UNSC adopts resolution extending Yemen sanctions

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has approved a resolution extending sanctions against Yemen despite criticisms by Russia and China that the document fails to meet their concerns.

According to Press TV, the much-revised resolution, proposed by Britain, was passed on Tuesday by 13 votes in favor and two abstentions from Russia and China.

It prolonged until February 26, 2021 the asset freeze and travel ban imposed on individuals or entities claimed to be threatening peace, security and stability in Yemen. Those sanctions were first imposed on the impoverished country in February 2014 under UNSC Resolution 2140.

The resolution also renewed until March 28, 2021 the mandate of the UN panel of experts on Yemen, which was established pursuant to UNSC Resolution 2140.

The resolution asks a panel of experts to report on “commercially available components which have been used by individuals and entities” on the UN sanction blacklist “to assemble unmanned aerial vehicles, water-borne improvised explosive devices, and other weapons systems.”

The panel claimed in late January that Yemen’s Ansarullah Movement is receiving parts for drones and weapons, some with technical characteristics similar to arms manufactured in Iran. It also claimed a smuggling route “seems to run overland from Oman and the southern coast of Yemen, through territory controlled by the [self-proclaimed] government of Yemen, towards Sana’a.”

Both Tehran and Sana’a have rejected the claims as baseless.

Russian and Chinese objections led to many revisions to the draft, including the elimination of all references to Iran and the Ansarullah fighters, according to reports.

However, Beijing and Moscow, both of which wield veto power at the Council, abstained from voting, saying the document did not still address their concerns despite the revisions.

ME