United Nations Resolution No.2216, On the basis of an Arab draft resolution, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution No 2216, which prohibits the supply of arms to the Houthis and confirms the support of the Council to Yemeni President Hadi and the efforts of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

14 out of the 15 members of the council voted in favor of the resolution passed on Tuesday 14 April under the seventh item, while Russia abstained.

Decision terms

The resolution calls on the Houthis to take a number of steps urgently and unconditionally:

Stop the use of violence

Withdraw their forces from all areas they had previously controlled, including the capital, Sanaa

Stop acts that are considered to be exclusive powers of the legitimate Yemeni government

Refrain from any provocations or threats to neighboring States, including the seizure of surface-to-surface missiles and arms stores located in areas adjacent to the border or within the territory of a neighboring State

Release the Yemeni Defense Minister, Major General, Mahmoud Al-Subaihi and all political prisoners and people under house arrest and arbitrary detention

Stop the enlistment of children and start demobilizing all children among the Houthi forces

Punishments

The new resolution also expands the list of international sanctions on Yemen, which were imposed in implementation of the resolution 2140, issued in February 2014. Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, leader of the Ansar Allah movement, and Ahmad Ali Abdullah Saleh, the son of former president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, were blacklisted as being involved in actions that threaten peace, security and stability in Yemen. The sanctions include freezing their assets and denying them travel abroad.

The sanctions committee added both former President, Ali Abdullah Saleh, and two Huthi leaders, who are Abdul Khaleq al-Houthi and Abdullah Yahya al-Hakim, to the list, last November.

Arms embargo

The resolution calls upon all States Members of the United Nations to take the necessary actions, to prevent the supply of any weapons directly or indirectly, to Ali Abdullah Saleh, Abdul-Khaliq al-Huthi, Abdullah Yahya al-Hakim, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi and Ahmad Ali Abdullah Saleh, and all the parties working for them or carry out their orders in Yemen. The resolution states that the ban covers all types of weapons, military devices and spare parts for the mentioned materials, as well as to prohibit the provision of technical assistance, training services or financial support for military activities supervised by the mentioned persons.

The resolution calls on neighboring countries to inspect shipments destined for Yemen in the event of suspicion of weapons in them, and grants these states the right to confiscate any of the above materials if found inside shipments.

Political items

In its resolution, the Security Council affirms its commitment to the unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Yemen.

It reiterates its support for the Gulf Cooperation Council in supporting the political transition in Yemen.

It condemns the unilateral steps engaged by the Houthis and their non-implementation of the requirements of decision No. 2140, withdrawal of their forces from the headquarters of state institutions, including Sanaa and normalizing the security situation in the capital and other parts of the country.

It expresses concern about the steps that “destabilization” by former President, Ali Abdullah Saleh, including his support for the Houthis.

It welcomes the intention of the Gulf Cooperation Council to convey a conference in Riyadh to support the political process, at the invitation of the Yemeni President, and calls on all Yemeni parties to respond to the invitation of the President to attend the conference mentioned.

It calls upon all States to contribute to the operations of the states concerned and international organizations to evacuate civilians and staff of their respective missions from Yemen.

It expresses its readiness to take further steps in case the provisions of the two resolutions (2216 and 2201, issued in 2015) are not implemented, on Yemen.