UN / RED SEA MARITIME SECURITY

The Security Council adopted a resolution on maritime security in the Red Sea after recent Houthi attacks. The resolution was adopted with 11 votes in favor and 4 abstentions. UNIFEED

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:03:58
• Production Date: 10 January 2024
• Asset Language: Chinese; English; Russian
• Corporate Name: SECURITY COUNCIL
• Subject Topical: MARITIME TRANSPORT; PEACE AND SECURITY
• Geographic Subject: RED SEA
• MAMS Id: 3163820
• Parent Id: 3163820
• Alternate Title: unifeed240110b

Description

STORY: UN / RED SEA MARITIME SECURITY
TRT: 3:58
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / RUSSIAN / CHINESE / ANTS

DATELINE: 10 JANUARY 2024, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

Shotlist

FILE – NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior, United Nations Headquarters

10 JANUARY 2024, NEW YORK CITY

2. Various shots, Security Council members voting
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, United States:
“The resolution unequivocally demands that the Houthis cease their brazen attacks which violates international law. It underscores the Council’s support for navigational rights and freedoms of vessels of all States in the Rea Sea, including for merchants and commercial vessels transiting the Bab-el-Mandeb in accordance with international law. And it makes clear that the transit passage of merchants and commercial vessels through the Red Sea must not be impeded.”
4. Wide shot, Security Council
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, United States:
“It is clear, the Council must speak now with a unified voice and adopt this resolution. Repeated Houthi attacks on international shipping are a security threat. They are an economic threat, increasing the prices people pay for food, medicine and energy. And as the resolution before us emphasizes they are a humanitarian threat, undermining the ability of the international community to deliver assistance to more than 21 million Yemeni people in need.”
6. Wide shot, Security Council
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, United States:
“Let me be 100 percent clear here. The provision of arms and related material of all types to the Houthis is a violation of resolution 2216. And adopting this resolution today will reaffirm that all Member States, including Iran must adhere to their obligations.”
8. Med shot, Russian Ambassador speaking
9. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Vasily Nebenzya, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Russian Federation:
“I would like to once again underscored that this Resolution cannot be seen as legitimizing the actions in the Red Sea of the so-called coalition made up of the US and its allies. We note that the operative paragraph cannot create a non-existing right of States to defend their ships from attacks or activities without this operative paragraph as it says itself, should be done strictly in line with existing international law.”
10. Wide shot, Security Council
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Barbara Woodward, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, United Kingdom:
“If necessary, and as previously stated by the UK Defense Secretary, we will not hesitate to take further action to deter threats to freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. The UK is committed to ensuring freedom of navigation and trade in the Red Sea.”
12. Wide shot, Security Council
13. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Zhang Jun, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, China:
“The draft resolution remains ambiguous on several key issues, which makes us worry that it might not be able to achieve the intended effect or even lead to negative consequences - further escalating tensions in the region. Therefore, we had to abstain in the vote.”
14. Wide shot, Security Council

Storyline

The Security Council today (10 Jan) adopted a resolution on maritime security in the Red Sea after recent Houthi attacks. The resolution was adopted with 11 votes in favor and 4 abstentions.

The United States and Japen are the pen-holders. Algeria, China, Mozambique and Russia abstained.

Speaking before the vote, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said, “The resolution unequivocally demands that the Houthis cease their brazen attacks which violates international law. It underscores the Council’s support for navigational rights and freedoms of vessels of all States in the Rea Sea, including for merchants and commercial vessels transiting the Bab-el-Mandeb in accordance with international law.”

The US Ambassador added that the Resolution “makes clear that the transit passage of merchants and commercial vessels through the Red Sea must not be impeded.”

Ambassador Greenfield also said, “It is clear, the Council must speak now with a unified voice and adopt this resolution.”

She reiterated, “Repeated Houthi attacks on international shipping are a security threat. They are an economic threat, increasing the prices people pay for food, medicine and energy. And as the resolution before us emphasizes they are a humanitarian threat, undermining the ability of the international community to deliver assistance to more than 21 million Yemeni people in need.”

“Let me be 100 percent clear here,” the US Ambassador said, “the provision of arms and related material of all types to the Houthis is a violation of resolution 2216. And adopting this resolution today will reaffirm that all Member States, including Iran must adhere to their obligations.”

Speaking after the vote, Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya explained the reason for abstention.

He said, “I would like to once again underscored that this Resolution cannot be seen as legitimizing the actions in the Red Sea of the so-called coalition made up of the US and its allies. We note that the vote operative paragraph cannot create a non-existing right of States to defend their ships from attacks or activities without this operative paragraph as it says itself, should be done strictly in line with existing international law.”

Three amendments proposed by Russia were also voted. None of them were adopted.

British Ambassador Barbara Woodward reiterated, “If necessary, and as previously stated by the UK Defense Secretary, we will not hesitate to take further action to deter threats to freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.”

“The UK is committed to ensuring freedom of navigation and trade in the Red Sea,” she added.

Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jun explained the reason for abstention.

He said, “The draft resolution remains ambiguous on several key issues, which makes us worry that it might not be able to achieve the intended effect or even lead to negative consequences - further escalating tensions in the region. Therefore, we had to abstain in the vote.”