Security Council resolution 2564 (2021) [on renewal of sanctions against Yemen imposed by Security Council resolution 2140 (2014) until 28 Feb. 2022 and extension of the mandate of the Panel of Experts until 28 Mar. 2022]
Symbol: S/RES/2564 (2021)
Date: 2021-02-25
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/76 [58] YEMEN--POLITICAL CONDITIONS
S/ X The situation in the Middle East.
Subjects: UN. Panel of Experts Established pursuant to Security Council Resolution 2140 (2014)|UN. Security Council Committee Established pursuant to Resolution 2140 (2014) concerning Yemen|Houthis|Charter of the United Nations (1945). Chapter VII|SANCTIONS|FROZEN ASSETS|TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS|YEMEN|HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
Votes in favour: 14
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 1
Voting record:
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: ESTONIA
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: INDIA
vote: yes
country: IRELAND
vote: yes
country: KENYA
vote: yes
country: MEXICO
vote: yes
country: NIGER
vote: yes
country: NORWAY
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: abstention
country: SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
vote: yes
country: TUNISIA
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes
country: VIET NAM
vote: yes

            United Nations                                                                  S/RES/2564 (2021)*
            Security Council                                                  Distr.: General
                                                                              25 February 2021




            Resolution 2564 (2021)
            Adopted by the Security Council on 25 February 2021

                  The Security Council,
                 Recalling all its previous relevant resolutions and statements of its President
            concerning Yemen,
                   Reaffirming its strong commitment to the unity, sovereignty, independence, and
            territorial integrity of Yemen,
                 Strongly condemning the ongoing escalation in Marib, Yemen, including the
            Houthi operation on 7 February 2021, and the continuation of Houthi attacks on Saudi
            Arabia, including on Abha International Airport, on 10 February 2021, and calling for
            an immediate cessation of attacks without preconditions,
                  Stressing the need for de-escalation across Yemen and a nationwide ceasefire,
            and calling for implementation of the Secretary General’s Global Ceasefire call as
            detailed in resolution 2532 (2020), as well as his 25 March 2020 call for an immediate
            cessation of hostilities in Yemen,
                 Expressing concern at the ongoing political, security, economic and
            humanitarian challenges in Yemen, including the ongoing violence and enforced
            disappearances, and threats arising from the illicit transfer, diversion, destabilising
            accumulation, and misuse of weapons,
                  Emphasising the environmental and humanitarian risk and the need, without
            delay, for access of UN officials to inspect and maintain the Safer oil tanker, which is
            located in the Houthi-controlled North of Yemen, and stressing Houthi responsibility
            for the situation and for not responding to this major environmental and humanitarian
            risk, and underscoring the need for the Houthis to urgently facilitate unconditional
            and safe access for United Nations experts to conduct an assessment and repair
            mission without further delay, ensuring close cooperation with the United Nations,
                  Reiterating its call for all parties in Yemen to adhere to resolving their
            differences through dialogue and consultation, reject acts of violence to achieve
            political goals, and refrain from provocation,
                  Reaffirming the need for all parties to comply with their obligations under
            international law, including international humanitarian law and inter national human
            rights law as applicable, and underlining the need to ensure accountability for
            violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human
            rights in Yemen,

          * Reissued for technical reasons on 3 March 2021.


