KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The UN Security Council on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for another year, allowing the mission to continue operating until June 17, 2027.
Resolution 2822 (2026) was adopted by all 15 council members, replacing a short three-month extension granted in March after the United States sought a review of the mission instead of the customary one-year renewal.
Speaking after the vote, China’s UN envoy Fu Cong, whose country drafted the resolution as the council’s penholder on Afghanistan, welcomed the outcome, describing UNAMA as an important bridge and facilitator for dialogue between the international community and the Taliban.
He said the mission should continue encouraging the Taliban to form an inclusive government, adopt moderate policies, meet international obligations, and reintegrate into the global community. He added that the renewed mandate would allow UNAMA to better carry out its core tasks and respond to evolving conditions in Afghanistan.
The resolution also highlights Afghanistan’s worsening humanitarian and economic situation, tasking UNAMA to encourage increased international assistance, support refugee reintegration, promote economic recovery and strengthen regional cooperation.
It further reiterates concern over human rights in Afghanistan, particularly restrictions on women and girls, and calls on UNAMA to continue engagement aimed at protecting fundamental rights, including access to education, work, healthcare, justice, and public life.
Representatives of the United States and Russia, along with Afghanistan’s chargé d’affaires Naseer Ahmad Faiq, also welcomed the decision. The US envoy called on the UN Secretary-General to appoint a new head of the mission, which has been operating under acting leadership since September 2025.
The decision comes after months of discussions among council members over UNAMA’s future, one of the UN’s largest political missions operating in a highly complex environment. In March, the council extended the mission’s mandate for only three months after the United States objected to the customary annual renewal and requested a thorough review of its effectiveness.
Council members also disagreed this year over language referring to the Taliban in the draft resolution prepared by China. According to the Security Council Report, the United States, UK, and France opposed the previously used term “de facto authorities” and instead proposed the phrase “relevant authorities,” arguing that the earlier wording could confer a degree of legitimacy on the Taliban.
UNAMA is currently led by acting head Georgette Gagnon after former chief Roza Otunbayeva completed her three-year tenure in September 2025.
Established in 2002 to support the Bonn Agreement following the ouster of the Taliban, the mission’s mandate was refocused after the group’s return to power in August 2021. Its current priorities include coordinating humanitarian aid, monitoring and reporting on human rights developments, and facilitating political engagement.
UNAMA continues to submit regular quarterly reports to the Security Council and has helped organize multiple rounds of UN-led talks, including sessions in Doha and the most recent meeting in Kabul in February involving Taliban representatives, regional states, and other stakeholders.
