Security Council threatens sanctions if political process is blocked in Yemen
February 16, 2013: The United Nations Security Council on Friday welcomed Yemen’s
decision to launch the National Dialogue Conference on 18 March and threatened to
use economic sanctions to stop reported spoilers aiming to derail the political transition.
In a presidential statement, the 15-member Council said that the Conference
should be conducted in an “inclusive manner involving the full participation of all
segments of Yemeni society, including representatives from the South and other regions,
and the full and effective participation of youth and women.”
Yemen has been
undergoing a democratic transition, with a Government of National Unity under the
leadership of President Abdrabuh Mansour Hadi, who came to power in an election in
February 2012 following protests that led to the resignation of former President Ali
Abdullah Saleh.
The national dialogue is meant to feed into a constitution-making
progress, and pave the way for general elections to be held in 2014.
In Friday’s
statement, the Council cautioned against interference from the former regime, former
opposition, and others “who do not adhere to the guiding principles of the Implementation
Mechanism Agreement for the transition process,” including former president Saleh
and former vice president Ali Salim Al-Beidh.
It was also concerned about
reports of money and weapons being brought into Yemen from outside for the purpose
of undermining the transition.
The Council said it is ready to “consider further
measures,” including under Article 41 of the UN Charter, if actions aimed at undermining
the Government of National Unity and the political transition continue.
Article
41 falls under Chapter VII of the Charter, which deals with threats to the peace,
breaches of the peace and acts of aggression. It states that the Council may decide
what measures – not involving the use of armed force – are to be employed to give
effect to its decisions, and it may call on UN Member States to apply such measures.
These
may include complete or partial interruption of economic relations and of rail, sea,
air, postal, telegraphic, radio, and other means of communication, and the severance
of diplomatic relations.
Last week the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Jamal Benomar,
said that the situation in the country remains fragile and many tasks lie ahead for
the transition to succeed.