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                     Expressing its support for and commitment to the work of the Special Envoy of
               the Secretary-General for Yemen in support of the Yemeni transition process, and an
               inclusive Yemeni-led and Yemeni-owned political process, under UN auspices, with
               the full effective, and meaningful participation of women, and affirming the equality
               of the sexes and the need for full implementation of Yemen’s National Action Plan in
               accordance with resolution 1325 (2000),
                    Welcoming the formation of the new cabinet of Yemen’s government, under the
               provisions of the Riyadh Agreement, calling for the full implementation of the Riyadh
               Agreement, and expressing support for the cabinet’s participation in the political
               process and calling for the swift resumption of talks between the parties, in full
               engagement with UN mediation efforts,
                     Expressing its alarm that areas of Yemen remain under the control of Al-Qaida
               in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and about the negative impact of their presence,
               violent extremist ideology and actions on stability in Yemen, the Middle East region,
               and the Horn of Africa, including the devastating humanitarian impact on the civilian
               populations, expressing concern at the increasing presence and future potential
               growth of the Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (ISIL, also known as Da’esh) affiliates
               in Yemen, and reaffirming its resolve to address all aspects of the threat posed by
               AQAP, ISIL (Da’esh), and all other associated individuals, groups, undertakings and
               entities,
                     Recalling the listing of AQAP and associated individuals on the ISIL (Da’esh)
               and Al-Qaida Sanctions List and stressing in this regard the need for robust
               implementation of the measures in paragraph 1 of resolution 2368 (2017) as a
               significant tool in combating terrorist activity in Yemen,
                    Noting the critical importance of effective implementation of the sanctions
               regime imposed pursuant to resolution 2140 (2014) and resolution 2216 (2015),
               including the key role that Member States from the region can play in this regard,
                    Encouraging efforts to further enhance cooperation,
                    Condemning in the strongest terms the attack on Aden airport on 30 December
               2020, which killed twenty-seven innocent civilians, including a Yemeni Deputy
               Minister and three humanitarian and health personnel, and noting the planned Panel
               of Expert reporting on the Aden attack,
                     Welcoming the work of the Panel of Experts on Yemen, established pursuant to
               resolution 2140 (2014), and which overcame the logistical challenges posed by
               Covid-19,
                     Expressing grave concern at the threat to peace and security in Yemen arising
               from the illicit transfer, destabilising accumulation, and misu se of small arms and
               light weapons,
                     Recalling the provisions of paragraph 14 of resolution 2216 (2015) imposing a
               targeted arms embargo, and calling on all Member States and other actors to comply
               with their obligations under the targeted arms embargo,
                     Condemning the increasing number of incidents off the coast of Yemen,
               including attacks on civilian and commercial ships, and expressing concern over
               maritime smuggling of arms and related materials into and out of Yemen in violation
               of the targeted arms embargo, which pose a significant risk to the maritime security
               of vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea along the coast of Yemen,
                    Condemning in the strongest terms violations of International Humani tarian
               Law and International Human Rights Law, as well as human rights abuses, including
               those involving conflict-related sexual violence in Houthi-controlled areas and


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           recruitment and use of children in armed conflict across Yemen, as recorded in the
           Panel of Experts’ final report (S/2021/79),
                Expressing alarm over the obstacles that have been imposed on the work and
           access of the Panel of Experts during the course of its last mandate,
                Expressing serious concern at the devastating humanitarian situation in Yemen,
           including the growing risk of large-scale famine and the negative consequences of the
           COVID-19 pandemic, and all instances of undue hindrances to the effective delivery
           of humanitarian assistance, including the recent interference in aid operations in
           Houthi-controlled areas as well as obstacles and the undue limitations on the delivery
           of vital goods to the civilian population occurring throughout Yemen, which is
           preventing vulnerable people from receiving the assistance they need to survive,
                 Emphasising the necessity of discussion by the Committee established pursuant
           to paragraph 19 of resolution 2140 (2014) (“the Committee”) of the recommendations
           contained in the Panel of Experts reports,
                 Determining that the situation in Yemen continues to constitute a threat to
           international peace and security,
                Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,
                 1.    Reaffirms the need for the full and timely implementation of the political
           transition following the comprehensive National Dialogue Conference, in line with
           the Gulf Cooperation Council Initiative and Implementation Mechanism, and in
           accordance with its previous relevant resolutions, and with regard to the expectations
           of the Yemeni people;
                2.    Decides to renew until 28 February 2022 the measures imposed by
           paragraphs 11 and 15 of resolution 2140 (2014), reaffirms the provisions of
           paragraphs 12, 13, 14 and 16 of resolution 2140 (2014), and further reaffirms the
           provisions of paragraphs 14 to 17 of resolution 2216 (2015);
                3.     Decides that the individual listed in the annex of this resolution shall be
           subject to the measures imposed by paragraphs 11 and 15 of resolution 2140 (2014)
           and paragraph 14 of resolution 2216 (2015);
                 4.    Emphasising the importance of facilitating humanitarian assistance,
           reaffirms its decision that the Committee established in paragraph 19 of resolution
           2140 (2014) (hereafter, the “Committee”) may, on a case-by-case basis, exempt any
           activity from the sanctions measures imposed by the Security Council in resolutions
           2140 (2014) and 2216 (2015) if the Committee determines that such an exemption is
           necessary to facilitate the work of the United Nations and other humanitarian
           organisations in Yemen or for any other purpose consistent with the objectives of
           these resolutions;
                 5.    Encourages Member States to support capacity building efforts of the
           Yemeni Coast Guard to effectively implement the measures imposed by paragraph 14
           of resolution 2216 (2015), with full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity
           of Yemen;

