $2.4 billion, according to official figures released by the Canadian government.

The government said Canadian imports consisted almost entirely of oil and petrochemicals.

E.M