New York (MNN); The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for three months, with all 15 members, including Pakistan, voting in favor.
The new mandate will run from March 16 to June 17, deviating from UNAMA’s usual one-year renewal amid disagreements among council members regarding the extension period.
Explaining Pakistan’s support, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, said the country backed the resolution because UNAMA plays a crucial role in promoting peace, security, and stability in Afghanistan. He warned that Afghanistan faces a sharp rise in terrorism threats emanating from within the country.
He highlighted that Taliban elements are collaborating with several terrorist groups, including Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, Balochistan Liberation Army, Majeed Brigade, Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant-Kurdistan, Al Qaeda, and East Turkestan Islamic Movement. These groups operate with impunity in Afghanistan and are responsible for cross-border attacks against Pakistani civilians and law enforcement personnel, targeting key infrastructure and public places.
Ambassador Jadoon emphasized UNAMA’s responsibility to monitor and analyze security dynamics in Afghanistan and expressed hope that the three-month extension would allow the international community to evaluate UNAMA’s role in achieving long-term peace and stability, both within Afghanistan and with its neighbors.
The UNSC resolution expressed serious concern over terrorist groups in Afghanistan, calling on the Taliban to take immediate and concrete steps to combat terrorism in all its forms. It also urged strengthening the secure management of weapons and ammunition to prevent their diversion to terrorist organizations.
Diplomats indicated that the three-month extension was a compromise between China, which proposed a one-year extension, and the United States, which preferred a shorter renewal. The resolution also requests UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to appoint a new special representative to advance political engagement in Afghanistan.
UNAMA, established in 2002 under Security Council Resolution 1401, coordinates the UN’s humanitarian, political, and development activities in Afghanistan.
