United Nations Security Council Resolution 2643 – The situation in the Middle East (UNMHA)

Resolution 2643 (2022)

The Security Council,

Recalling its resolutions 2014 (2011), 2051 (2012), 2140 (2014), 2175 (2014), 2201 (2015), 2204 (2015), 2216 (2015), 2266 (2016), 2342 (2017), 2402 (2018), 2451 (2018), 2452 (2019), 2481 (2019), 2505 (2020), 2511 (2020), 2534 (2020), 2564 (2021), 2586 (2021), and 2624 (2022), and the Statements of its President of 15 February 2013, 29 August 2014, 22 March 2015, 25 April 2016, 15 June 2017 and 15 March 2018 concerning Yemen,

Recognising armed conflict exacerbates the COVID-19 pandemic and calling for implementation of the ceasefire call in resolutions 2532 (2020) and 2565 (2021),

Welcoming the announcement on 1 April 2022 of a two-month truce in Yemen, further welcoming its extension on 2 June 2022 and in particular welcoming the Government of Yemen’s flexibility in enabling the entry of fuel ships into Hodeida and enabling flights between Sana’a and Amman and Sana’a and Cairo, and commending the support of regional partners, and expressing concern about the grave humanitarian impact of the continued road closures around Taiz and calling upon the Houthis to act with flexibility in negotiations and immediately open the main roads, and further calling for a strengthened truce to be translated into a durable ceasefire and an inclusive, comprehensive political settlement under the auspices of the United Nations,

Having considered the letters of the Secretary-General to the President of the Security Council of 31 December 2018, 12 June 2019, 14 October 2019, 15 June 2020, 3 June 2021, and 13 June 2022, which were submitted pursuant to its past resolutions,

Reaffirming its strong commitment to the unity, sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Yemen and its commitment to stand by the people of Yemen,

Reaffirming its endorsement of the agreement reached in Sweden by the Government of Yemen and the Houthis on the City of Hodeidah and the Ports of Hodeidah, Salif, and Ras Issa (the Hodeidah Agreement), and reiterating its call on the parties to work cooperatively to implement all its provisions, and highlighting ongoing Houthi hindrances to the UN Mission to support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA) freedom of movement including patrols, and stressing the need to facilitate increased and unhindered UNMHA patrolling,

Expressing concern at accounts of the military use of the ports of Hodeidah, Salif, and Ras Issa,

Reiterating its call upon the parties to work towards the stability of Hodeidah including through cooperation in the Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC) and with UNMHA, and stressing the importance of the functioning of the RCC and its joint mechanisms to implement the Hodeidah Agreement,

Expressing alarm at the devastating impact of landmines and improvised explosive devices on the civilian population in Hodeidah and welcoming UNMHA’s mine action efforts,

Recognising the importance of engagement and consultation with local communities, including a diverse range of women’s organisations, to increase women’s participation in Agreement implementation and locally led peace initiatives,

1. Decides to extend until 14 July 2023 the mandate of UNMHA to support the implementation of the Agreement on the City of Hodeidah and Ports of Hodeidah, Salif, and Ras Issa as set out in the Stockholm Agreement, circulated as S/2018/1134;

2. Decides further that, to support the parties in implementing their commitments in accordance with the Hodeidah Agreement, UNMHA shall undertake the following mandate:

(a) to lead, and support the functioning of, the RCC, assisted by a secretariat staffed by United Nations personnel, to oversee the governorate -wide ceasefire, redeployment of forces, and mine action operations;

(b) to monitor the compliance of the parties to the ceasefire in Hodeidah governorate and the mutual redeployment of forces from the city of Hodeidah and the ports of Hodeidah, Salif, and Ras Issa;

(c) to work with the parties so that the security of the city of Hodeidah and the ports of Hodeidah, Salif, and Ras Issa is assured by local security forces i n accordance with Yemeni law; and

(d) to facilitate and coordinate United Nations support to assist the parties to fully implement the Hodeidah Agreement;

3. Reiterates its approval of the proposals of the Secretary-General on the composition and operational aspects of UNMHA set out in the annex to his letter of 31 December 2018 to the President of the Council, and notes that the Mission will be headed by the Chair of the RCC at Assistant-Secretary-General level, reporting to the Secretary-General through the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Yemen and the Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs;

4. Underlines the importance of close collaboration and coordination between all United Nations entities operating in Yemen in order to prevent duplication of effort and to maximise the leveraging of existing resources, including the Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen (OSESGY), the Resident/Humanitarian Co-ordinator and the UN Country Team in Yemen, UNMHA and the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism (UNVIM);

5. Requests the Secretary-General to fully deploy UNMHA expeditiously, and calls on the parties to the Hodeidah Agreement to support the United Nations as set out in S/2019/28, including by ensuring the safety, security, and health of UNMHA personnel and the unhindered and expeditious movement into and within Yemen of UNMHA personnel and equipment, provisions and essential supplies, and demands the Houthis end the restrictions and hindrances to the movement of UNMHA personnel, including patrols in Hodeidah governorate, particularly in conflict-affected districts, as well as to guarantee the freedom of movement of UNMHA personnel,including by allowing announced and unannounced patrols, and expresses support for the efforts by UNMHA to support the parties to implement the Hodeidah Agreement and welcomes the establishment of an UNMHA presence in Government of Yemen-controlled areas to ensure UNMHA’s equal access and impartial assistance to all parties;

6. Calls on the parties to observe their commitments, in accordance with the Hodeidah Agreement, not to bring any military reinforcements and military objects to and through the city, the ports of Hodeidah, Salif, and Ras Issa, and the governorate, and to remove any military manifestations from the city, and stresses the importance of preserving the civilian nature of the ports;

7. Requests Member States, particularly neighbouring States, to support the United Nations as required for the implementation of UNMHA’s mandate;

8. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Security Council on a monthly basis on progress regarding the implementation of this resolution, including, inter alia on any obstructions to the effective operation of UNMHA caused by any party, any violations of the Hodeidah Agreement ceasefire, any attempts to bring any military reinforcements and military objects to and through the city, the ports of Hodeidah, Salif, and Ras Issa, and the governorate, any failures to remove any military manifestations from the city, and on resolution 2451 (2018), including on any non-compliance by any party;

9. Further requests the Secretary-General to present to the Council a further review of UNMHA, at least one month before UNMHA’s mandate is due to expire;

10. Expresses its intention to review UNMHA’s mandate and make any necessary adjustments as may be required by developments on the ground including inter alia a durable nationwide ceasefire;

11. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

Adopted by the Security Council at its 9091st meeting, on 13 July 2022