Security Council resolution 2417 (2018) [on conflict-induced food insecurity]
Symbol: S/RES/2417 (2018)
Date: 2018-05-24
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/73 [311] HUNGER
S/73 [189] CIVILIAN PERSONS--ARMED CONFLICTS
S/ X Protection of civilians in armed conflict.
Subjects: HUMAN RIGHTS IN ARMED CONFLICTS|HUNGER|HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: BOLIVIA (PLURINATIONAL STATE OF)
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: CÔTE D'IVOIRE
vote: yes
country: EQUATORIAL GUINEA
vote: yes
country: ETHIOPIA
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: KAZAKHSTAN
vote: yes
country: KUWAIT
vote: yes
country: NETHERLANDS
vote: yes
country: PERU
vote: yes
country: POLAND
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: SWEDEN
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                       S/RES/2417 (2018)
               Security Council                                                   Distr.: General
                                                                                  24 May 2018




               Resolution 2417 (2018)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 8267th meeting, on
               24 May 2018

                    The Security Council,
                    Recalling all relevant Security Council resolutions, including resolutions 1296
               (2000), 1894 (2009), 2175 (2014), and 2286 (2016) and its Presidential Statement of
               9 August 2017 (S/PRST/2017/14),
                     Deeply concerned about the level of global humanitarian needs and the threat of
               famine presently facing millions of people in armed conflicts, as well as about the
               number of undernourished people in the world which, after decades of decreasing,
               increased over the last two years, with the majority of food insecure people and
               seventy-five percent of all stunted children under the age of five living in countries
               affected by armed conflict, amounting to 74 million people facing crisis food
               insecurity or worse in situations of armed conflict,
                    Noting the devastating impact on civilians of ongoing armed conflict and related
               violence, and emphasising with deep concern that ongoing armed conflicts and
               violence have devastating humanitarian consequences, often hindering an effective
               humanitarian response, and are therefore a major cause of the current risk of famine,
                     Expressing concern over the growing number of armed conflicts in different
               geographic areas all over the globe, and underlining the urgent need for redoubled
               efforts for their prevention and resolution, addressing where pertinent the regional
               dimensions of armed conflicts with specific emp hasis on regional diplomacy and
               arrangements,
                     Reiterating its commitment to pursue all possible avenues to prevent and end
               armed conflicts, including through addressing their underlying root causes in an
               inclusive, integrated and sustainable manner,
                    Recognising the need to break the vicious cycle between armed conflict and
               food insecurity,
                    Reiterating its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace
               and security and, in this connection, its commitment to address conflict -induced food
               insecurity, including famine, in situations of armed conflict,
                     Reaffirming the full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States
               in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations,




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                     Recognising that armed conflict impacts on food security can be direct, such as
               displacement from land, livestock grazing areas, and fishing grounds or destruction
               of food stocks and agricultural assets, or indirect, such as disruptions to food systems
               and markets, leading to increased food prices or decreased household purchasing
               power, or decreased access to supplies that are necessary for food preparation,
               including water and fuel,
                     Noting with deep concern the serious humanitarian threat, posed to civilians by
               landmines, explosive remnants of war and improvised explosive devices in affected
               countries, which has serious and lasting social and economic consequences for the
               populations of such countries and their agricultural activities, as well as of personnel
               participating in law enforcement, humanitarian, peacekeeping, rehabilitation and
               clearance programmes and operations,
                     Stressing the particular impact that armed conflict has on women, children,
               including as refugees and internally displaced persons, and other civilians who may
               have specific vulnerabilities including persons with disabilities and older persons, and
               stressing the protection and assistance needs of all affected civilian populations,
                     Reaffirming the important role of women in the prevention and resolution of
               conflicts and in peacebuilding, and stressing the importance of their equal
               participation and full involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of
               peace and security, and the need to increase their role in decision -making with regard
               to conflict prevention and resolution,
                    Recalling the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of
               1977, and the obligation of High Contracting Parties and parties to armed conflict to
               respect and ensure respect for international humanitarian law in all circumstance s,
                    Underlining that using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare may
               constitute a war crime,
                      Stressing that responding effectively to humanitarian needs in armed conflict,
               including the threat of conflict-induced famine and food insecurity in situations of
               armed conflict, requires respect for international humanitarian law by all parties to
               conflict, underlining the parties’ obligations related to protecting civilians and
               civilian objects, meeting the basic needs of the civilian population withi n their
               territory or under their effective control, and allowing and facilitating the rapid and
               unimpeded passage of impartial humanitarian relief to all those in need,
                     Recalling its intention to mandate United Nations peacekeeping and other
               relevant missions, where appropriate, to assist in creating conditions conducive to
               safe, timely and unimpeded humanitarian assistance,
                     Demanding 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 applicable to them under the Additional
               Protocols thereto 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,
                     Reaffirming the obligation of all parties to an armed conflict to comply with
               international humanitarian law, in particular their obligations under the Geneva
               Conventions of 1949 and the obligations applicable to them under the Additional
               Protocols thereto of 1977, to ensure the respect and protection of all hu manitarian
               personnel and United Nations and associated personnel, as well as with the rules and
               principles of international human rights law and refugee law,