           Designation Criteria
                 6.    Reaffirms that the provisions of paragraphs 11 and 15 of resolution 2140
           (2014) and paragraph 14 of resolution 2216 (2015) shall apply to individuals or
           entities designated by the Committee, or listed in the annex to resolution 2216 (2015)
           as engaging in or providing support for acts that threaten the peace, security or
           stability of Yemen;



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                    7.   Reaffirms the designation criteria set out in paragraph 17 of resolutio n
               2140 (2014) and paragraph 19 of resolution 2216 (2015);
                     8.    Affirms that sexual violence in armed conflict, or the recruitment or use of
               children in armed conflict in violation of international law, could constitute an act, as
               specified in paragraph 18 (c) of resolution 2140 (2014), and therefore a sanctionable
               act of engaging in or providing support for acts that threaten the peace, security or
               stability of Yemen, as described in paragraph 17 of that resolution;

               Reporting
                     9.    Decides to extend until 28 March 2022 the mandate of the Panel of Experts
               as set out in paragraph 21 of resolution 2140 (2014), and paragraph 21 of resolution
               2216 (2015), expresses its intention to review the mandate and take appropriate action
               regarding the further extension no later than 28 February 2022, and requests the
               Secretary-General to take the necessary administrative measures as expeditiously a s
               possible to re-establish the Panel of Experts, in consultation with the Committee until
               28 March 2022 drawing, as appropriate, on the expertise of the members of the Panel
               established pursuant to resolution 2140 (2014);
                     10. Requests the Panel of Experts to provide a mid-term update to the
               Committee no later than 28 July 2021, and a final report no later than 28 January 2022
               to the Security Council, after discussion with the Committee, and also that t hey
               include information, as appropriate, inter alia about the recent trend in the illicit
               transfer and diversion of conventional weapons and about the commercially available
               components which have been used by individuals or entities designated by the
               Committee to assemble unmanned aerial vehicles, water-borne improvised explosive
               devices, and other weapon systems, and bearing in mind that this request should not
               have an adverse impact on humanitarian assistance or legitimate commercial
               activities;
                     11. Directs the Panel to cooperate with other relevant expert groups
               established by the Security Council to support the work of its Sanctions Committees,
               in particular the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team established by
               resolution 1526 (2004) and extended by resolution 2368 (2017);
                     12. Urges all parties and all Member States, as well as international, regional
               and subregional organisations to ensure cooperation with the Panel of Experts, and
               further urges all Member States involved to ensure the safety of the members of the
               Panel of Experts and unhindered access, in particular to persons, documents and sites,
               in order for the Panel of Experts to execute its mandate;
                   13. Emphasises the importance of holding consultations with concerned
               Member States, as may be necessary, in order to ensure full implementation of the
               measures set forth in this resolution;
                    14. Recalls the Informal Working Group on General Issues of Sanctions report
               (S/2006/997) on best practices and methods, including paragraphs 21, 22 and 23 that
               discuss possible steps for clarifying methodological standards for monitoring
               mechanisms;
                     15. Reaffirms its intention to keep the situation in Yemen under continuous
               review and its readiness to review the appropriateness of the measures contained in
               this resolution, including the strengthening, modification, suspension o r lifting of the
               measures, as may be needed at any time in light of developments;
                    16.    Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.




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           Annex
           Sultan Saleh Aida Aida Zabin
           Sultan Saleh Aida Aida Zabin has engaged in acts that threaten the peace, securi ty
           and stability of Yemen, including violations of applicable international humanitarian
           law and human rights abuses in Yemen,
           Sultan Saleh Aida Aida Zabin is the director of the Criminal Investigation Department
           (CID) in Sanaa. He has played a prominent role in a policy of intimidation and use of
           systematic arrest, detention, torture, sexual violence and rape against politically
           active women. Zabin as director for CID is directly responsible for, or by virtue of
           his authority responsible for, and complicit in the use of multiple places of detention
           including house arrest, police stations, formal prisons and detention centres and
           undisclosed detention centres. In these sites, women, including at least one minor,
           were forcibly disappeared, repeatedly interrogated, raped, tortured, denied timely
           medical treatment and subjected to forced labour. Zabin himself directly inflicted
           torture in some cases.




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