The mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has been renewed by the UN Security Council (UNSC) for the next 12 months, tasking it with a robust set of priorities ranging from coordinating humanitarian aid delivery, to monitor human rights situations, and facilitating dialogue.

The Taliban welcomed the extension of the UN mission. Bilal Karimi, the deputy spokesperson of the Taliban, said “It is a good step. We call for good engagement and effective cooperation in the coming year.”

The renewal came amid a shift in priorities after the last year’s event. “In light of the rapidly evolving situation on the ground, the UNAMA will focus on coordinating the provision of humanitarian assistance, providing outreach and good offices for dialogue, and promoting good governance and the rule of law, according to a statement issued by UN Department of Political and Peace Building Affairs.

The mission will engage with all relevant political actors, including the Taliban.

Fourteen members of the UNSC voted in favor of it as Russia abstained, arguing that attempts to seek consent from the host country [Afghanistan] were ignored. Moscow also advised avoiding turning the mission into “UN mission impossible”, warning against what it called the “path of stubborn ignorance”.

Both China and Russia, despite their own security concerns related to Afghanistan, continue to remain apprehensive of the West’s approach to the Taliban and now are calling for a flexible and cooperative approach.

During the meeting of the UNSC this week, Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jun said that since the events of last August, Afghanistan has entered a "new phase of peaceful reconstruction". He added further the country’s economic recovery should be the most urgent task of the UNAMA.

“We still have many doubts as to whether the tasks laid out in this mandate are appropriate,” he said, noting that the situation is still rapidly evolving and calling for the flexibility needed to make mandate changes at any time. 

Significantly, a UN official has recently warned that an entire generation of Afghans is at risk of food insecurity and malnutrition. Over 2.3 million children in the country are in urgent need of nutrition treatment and a staggering 95 percent of Afghans don’t have enough to eat. [Read More]
(SAM)