S/PV.10089 Security Council

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. Members of the Council have before them document S/2026/23, which contains the text of a draft resolution submitted by Greece and the United States of America. I shall now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements before the voting.

The draft resolution submitted by our Greek and United States colleagues on the technical extension of the reporting requirement for the Secretary-General on attacks on merchant and commercial vessels in the Red Sea (S/2026/23) has no added value. We cannot support this document. However, owing solely to the requests of regional stakeholders, we will not block it. We urge our colleagues not to squander time and resources on a politicized issue that has long become irrelevant but is being artificially kept afloat by a number of countries. We stand convinced that, in the current circumstances, the Security Council should monitor attacks on commercial vessels in the Caribbean Sea rather than in the Red Sea.

The Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the draft resolution before it. I shall put the draft resolution to the vote now.

The draft resolution received 13 votes in favour, none against and 2 abstentions. The draft resolution has been adopted as resolution 2812 (2026). I shall now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements after the voting.

The United States welcomes the adoption of this resolution (resolution 2812 (2026)). It reaffirms the Council’s responsibility for continued vigilance against the Houthi terrorist threat to freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and surrounding waterways. The defense of freedom of navigation is a crucial element of international peace and security. The Houthi threat reverberates well beyond the region. It creates risks for commerce and secure, reliable supply chains. Houthi terrorist acts also risk economic and environmental catastrophe for the region and endanger the safety of seafarers on the commercial ships that they attack and, in some cases, even sink. In the face of these dangers, Member States should not just be vigilant but should also act. In that regard, the United States reminds all Member States of their obligation to implement United Nations sanctions against the Houthis. This includes preventing the transfer of arms and related materiel, including dual-use items that advance Houthi weapons programmes.

Greece joins the United States, as co-penholder, in welcoming the adoption of resolution 2812 (2026), which extends for a period of six months the reporting requirement under resolution 2722 (2024). We extend our appreciation to all Member States for their continued strong support for this resolution. Maritime security and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea region remain under strain, and trust has yet to be restored along this critical international maritime route. The Houthis continue to pose a serious threat to international shipping, the safety of seafarers and ultimately regional stability as well. The security environment remains extremely volatile, as the recent developments in the south of Yemen and Somalia have shown, and the risk of further deterioration is acute. The Houthis have long demonstrated persistent, aggressive and escalatory behaviour, carrying out unjustified and increasingly sophisticated attacks against commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea. They possess the capacity, means and, most importantly, the intent to continue such actions, despite any temporary pauses. As a result, shipping companies are increasingly forced to divert vessels towards safer, yet significantly more costly and longer, alternative routes. As a country with a long-standing maritime tradition and a leading contributor to the European Union Naval Force Operation Aspides, Greece remains firmly committed to safeguarding maritime security, ensuring freedom of navigation and protecting seafarers, in full accordance with international law. We believe that credible and lasting security guarantees for the Red Sea region must ultimately be achieved in the context of an inclusive political solution for Yemen that promotes de-escalation, restores trust and ensures respect for international law.

The situation in the waters adjacent to Yemen has shown clear signs of stabilization in recent months. There have been no incidents observed in the Red Sea since 29 September 2025, which confirms that the attacks in the Red Sea are linked to the situation in Gaza. We believe that, at the present juncture, the Security Council’s efforts on the Yemeni track must be geared towards supporting a comprehensive peaceful resolution in that country and creating conditions for the launch of an inclusive political process. It is precisely the consistent advancement of this approach, with an emphasis on political and diplomatic methods and taking on board the positions of all influential actors barring none, that can lay the foundation for a sustainable normalization of the situation in Yemen and prevent another wave of escalation. We trust that the Council members will proceed from this logic in determining the further steps on this file.

China abstained in the voting on the resolution (resolution 2812 (2026)). Our vote reflects the consistency of China’s position. I would like to explain the following. First, the Red Sea is a vital international trade route. Safeguarding the security of navigation in the Red Sea is a shared responsibility of all parties. All parties should respect the right of commercial vessels of all countries to navigate in the Red Sea under international law and oppose attacks on and the detention of civilian vessels, so as to jointly uphold the international trade order. Secondly, the basis of the Secretary-General’s reporting requirement to the Security Council on attacks against commercial vessels in the Red Sea is resolution 2722 (2024), adopted in January 2024. Regretfully, following the adoption of the resolution, a certain country undertook military actions against Yemen, which severely undermined the Yemeni peace process and heightened security risks in the Red Sea. We reiterate that Council resolutions should not be misinterpreted or abused; the Charter of the United Nations must be strictly observed; and Yemen’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity should be fully respected. Thirdly, the parties to the Yemeni issue should meet each other halfway, adhere to the principle of Yemeni ownership and Yemeni leadership, and advance the resumption of the Yemen peace process. The situations in Yemen and the Red Sea are closely linked to the conflict in Gaza. We call for the full implementation of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, the genuine realization of a lasting ceasefire and the early implementation of the two-State solution, so as to promote an early, comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question and to create conditions for the restoration of peace and stability in the Middle East.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of Somalia. As a nation with deep and abiding ties to the Red Sea, Somalia voted in support of the just adopted resolution (resolution 2812 (2026)), mindful of our shared responsibility for the security and stability of these vital waters. This vote reflects Somalia’s enduring commitment to maritime security in the Red Sea. Waters are not only crucial to our region, but also essential to global trade and stability. We recognize that challenges in the Red Sea have consequences far beyond its shores, and we approach this task with a sense of duty and urgency. It must be underscored that the current crisis in the Red Sea does not exist in isolation. The situation is closely intertwined with the broader regional dynamics. The Red Sea’s security is fundamentally linked to the stability of its coastal nations and to the broader peace process, which must remain our collective goal. The success of this resolution will depend on the manner in which it is implemented — whether it is sensitive to the complex realities on the ground and respects the sovereignty of the region’s States. Sustainable solutions must address the root causes of the conflict and must always uphold the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Red Sea coastal States. In this regard, we wish to express our condemnation of the recent Israeli recognition of the successionist entity in the north-western region of Somalia, as well as the intention to relocate Palestinians from Gaza to Somalia, while establishing a foreign military presence there. We urge the international community to reject Israel’s actions, which not only set a dangerous precedent, but also pose a serious threat to regional and international peace and security. Somalia remains committed to constructive engagement. We believe the responsibility for security in the Red Sea rests, first and foremost, with its littoral States, supported by the robust international cooperation that respects the legitimate interests of all. The way forward requires patience, wisdom and shared dedication to diplomatic solutions. Somalia stands ready to work with all parties to ensure the Red Sea remains what it has always been — a bridge of peace and prosperity, connecting nations and peoples for the benefit of all. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers.