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Sanctions: Humanitarian Aid

Asked by Stephen GethinsScottish National PartyForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled Answered 6 September 2024UIN 2352

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to bring UK sanctions in line with the humanitarian exemption in UN Security Council Resolution 2664.

Answered by Stephen Doughty

The UK played a central role in helping secure UN Security Council Resolution 2664 - a landmark step that introduced a cross-cutting exemption to the asset freeze measures to further support humanitarian delivery. The exception applies to the UK's 7 UN sanctions regimes and 12 mixed UN and UK autonomous sanctions regimes.

Our UK regimes include humanitarian provisions including licensing grounds and exceptions to support humanitarian assistance, whether that be to a specific entity, or via a General Licence. For example, HMG has issued General Licences to facilitate humanitarian activities in Syria, and in relation to the current conflict in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

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