The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission to Support the Hudaydah Agreement (UNMHA) for a final two-month period - until 31 March 2026 - during which the Mission will draw down and end the permanent United Nations presence in Hudaydah.
Adopting resolution 2813 (2026) (to be issued as document S/RES/2813 (2026) ) by a vote of 13 in favour to none against, with 2 abstentions (China, Russian Federation), the Council decided that such drawdown will include the cessation of UNMHA's operations; the required preparation for the transition of any residual functions to the Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen; and the withdrawal of UNMHA personnel and assets. Further, the organ decided that UNMHA will commence a liquidation process as of 1 April 2026.
UNMHA to Close after Seven Years
Seven years ago, resolution 2452 (2019) established UNMHA to support the implementation of the Agreement on the City of Hudaydah and Ports of Hudaydah, Salif and Ras Issa. That Agreement was set out in the "Stockholm Agreement", reached in Sweden on 13 December 2018 following intra-Yemeni peace consultations that involved both the Government and the Houthis (See document S/2018/1134 ).
When the Council last renewed UNMHA's mandate on 14 July 2025 by adopting resolution 2786 (2025) , it did so for only six months. During that meeting, the representative of the United States said that "it is time to sunset" the Mission, while China's representative, meanwhile, stressed that UNMHA's continued presence is vital to maintain stability in and around Hudaydah. (See Press Release SC/16118 .)
"We look forward to the UN's orderly and sustainable transition of UNMHA's responsibilities and residual functions to the Office of the Special Envoy and welcome the continued commitment of this Council to the Hudaydah and the Stockholm Agreements," said the representative of the United Kingdom after the vote. He also condemned the Houthis' arbitrary detentions, reiterating a call for the immediate, unconditional release of all those detained. Additionally, he expressed support for the Special Envoy in fostering an "intra-Yemeni peace process under UN auspices".
Delegates Clash over Need for Mission Drawdown
Welcoming the Council's recognition "that it is time to sunset UNMHA", the representative of the United States stressed that "Houthi obstructionism has left the Mission without a purpose, and it has to close". She added that the Council has a responsibility to look at all special political missions with "the same critical eye with which it has examined UNMHA", stating: "The Council must adapt or end missions if conditions on the ground are not tolerable."
The representative of Denmark also supported the drawdown, emphasizing that - while UNMHA has served as a "critical stabilizing presence" in Hudaydah - its ability to fully implement its mandate has "become untenable" and its operating environment has significantly narrowed as the Houthis arbitrarily detain UN personnel. She encouraged all parties to refrain from any escalatory moves at this crucial time and to facilitate an orderly drawdown of the Mission.
However, the representative of the Russian Federation - whose delegation abstained from the vote - disagreed with the idea that UNMHA is ineffective and needs to be shuttered. It has played an important stabilizing role since its inception, also serving as a component for trust-building among the conflicting parties. At a time when the Council should prioritize creating conditions for launching an inclusive intra-Yemeni dialogue, "liquidation of one of the few UN presences" still in the country is hardly likely to facilitate that, she said.
The representative of China, whose delegation also abstained, also spotlighted UNMHA's important contributions. Over the past seven years, it has maintained communication with both parties to the conflict, actively monitored the ceasefire and carried out humanitarian activities. Noting that today's resolution envisions two months for the Mission's withdrawal, he urged the Council to consider the situation in Hudaydah and manage the pace properly. It is crucial, he stressed, to "avoid a hasty withdrawal that could destabilize the fragile situation and even trigger new conflict".
