Key facts
- The UN Security Council unanimously extended the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for one year.
- The resolution calls on Afghanistan's Taliban rulers to reverse their crackdown on women and combat militant groups.
- The mission extension is until June 17, 2027.
- The resolution authorizes UNAMA to support humanitarian aid and promote inclusive governance.
- The adoption follows recent arrests and violent dispersal of protests against the Taliban's dress code.
The UN Security Council has unanimously voted to extend the mandate of its assistance mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA, for one year, with the extension now set until June 17, 2027. The resolution, sponsored by China, also calls on Afghanistan's Taliban rulers to swiftly reverse their crackdown on women and to combat militant groups operating within the country.
The resolution authorizes UNAMA to support humanitarian aid deliveries without discrimination and to promote national and local governance with the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women, minorities, youth, and persons with disabilities. This action follows recent events in Herat where at least 30 women were arrested for allegedly violating the Taliban's strict dress code, leading to a protest that was violently dispersed by Taliban police, resulting in one death and several injuries.
China's U.N. Ambassador Fu Cong expressed hope that the Afghan government would take proactive measures to protect human rights, particularly those of women, and project an image of openness and responsibility. U.S. deputy ambassador Jennifer Locetta stressed that for the political process to succeed, the Taliban must meet their counterterrorism commitments, respect international obligations, end hostage diplomacy, and cease human rights abuses. Pakistan's U.N. Ambassador Asim Ahmad highlighted the council's serious concern over the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan posing a threat to international peace and security. The resolution also tasks UNAMA with advancing Afghanistan's economic development and facilitating the return of assets belonging to the Central Bank.