United Nations Security Council Resolution 2565 – Maintenance of international peace and securityLetter from the President of the Council on the voting outcome (S/2021/195) and voting details (S/2021/204)

Resolution 2565 (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, comprehensive 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 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 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 Qaeda 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, 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.

Adopted by the Security Council on 26 February 2021.