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                 Reaffirming the need for all parties to armed conflict to respect the humanitarian
           principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence in the provision of
           humanitarian assistance, including medical assistance, and reaffirming also the need
           for all actors engaged in the provision of such assistance in situations of armed
           conflict to promote and fully adhere to these principles,
                 Stressing that the fight against impunity and to ensure accountability for
           genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and other egregious crimes has been
           strengthened through the work on and prosecution of these crimes in the national and
           international criminal justice system, ad hoc and mixed tribunals as well as
           specialized chambers in national tribunals,
                Reaffirming the primary responsibility of States to protect the population
           throughout their whole territory,
                 1.    Recalls the link between armed conflict and violence and conflict-induced
           food insecurity and the threat of famine, and calls on all parties to armed conflict to
           comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law regarding
           respecting and protecting civilians and taking constant care to spare civilian objects,
           including objects necessary for food production and distribution such as farms,
           markets, water systems, mills, food processing and storage sites, and hubs and means
           for food transportation, and refraining from attacking, destroying, removing or
           rendering useless objects that are indispensable to the survival of the civilian
           population, such as foodstuffs, crops, livestock, agricultural assets, drinking water
           installations and supplies, and irrigation works, and respecting and protecting
           humanitarian personnel and consignments used for humanitarian relief operations;
                 2.    Stresses in this regard that armed conflict, violations of international
           humanitarian law and international human rights law, and food insecurity can be
           drivers of forced displacement, and, conversely, forced displacement in countries in
           armed conflict can have a devastating impact on agricultural production and
           livelihoods, recalls the relevant prohibition on the forced displacement of civilians in
           armed conflict, and stresses the importance of fully complying with international
           humanitarian law and other applicable international law in this context;
                 3.    Stresses the need for humanitarian assistance to be gender- and agesensitive, and to remain responsive to the different needs of the population, ensuring
           that these needs are integrated in the humanitarian response;
                 4.    Calls on all parties to armed conflict to comply with their obligations
           under international humanitarian law, and underlines the importance of safe and
           unimpeded access of humanitarian personnel to civilians in armed conflicts, calls
           upon all parties concerned, including neighbouring States, to cooperate fully with the
           United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator and United Nations agencies in providing
           such access, invites States and the Secretary-General to bring to its attention
           information regarding the unlawful denial of such access in violation of international
           law, where such denial may constitute a threat to international peace and security,
           and, in this regard, expresses its willingness to consider such information and, when
           necessary, to adopt appropriate steps;
                 5.  Strongly condemns the use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare
           in a number of conflict situations and prohibited by international humanitarian law;
                 6.    Strongly condemns the unlawful denial of humanitarian access and
           depriving civilians of objects indispensable to their survival, including wilfully
           impeding relief supply and access for responses to conflict -induced food insecurity
           in situations of armed conflict, which may constitute a violation of international
           humanitarian law;


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                    7.     Urges all parties to protect civilian infrastructure which is critical to the
               delivery of humanitarian aid and to ensure the proper functioning of food systems and
               markets in situations of armed conflict;
                      8.    Urges those with influence over parties to armed conflict to remind the
               latter of their obligation to comply with international humanitarian law;
                     9.     Recalls that the Council has adopted and can consider to adopt sanction
               measures, where appropriate and in line with existing practice, that can be ap plied to
               individuals or entities obstructing the delivery of humanitarian assistance, or access
               to, or distribution of, humanitarian assistance;
                     10. Strongly urges States to conduct, in an independent manner, full, prompt,
               impartial and effective investigations within their jurisdiction into violations of
               international humanitarian law related to the use of starvation of civilians as a method
               of warfare, including the unlawful denial of humanitarian assistance to the civilian
               population in armed conflict, and, where appropriate, to take action against those
               responsible in accordance with domestic and international law, with a view to
               reinforcing preventive measures, ensuring accountability and addressing the
               grievances of victims;
                    11. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to provide information on the
               humanitarian situation and response, including on the risk of famine and food
               insecurity in countries with armed conflict, as part of his regular reporting on country -
               specific situations;
                      12. Further requests the Secretary-General to report swiftly to the Council
               when the risk of conflict-induced famine and wide-spread food insecurity in armed
               conflict contexts occurs, and expresses its intention to give its full attention to such
               information provided by the Secretary-General when those situations are brought to
               its attention;
                     13. Further requests the Secretary-General to brief the Security Council every
               twelve months on the implementation of this resolution within his annual briefing on
               the protection of civilians.




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