UN approves exempting humanitarian aid from all UN sanctions

The U.N. Security Council overwhelmingly approved a resolution exempting humanitarian aid from all current and future U.N. sanctions regimes, a vote the United States hailed as “historic” that will save lives and address longstanding problems of sanctions impeding aid deliveries.
The legally binding resolution was immediately hailed by humanitarian organizations including the International Committee of the Red Cross, Mercy Corps and the Norwegian Refugee Council whose Secretary General Jan Egeland said “it will protect humanitarian action from the crippling impacts of sanctions regimes at a time when needs are skyrocketing” and will be “the difference between life and death” for some people.
The vote on the resolution co-sponsored by the United States and Ireland was 14-0 with India abstaining.