UN Security Council Extends UNAMA Mandate in Afghanistan

The United Nations Security Council has adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. The measure emphasizes humanitarian aid, women's rights, counter-terrorism, and the need for an inclusive Afghan government.

The resolution describes Afghanistan's humanitarian and economic situation as dire and expresses deep concern over the erosion of rights, especially for women and girls. It directs UNAMA to support efforts to facilitate access to frozen Afghan central bank assets for the Afghan people, while declining to endorse a Russian request granting the Taliban direct access to those funds.

UNAMA must operate in close consultation with Afghan political actors and authorities while respecting Afghan sovereignty, leadership, and ownership. The Security Council identified the humanitarian and economic crisis, the erosion of women's and girls' rights, and threats from terrorist groups as Afghanistan's primary challenges.

The resolution calls on the Taliban to repeal policies violating international human rights obligations and to grant Afghan women serving with the United Nations full access to UN facilities. It also requests a strategic review of UNAMA by the Secretary-General, with a report due by the end of March 2027. The measure further confirms concerns about illicit small arms flows and access by Pakistani militants to weapons from former Afghan army stocks.