S/PV.9782 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/2024/811, which contains the text of a draft resolution submitted by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. 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 15 votes in favour. The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 2758 (2024). I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of the United Kingdom. We thank the Council for its show of unity in the adoption of a 12-month technical rollover. The Council’s continued positive engagement on this file is crucial to rejuvenating the Yemeni peace process. This demonstration of consensus sends a clear signal that the Council continues to value the critical role that resolution 2140 (2014) plays in maintaining pressure on the Houthis, who continue to block the pathway to peace in Yemen. The international community continues to strongly support the United Nations institutions and its mandates that ensure the effective implementation of the sanctions set out in resolution 2140 (2014) and the arms embargo set out in resolution 2216 (2015). Those tools play a vital role in limiting the ability of the Houthis to destabilize Yemen, threaten the Red Sea and hamper peace efforts. As the Council, we stand ready to support the efforts of Special Envoy Grundberg and Yemeni stakeholders in securing a durable peace in Yemen. I resume my functions as President of the Council. I shall now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements after the voting.

The Russian Federation supported the United Kingdom-prepared resolution (resolution 2758 (2024)) extending for a further year the effect of the Yemen sanctions and the mandate of the Panel of Experts of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 2140 (2014). A technical rollover in the circumstances is optimal because it allows us to preserve the unity of Council members on the Yemen file given the rising regional instability. At the same time, we call on our colleagues not to forget that, by design, Security Council sanctions are meant to support the stabilization of the situation and help establish peace and security, rather than serving as a tool for punishing troublesome political forces in the country  — and certainly not to provoke tensions between States in the region. Yemen is no exception to that. We also reject an expansive interpretation of the provisions of the Council’s sanctions resolutions that do not stipulate the inspection of vessels bound for Yemen on the high seas or sending military products confiscated during inspections to third countries for them to be subsequently used for their intended purpose.

The United States joined the consensus to renew the mandate of the Yemen Panel of Experts as well as the targeted arms embargo, the assets freeze and the travel-ban measures. Those sanctions remain an important tool to deter threats to the peace, stability and security of Yemen. However, we regret that the Council did not adopt further measures to help degrade the Houthis’ ability to continue their destabilizing and aggressive acts in Yemen and in the region. One such measure, recommended by the Yemen sanctions Panel of Experts, would have enhanced the group’s ability to report on options to address Houthi aggression enabled by the provision of arms and related material from State and non-State actors in the Red Sea. Unfortunately, even that common sense recommendation was not considered by the Council, owing in no small part to the threats from one Security Council member, with support from another permanent member, to veto any effort to strengthen the sanctions. Such opposition precluded any reference to growing ties between the Houthis and United Nations- designated Al-Qaida affiliates, including Al-Shabaab. The Houthis have targeted more than 90 merchant vessels with drones and missiles since October 2023, with devastating impacts on commercial shipping. They have unlawfully detained United Nations, non-governmental organization, civil society, former diplomatic mission and other staff in Yemen, with blatant disregard for international norms — all without consequence. Instead of ignoring those developments, the Council must use the tools at its disposal, including targeted sanctions, to address those escalating threats. A negotiated solution to the conflict in Yemen will not be possible as long as the Houthis are allowed — and indeed emboldened — to act with impunity. We stand ready to work with fellow Council members to use all the available tools, including sanctions, to enable a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Yemen and the region.

First, I wish to express our gratitude to the penholder, the United Kingdom, for its efforts in facilitating the adoption of the resolution on the mandate renewal of the Yemen sanctions regime (resolution 2758 (2024). The Republic of Korea also notes with appreciation the constructive efforts by the United States to reflect the evolving situation in Yemen since last year. Indeed, the Houthis have persisted in reckless and unlawful attacks in the Red Sea and beyond. Just two days ago, they claimed a so-called hypersonic missile attack against Israel. The recently issued final report of the Panel of Experts (see S/2024/731) indicates that the Houthis are leveraging current regional dynamics to deepen ties with the so-called “axis of resistance”. The report also highlights the unprecedented level, scale and nature of military materials and technologies provided to the Houthis from external sources in violation of the Security Council’s targeted arms embargo. Such continued violations of Security Council resolutions not only exacerbate regional tensions, but they also hinder progress in the peace process in Yemen. In that context, today’s unanimous adoption of this resolution is a clear and united message from the Security Council that we are closely looking at all developments on the ground and that the existing sanctions must be maintained and implemented. Therefore, as the Chair of the Yemen Sanctions Committee, I call on all United Nations States Members to fully and faithfully implement Security Council resolutions. Furthermore, I welcome the mandate renewal of the Panel of Experts and underscore its critical role in monitoring sanctions implementation, and I urge all Member States to pay close attention to its findings.

