Canadian Sanctions Related to Yemen

Prohibitions

Sanctions related to Yemen were enacted under the United Nations Act to give effect to United Nations Security Council Resolution 2140. Subject to certain exceptions, the measures imposed against Yemen prohibit any person in Canada and any Canadian outside Canada from knowingly:

• dealing directly or indirectly, in any property in Canada as of February 26, 2014 or at any time after that date, that is owned or controlled by a person designated by the UN committee established by Resolution 2140 (2014) to oversee the sanctions against Yemen (the 2140 Committee), by a person acting on behalf of, or at the direction of, a person designated by the 2140 Committee, or by a person owned or controlled by a person designated by the 2140 Committee;
• entering into or facilitating, directly or indirectly, any financial transaction related to a dealing referred to in paragraph (a);
• providing any financial or other related service in respect of the property referred to in paragraph (a);
• making any property or any financial or related service available to a person designated by the 2140 Committee, to a person acting on behalf of, or at the direction of, a person designated by the 2140 Committee or to a person owned or controlled by a person designated by the 2140 Committee; or
• making property or any financial or other related service available for the benefit of any person referred to in paragraph (d).

Exceptions

On June 19, 2023, the Regulations Implementing the United Nations Resolution on Yemen were amended to allow the provision, processing or payment of funds, other financial assets or economic resources or the provision of goods and services that are necessary to ensure the timely delivery of urgently needed humanitarian assistance or to support other activities related to basic human needs, if provided by specified groups. These changes are the result of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2664 (2022), which created a carve-out for the delivery of humanitarian assistance in all current UN sanctions regimes that impose asset freezes.

Background

On February 26, 2014, acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2140 (2014), in response to the ongoing political crisis and conflict in Yemen.

The Regulations impose a travel ban and asset freeze on individuals or entities designated by the 2140 Committee for engaging in or providing support for acts that threaten the peace, security or stability of Yemen, including human rights violations.

The amendment of June 25, 2019 incorporates the decisions of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2216 into Canadian domestic legislation, including imposing a targeted arms embargo.

Selected documents

Related links

• United Nations Security Council 2140 Committee (information concerning the work of the Committee including related UN Security Council resolutions and a consolidated list of designated persons)
• Export and Import Controls
• Canada-Yemen Relations

Legal advice

Please be advised that Global Affairs Canada cannot provide legal advice to members of the public. For this reason, we cannot deliver an opinion as to whether or not a specific activity or transaction would contravene sanctions legislation. You should consider seeking legal advice in relation to an activity that may contravene a Canadian sanction law.