United Nations Security Council Resolution 2722 – Maintenance of international peace and security

Resolution 2722 (2024)

The Security Council,

Reaffirming its primary responsibility under the Charter of the United Nations for the maintenance of international peace and security, as well as its commitment to uphold the purposes and principles of the Charter,

Reaffirming that international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 (UNCLOS), sets out the legal framework applicable to activities in the oceans, including countering illicit activities at sea,

Expressing its concern over the threat that unlawful acts against the safety of navigation posed to seafarers and other persons,

Underscoring the importance of the exercise of navigational rights and freedoms of vessels of all States in the Red Sea, including for merchant and commercial vessels transiting the Baab al-Mandab, in accordance with international law, and further underscoring that the transit passage of merchant and commercial vessels through the Red Sea must continue unimpeded,

Emphasizing that increased cost of transportation of essential goods will have a negative impact on the economic and humanitarian situation worldwide, including of the Yemeni civilian population,

Recalling its resolutions regarding Yemen, and also previous attacks against oil terminals under the control of the Government of Yemen,

Affirming its respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the coastal States of the Red Sea, and reiterating that States in the region have a leadership role to play, in close cooperation with regional and sub–regional organizations, in contributing to peace and security,

1. Condemns in the strongest terms the at least two dozen Houthi attacks on merchant and commercial vessels since November 19, 2023, when the Houthis attacked and seized the Galaxy Leader and its crew;

2. Demands that the Houthis immediately cease all such attacks, which impede global commerce and undermine navigational rights and freedoms as well as regional peace and security, and further demands that the Houthis immediately release the Galaxy Leader and its crew;

3. Affirms the exercise of navigational rights and freedoms by merchant and commercial vessels, in accordance with international law, must be respected, and takes note of the right of Member States, in accordance with international law, to defend their vessels from attacks, including those that undermine navigational rights and freedoms;

4. Commends the efforts by Member States within the framework of the International Maritime Organization, to enhance the safety and secure transit of merchant and commercial vessels of all States through the Red Sea;

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;

6. Encourages also that Member States continue building and strengthening their capacities and to support capacity building for coastal and port States in the Red Sea and Baab al-Mandab to enhance maritime security including by providing, as appropriate, technical assistance through relevant UN entities within their respective mandates and upon request by those States;

7. Emphasizes the need to address the root causes, including the conflicts contributing to regional tensions and the disruption of maritime security in order to ensure a prompt, efficient, and effective response, and in this regard reiterates the need for all Member states to adhere to their obligations, including the targeted arms embargo contained within its resolution 2216 and the designation of the Houthis as a group subject to the arms embargo, pursuant to resolution 2624 (2022), and recallsthat the Council’s Panel of Experts report from October 2023 (S/2023/833) noted large-scale violations of the arms embargo;

8. Further condemns the provision of arms and related materiel of all types to the Houthis, in violation of its resolution 2216 (2015), and calls for additional practical cooperation to prevent the Houthis from acquiring the materiel necessary to carry out further attacks;

9. Urges caution and restraint to avoid further escalation of the situation in the Red Sea and the broader region, and encourages enhanced diplomatic efforts by all parties to that end, including continued support for dialogue and Yemen’s peace process under the UN auspices;

10. Requests the Secretary-General provide written monthly reports, through July 1, 2024, to the Security Council on any further Houthi attacks on merchant and commercial vessels in the Red Sea to inform the Council’s future consultations;

11. Decides to remain actively seized of this matter.

Adopted by the Security Council at its 9527th meeting, on 10 January 2024.