I deliver this statement on behalf of the African members of the Council, namely, Algeria, Mozambique and Sierra Leone, as well as my own country, Guyana (A3+). The A3+ welcomes her unanimous adoption today of resolution 2758 (2024), which renews for an additional year the sanctions regime established under resolution 2140 (2014) and the mandate of the Panel of Experts supporting the 2140 sanctions regime. We thank the penholder, the United Kingdom, for its consultative and constructive approach leading up to and during the negotiations. The A3+ attaches high importance to the work of the Committee and the overall effort to hold accountable those individuals or entities that engage in, or provide support for, acts that threaten the peace, security and stability of Yemen. We reaffirm our commitment to the unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Yemen and urge all Yemeni parties to engage constructively under the aegis of the United Nations to end the conflict and achieve a successful political transition based on the agreed terms of reference. We remain deeply concerned about the impact of the ongoing regional conflict as well as the illegal attacks against humanitarian workers and vessels in the Red Sea. We share the Special Envoy’s concern about the impact of such activities on efforts to implement the political road map. The A3+ continues to strongly believe that an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza remains a critical first step towards lasting peace in the region. The A3+ also condemns the arbitrary detention of aid workers by the Houthis and their continued attacks against commercial and merchant vessels in the Red Sea. We demand an immediate end to all such illegal activities and welcome the Panel’s continued investigation into all violations of the sanctions measures. In that regard, the A3+ expresses its support for the provisions of resolution 2624 (2022) to enhance the capacity of the Yemeni Coast Guard to effectively contribute to the implementation of the sanctions measures set forth in all the relevant resolutions, with full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Yemen. The A3+ looks forward to the full implementation of this resolution and renews its commitment to ensuring the security of Yemen and the Yemeni people. We thank Ambassador Joonkook Hwang for his able stewardship of the work of the Committee and extend our full support to him in the year ahead.

China voted in favour of the resolution 2758 (2024), which was just adopted. I would like to explain China’s position on the voting by making three points. First, the peace process in Yemen is presently at a standstill, and the situation in the Red Sea remains tense. In that context, extending Council’s relevant sanctions measures against Yemen by one year is both necessary and appropriate. We hope that it will help encourage all parties to cooperate with the mediation efforts of the United Nations, and we encourage all parties to bolster coordination, engagement and dialogue and facilitate an improvement in the situation in Yemen and the Red Sea. Secondly, the Panel of Experts is an important part of the work of the Sanctions Committee. The reports it submits provide an important point of reference for the Committee’s discussions. We expect the members of the Panel to uphold professionalism, fulfil their duties prudently and in strict accordance with the Panel’s mandate, maintain the independence, objectivity and impartiality of their work and formulate reports and practical policy recommendations on the basis of sufficient and reliable evidence. Thirdly, China has always maintained that sanctions are a means and not an end and are aimed at complementing efforts towards a political settlement, While the Security Council adopts the necessary sanctions measures against Yemen, it should also improve diplomatic efforts. China calls on all parties to support the work of Special Envoy Grundberg and to work together to promote a comprehensive political process that is Yemeni-led and Yemeni-owned. The tension in the Red Sea is a prominent manifestation of the spillover of the conflict in Gaza. We urge all the parties concerned to support the Council in taking further strong actions to achieve an immediate and durable ceasefire in Gaza and to effectively facilitate the de-escalation of tensions in the region, including in the Red Sea, Lebanon and Israel.