Security Council resolution 2565 (2021) [on international cooperation to facilitate equitable and affordable access to COVID-19 vaccines in conflict areas]
Symbol: S/RES/2565 (2021)
Date: 2021-02-26
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/76 [10] INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
S/ X Maintenance of international peace and security.
Subjects: COVAX|COVID-19|VACCINES|CEASEFIRES|HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
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: yes
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/2565 (2021)
               Security Council                                                  Distr.: General
                                                                                 26 February 2021




               Resolution 2565 (2021)
               Adopted by the Security Council on 26 February 2021

                    The Security Council,
                     Recalling its resolutions 2286 (2016) and 2532 (2020) and General Assembly
               resolutions 74/270 and 74/274,
                     Reaffirming that combating and sustainably recovering from the coronavirus
               disease (COVID-19) pandemic requires greater national, regional, and international
               cooperation and solidarity, and a coordinated, inclusive, comp rehensive and global
               international response with the United Nations (UN) playing a key role,
                     Recognising that armed conflicts can exacerbate the COVID-19 pandemic, and
               that inversely the pandemic can exacerbate the adverse humanitarian impact of armed
               conflicts, as well as exacerbating inequalities, and expressing concern that the call
               for a general and immediate cessation of hostilities contained in its resolution 2532
               (2020) was not fully heeded,
                    Recalling the obligations under the International Health Regulations (2005) and
               applicable international law,
                     Emphasising the unity, common origin and solidarity of mankind, and the need
               for intensified international collaboration in the face of the commo n threat of
               pandemics, in particular by enabling equitable global access to quality, safe,
               efficacious and affordable diagnostics, therapeutics, medicines and vaccines, and
               essential health technologies, and their components, as well as equipment for the
               COVID-19 response, in situations of armed conflict, post-conflict situations, and
               complex humanitarian emergencies, and taking into account the need to maintain
               incentives for the development of new health products,
                     Highlighting the World Health Organisation (WHO) call that as new variants
               arise there should be increased scientific collaboration, transparency, exchange of
               information and sharing scientific knowledge including of epidemiology and genomic
               sequencing data, and equitable access to COVID-19 health products, and recognising
               in that respect the crucial role of the WHO and the importance of the Access to
               COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A),
                     Stressing that equitable access to safe, efficacious, and affordable COVID -19
               vaccines is essential to end the pandemic, noting the need to maintain incentives for
               the development of new health products, and highlighting the impediments to
               vaccination, including gaps in financing, supply, manufacturing capacity, delivery,
               logistics, and administration, as well as other such factors that could negatively affect



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               vaccination efforts, in situations of armed conflict, in post-conflict situations, and
               complex humanitarian emergencies,
                    Expressing concern that progress in vaccine access has been uneven and
               recognising that those affected by conflict and insecurity are particularly at risk of
               being left behind,
                     Recognising efforts and measures proposed by the Secretary-General
               concerning the response to the potential impact of the COVID -19 pandemic to
               conflict-affected countries, in particular his appeal for an immediate global ceasefire,
                    Recognising the role of extensive immunisation against COVID-19 as a global
               public good for health in preventing, containing, and stopping transmission, of
               COVID-19 and its variant strains, in order to bring the pandemic to an end,
                    Recognising the critical role of, and efforts made by, health workers, especially
               female health workers and other frontline and essential workers, including
               humanitarian personnel, around the world aimed at addressing the pandemic through
               measures to protect the health, safety, and well-being of people,
                     Stressing further that an effective health response to the pandemic requires
               addressing global and country-specific operational challenges such as protection of
               health workers, delays in regulatory approval, supply chain management and
               logistics, data on the provision of health-care services, as well as private sector and
               community responses, and emphasising the importance of the national vaccination
               programmes,
                     Highlighting the WHO call for measures to counter the spread of stigmatisation,
               misinformation, and disinformation, such as on COVID -19 vaccines, including
               through community engagement, and through civilian, police, and peacekeeping
               efforts in situations of armed conflict, post-conflict situations, and complex
               humanitarian emergencies,
                     Welcoming the efforts of countries that have donated to the COVID-19 Vaccine
               Global Access (COVAX) facility to provide the broadest and most equitable
               international access to the world’s neediest, as well as other donations of COVID-19
               vaccines,
                     Expressing appreciation for the continued contributions of national and
               international medical and humanitarian personnel, and commending the UN system
               especially the WHO for its key leadership role in quickly coordinating the global
               response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the efforts of Member States therein,
                    Recognising the vital role of UN peacekeeping operations in contributing to the
               maintenance of international peace and security, expressing deep appreciation for the
               UN personnel in UN peacekeeping operations, including personnel from troop- and
               police-contributing countries, for their extraordinary efforts in the face of the
               COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences, stressing the importance of their health
               and well-being, and noting the establishment of the Group of Friends on COVID-19
               vaccines for UN uniformed personnel with the goal to develop policy
               recommendations for the vaccination of uniformed peacekeepers to ensure the urgent
               vaccination of peacekeeping contingents and to improve safety of peacekeepers,
                    Considering that the unprecedented extent of the COVID-19 pandemic is likely
               to endanger the maintenance of international peace and security,
                     1.   Calls for the strengthening of national and multilateral approaches and
               international cooperation, such as the COVAX Facility created within the ACT-A, and
               other relevant initiatives as appropriate, in order to facilitate equitable and affordable
               access to COVID-19 vaccines in armed conflict situations, post-conflict situations


