The UN Security Council is set to vote today, November 13, 2024, on a draft resolution distributed by the United Kingdom, which serves as the penholder on Yemen. This resolution aims to renew the sanctions regime in Yemen under Resolution 2140.

According to a summary published on the Security Council's website, which was obtained  by "Barran Press," the resolution includes financial measures and targeted travel bans for another year, extending until November 15, 2025. The targeted arms embargo on the Houthi rebel group, established by Resolution 2216 in April 2015, remains in effect.

The draft is also expected to extend the mandate of the expert panel supporting the sanctions committee on Yemen until December 15, 2025.

Following the vote, Council members will hold their monthly closed consultations on Yemen. The discussions are anticipated to include briefings from the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, and Ramesh Rajasingham, the Director of the Coordination Division at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva.

While previous monthly meetings on Yemen have typically been closed discussions, this session may feature less formal speeches, allowing for more candid dialogue on sensitive issues, including the continued detention of UN national staff and other civil society members by the Houthis.

Members are expected to seek further information on the steps taken by the UN to facilitate their release and inquire about developments regarding the prosecution of some detained personnel.

Several members are likely to emphasize the importance of ensuring compliance with the sanctions regime, including the arms embargo on the Houthis. A final report from the expert panel noted that the scale and nature of military transfers and support provided to the Houthis from external sources, including Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Hezbollah, and Iraqi armed groups, are unprecedented. The report cautioned that sanctions on the Houthis would have limited impact as long as their network remains connected to regional armed groups.