UN Security Council Extends UNMHA Mandate in Hudaidah… Will This Be the Last Time?!
Yemen Monitor / New York / Exclusive:
On Monday, the Security Council decided to extend the mandate of the United Nations Mission to support the Hudaidah Agreement (UNMHA) for several additional months, until the end of next January. This appears to be the final extension amidst international signals of the futility of continuing its work.
The extension resolution was adopted unanimously. The 15-member Council reaffirmed its strong commitment to Yemen’s unity, sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, and its commitment to standing by the country’s people.
The Council affirmed its support for the agreement reached in Sweden between the Yemeni government and the Houthis regarding the city of Hudaidah and the ports of Hudaidah, Salif, and Ras Isa (Hudaidah Agreement) 2018. It reiterated its call for the parties to work cooperatively to implement all its provisions. The Yemeni government implemented its side of the agreement, but the Houthis refused and stalled its implementation.
The Council stressed the need to facilitate increased and unhindered patrols by UNMHA, and that the evolving context within Hudaidah and throughout Yemen, as well as more broadly regionally and internationally, can create opportunities for greater efficiency, structural coherence, and coordination among UN missions in Yemen.
Council members also requested the Secretary-General to submit to the Council, by November 28, 2025, an additional review of UNMHA with the aim of enhancing efficiency, structural coherence, and coordination among UN missions in Yemen.
The Council expressed its intention to review all available options for the Mission’s mandate, including its termination, making any necessary adjustments to enhance efficiency and reduce costs, or any other measures that field developments may require, including, among other things, a permanent nationwide ceasefire.
The UK representative stated after the vote that as UNMHA’s mandate approaches its end in early 2026, London will continue to cooperate closely with the UN in its upcoming review to identify opportunities to enhance the efficiency, consistency, and coordination among UN missions in Yemen.
She expressed her anticipation of leading further discussions in this Council on the full range of options for UN operations in Hudaidah, including assessing the Mission’s future viability and the possibility of its cessation.
