KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres has proposed allocating an additional $3.2 million to the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Afghanistan in 2027 to expand its operations and strengthen efforts to document evidence of international crimes and serious violations of international law in the country.
The proposal was presented on Tuesday, October 13, to the UN General Assembly’s Fifth Committee, which handles administrative and budgetary matters, as part of the organisation’s proposed programme budget for 2027.
The proposed funding would cover additional staff positions and non-post-related expenses required to expand the mechanism’s activities, according to the secretary-general’s budget proposal.
As part of the proposed staffing adjustments, 60 positions at the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) would be cut, while new positions would be created and existing positions converted to help accommodate the changes.
The UN secretary-general has proposed a regular programme budget of $3.302 billion for 2027, covering 11,150 positions across the UN Secretariat. Including major construction projects in Nairobi and the strategic heritage plan in Geneva, the total proposed budget would rise to $3.408 billion.
The proposed regular budget represents a 1.2 per cent decrease, or $40.8 million, compared with the approved budget for 2026.
The budget would support the UN’s three main pillars: peace and security, sustainable development, and human rights. The proposal will be reviewed by the General Assembly’s Fifth Committee before a final decision is made.
The Independent Investigative Mechanism for Afghanistan was established by the UN Human Rights Council in October 2025 to collect, consolidate, preserve and analyse evidence of international crimes and the most serious violations of international law committed in Afghanistan. Its mandate includes violations affecting women and girls.
The mechanism is tasked with preparing case files to facilitate fair and independent criminal proceedings before national, regional or international courts and tribunals that have, or may in the future have, jurisdiction over the alleged crimes.
Unlike a court, the mechanism does not itself prosecute or convict alleged perpetrators. Instead, it gathers and preserves evidence that could support future prosecutions and other accountability efforts.
The establishment of the mechanism was considered a significant step towards addressing longstanding barriers to justice for victims of serious violations in Afghanistan. Human rights organisations have emphasised the importance of ensuring that the mechanism has sufficient resources to carry out its mandate.
The proposed additional funding comes amid broader UN budget reforms and financial pressures, as the organisation seeks to reduce spending while maintaining its mandated activities. The proposed $3.2 million allocation is additional funding for the mechanism, not its total budget, and remains subject to approval as part of the 2027 budget process.
