Explanation of Vote by Deputy Permanent Representative Anna Evstigneeva After the UNSC Vote on a Draft Resolution on UNMHA
Mr. President,
The Russian Federation abstained in the vote on the UK-drafted UNSC resolution to extend the mandate of the UN Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA) for a final two-month period prior to the start of the process of its liquidation. We heeded the appeals of representatives of Yemen as the host country, as well as some of our regional partners.
As a matter of principle, we do not agree with the idea set out by the sponsors of the document, namely that UNMHA is ineffective and incapable of duly fulfilling the mandate entrusted to it by the Council, and that there is a need, therefore, to promptly sunset the Mission. Since its establishment, this UN structure has played and continues to play an important stabilizing role on the ground, notwithstanding the operational difficulties related to the implementation of its mandate that arise from time to time. The Mission retains relevant functions, which include, inter alia, monitoring the observance of the Stockholm Agreement on Hodeidah, ensuring the maintenance of the civilian character of the Yemeni ports of Hodeidah, Salif, and Ras Isa, and overseeing mine-clearing. In addition, UNMHA is an important component for trust-building between the conflicting Yemeni parties, including through the Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC), and it facilitates the efforts of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, Hans Grundberg.
Mr. President,
We firmly believe that, at the present juncture, the Security Council's efforts in Yemen need to be focused primarily on advancing comprehensive normalization and creating conditions for the launch of an inclusive inter-Yemeni dialogue. This will hardly be facilitated through winding up one of the few remaining UN presences in the country, especially the one having robust working contacts with all influential political forces on the ground.
From now on, the UN Security Council is well-advised to monitor the situation in Yemen even more closely given the potential military, political, and humanitarian implications of the closure of UNMHA. We expect that the Office of the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Yemen will conscientiously perform the above-mentioned functions following the closure of the UN mission.
Thank you.
