KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The UN Security Council on Monday voted to renew the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for an additional year.
The 15-member council reaffirmed its support for the UN mission and its Special Representative of the Secretary-General.
It expressed “serious concern” over the ongoing presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan.
The council also called for immediate action to combat the production, trade, and trafficking of illicit drugs and chemicals.
The Security Council stressed the need for improved disaster risk reduction efforts. It noted that worsening natural disasters are deepening Afghanistan’s humanitarian and socio-economic crisis.
Established in 2002, UNAMA focuses on monitoring human rights, particularly women’s rights, minorities, and vulnerable groups. The mission also promotes regional cooperation, facilitating dialogue between Afghanistan and its neighbors on security and economic issues.
The deputy chief of UNAMA coordinated the UN’s humanitarian operations in Afghanistan since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
Naseer Faiq, Chargé d’Affaires of Afghanistan’s Permanent Mission to the UN, expressed gratitude for the UN’s continued commitment to Afghanistan.
He emphasized the need for UNAMA and the Special Representative to implement their mandate “effectively, transparently, and impartially.”