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           and complex humanitarian emergencies, stresses the need to develop international
           partnerships particularly to scale-up manufacturing and distribution capabilities, in
           recognition of differing national contexts, and notes the need to maintain incentives
           for the development of new health products; and recognising the role of extensive
           immunisation against COVID-19 as a global public good for health;
                 2.    Reiterates its demand for a general and immediate cessation of hostilities
           in all situations on its agenda and supports the efforts undertaken by the Secretary-General and his Special Representatives and Special Envoys in that respect;
                 3.    Demands that all parties to armed conflicts engage immediately in a
           durable, extensive, and sustained humanitarian pause to facilitate, inter alia, the
           equitable, safe and unhindered delivery and distribution of COVID-19 vaccinations
           in areas of armed conflict;
                 4.    Calls for full, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access, without delay, for
           humanitarian personnel and medical personnel, their equipment, transport and
           supplies, in order to facilitate, inter alia, COVID-19 vaccinations, as appropriate, and
           calls for the protection, safety, and security of such humanitarian and medical
           personnel, and in this regard urges all parties to protect civilian infrastructure which
           is critical to the delivery of humanitarian aid for essential services concerning
           vaccinations and related medical care, in situations of armed conflicts and complex
           humanitarian emergencies;
                 5.    Reaffirms that this general and immediate cessation of hostilities and this
           humanitarian pause do not apply to military operations against the Islamic State in
           Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as Da’esh), Al Qaeda and Al Nusra Front, and
           all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al Q aeda or
           ISIL, and other terrorist groups, which have been designated by the Security Council;
                  6.   Demands that all parties to armed conflicts fully comply with their
           obligations under international law, including international human rights law, as
           applicable, and international humanitarian law, in particular their obligations under
           the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the obligations, as applicable, under the
           Additional Protocols of 1977 and 2005, to ensure the respect and protection of all
           medical personnel and humanitarian personnel exclusively engaged in medical duties,
           their means of transport and equipment, as well as hospitals and other medical
           facilities;
                 7.    Requests the Secretary-General to report on the implementation of this
           resolution, in particular a full assessment of the impediments to vaccine accessibility
           and the COVID-19 response, including vaccination programmes, in countries in
           situations of armed conflict and complex humanitarian emergencies, frequently and
           as necessary, and make recommendations to the Council;
                 8.   Expresses its intention to review those specific situations brought to its
           attention by the Secretary-General where hostilities and the activities of armed groups
           are impeding COVID-19 vaccination and to consider what further measures may be
           necessary to ensure such impediments are removed and hostilities paused to enable
           vaccination;
                 9.   Calls for COVID-19 national vaccination plans to include those at a higher
           risk of developing severe COVID-19 symptoms and the most vulnerable, including
           frontline workers, older people, refugees, internally displaced people, stateless
           people, indigenous people, migrants, persons with disabilities, detained persons, as
           well as people living in areas under the control of any non-state armed group;
                 10. Calls for full funding of the Global Humanitarian Overview 2021 that
           takes into account the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on humanitarian situations,

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               the ACT-A and its mechanisms such as the COVAX Facility and the health system
               connector, and other relevant initiatives to accelerate the development and production
               of, and equitable access to, COVID-19 diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines;
                     11. Emphasises the urgent need for solidarity, equity, and efficacy and invites
               donation of vaccine doses from developed economies and all those in a position to do
               so to low- and middle-income countries and other countries in need, particularly
               through the COVAX Facility including on the basis of the WHO allocation framework
               in addition to country-specific frameworks, for fair access and equitable allocation of
               COVID-19 health products;
                    12. Calls on Member States and all relevant stakeholders to promote research
               and capacity-building initiatives, as well as to enhance cooperation on and access to
               science, innovation, technologies, technical assistance and knowledge sharing,
               including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, especially
               with developing countries, in a collaborative, coordinated and transparent manner in
               response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and further calls for taking steps to avoid
               speculation and undue stockpiling that may hinder access to safe and effective
               vaccines, especially for situations of armed conflict;
                     13. Further requests that Special Representatives and Special Envoys of the
               Secretary-General, within their respective mandates, and in coordination with all
               relevant stakeholders, including civil society and the COVAX Facility and ACT-A and
               other relevant initiatives as appropriate, use their good offices and mediation with
               parties to armed conflicts to facilitate the COVID-19 response including vaccination
               in situations of armed conflict, and in their ordinary reporting to the Council identify
               barriers to accessibility and those disrupting or blocking efforts to establish
               vaccination pauses;
                    14.   Decides to remain seized of the matter.




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