Saudi Arabia and Qatar – top buyers of Canada’s weapons and military supplies in 2022

14.06.2023

About 92% of Saudi Arabia’s purchases from Canada were armoured combat vehicles. Most shipments took place on the basis of a $15 billion contract reached in 2014 but exports were approved by Canada’s current government. The data showed that it is the 11th year in which Saudi Arabia has been Canada’s second largest purchaser of military equipment after the United States.

Saudi Arabia, Israel and Qatar were among Canada’s top buyers of weapons and other military supplies after the United States in 2022, according to new data from Global Affairs Canada – the department that manages diplomatic, consular and trade relations.

The largest buyer of Canadian arms is the US.  

The data shows that Saudi Arabia received around $1.15 billion in Canadian military exports last year, making it the largest non-US customer and Riyadh bought way more than runner-up Germany, which imported $221.63 million in Canadian arms and military technology in 2022.

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

Canada, the United States, the UK, France and Spain are some of the largest arms exporters to Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia and Canada restored their ties to normal level in May after 5 years of diplomatic rift over human rights criticism from Ottawa to Riyadh. 

Qatar was Canada’s sixth biggest non-US customer and second biggest Middle Eastern customer for military exports, receiving $49.26 million worth of weapons and other military supplies in 2022.

According to Global Affairs Canada, Israel utilized 315 Canadian military permits in 2022, followed by the UK utilizing 290.

The Middle East accounts for 59% of non-US destined military goods from Canada, the data shows, making the region the second biggest military customer for Ottawa.

GSPI