UN aid sanctions ruling hailed as ‘game changer’
The United Nations Security Council has overwhelmingly approved a resolution exempting humanitarian aid from all current and future UN sanctions regimes, a vote hailed as ‘‘historic’’, which will save lives and address long-standing problems of sanctions impeding aid deliveries.
The legally binding resolution yesterday has been welcomed by humanitarian organisations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross.
‘‘It will protect humanitarian action from the crippling impacts of sanctions regimes at a time when needs are skyrocketing,’’ and would be ‘‘the difference between life and death’’ for some people, said Norwegian Refugee Council Secretary-General Jan Egeland.
The vote on the resolution, cosponsored by the United States and Ireland, was 14-0, with India abstaining.
India’s UN Ambassador Ru- chira Kamboj said her country’s concerns stemmed ‘‘from proven instances of terrorist groups taking full advantage of such humanitarian carve-outs and making a mockery of sanctions regimes’’, as well as ‘‘several cases of terrorist groups in our neighbourhood reincarnating themselves as humanitarian organisations and civil society groups precisely to evade the sanctions’’.
US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the council before the vote that as the world’s leading global humanitarian donor, the US recognised that ‘‘we must all do everything in our power to help humanitarian partners reach the world’s most vulnerable, regardless of
where they live, who they live with, and who controls their territory’’.
The humanitarian community had expressed concern about the impact of sanctions, especially asset freezes and impeding assistance, Thomas-Greenfield said.
The resolution states categorically that the activities of humanitarian organisations and workers ‘‘are permitted and are not a violation of the asset freezes imposed by this council or its sanctions committees’’.
Thomas-Greenfield said that while humanitarian aid exemptions were already included in some security council resolutions that imposed sanctions, ‘‘it has
not been consistent, it’s not been standardised’’.
Ireland’s UN Ambassador Fergal Mythen said that as a result of sanctions, sometimes aid could not be shipped, financed, insured and delivered.
The resolution ‘‘provides certainty and clarity’’ to humanitarian providers, donors and partners, he said.
‘‘This resolution will have tangible positive impacts for those working in some of the most challenging environments across the globe.’’
Thomas-Greenfield said all humanitarian situations the UN was engaged in, including in Afghanistan, Syria and
Myanmar, would benefit from the resolution’s adoption.
Mercy Corps vice-president Kate Phillips-Barrasso called the resolution ‘‘a game changer for humanitarian organisations, which have experienced confusion and faced additional risks in providing life-saving aid’’.
ICRC president Mirjana Spoljaric expressed hope that the resolution’s implementation ‘‘will significantly assist humanitarian action in many parts of the world’’.
She encouraged all countries ‘‘to put this humanitarian carveout into practice, including through national laws and regulations’’.