NEW YORK - The Security Council on 15 March extended the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) until 17 March 2025, expressing its appreciation for the Organization’s long-term commitment to support the people of that country and stressing the need for a continued field presence.

Unanimously adopting resolution 2727 (2024), the Council stressed the importance of the continued presence of UNAMA and other UN agencies, funds and programmes across Afghanistan. Further, it called on all relevant stakeholders to coordinate with UNAMA in the implementation of its mandate and to ensure the safety, security and freedom of movement of UN and associated personnel throughout the country.  The Council also requested that the Secretary-General report every three months on the situation in Afghanistan and the implementation of UNAMA’s mandate.

Speaking after the vote, the representative of Japan — Council President for March — spoke in his national capacity to state that the resolution ensures that UNAMA will remain equipped with a sufficient, robust and flexible mandate as it tackles the multifaceted challenges faced by Afghanistan.  The Mission’s presence is indispensable as the international community seeks to deepen engagement and build confidence with the Taliban, and it sends a strong message to the people of Afghanistan that the United Nations — backed by the Council — “will continue to work tirelessly for them”, he said.

Similarly, the representative of the United States said that, by extending UNAMA’s mandate, the Council has enabled the United Nations to continue addressing the international community’s priorities in Afghanistan, promoting peace and stability and facilitating dialogue among all national political actors.  She underscored, however, the need to support efforts to restore the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Afghans — particularly women and girls.  She stressed:  “The Afghan people deserve to see peace, security and stability.”  Ecuador’s representative also underlined UNAMA’s role in addressing growing humanitarian needs in Afghanistan, especially for women and girls.

Slovenia’s representative echoed that, observing that the situation in Afghanistan remains alarming — particularly when it comes to human rights, the dire humanitarian and economic situations and challenging security threats, which all have a devastating impact on the people of Afghanistan.  She also expressed concern over the Taliban’s policies that restrict women’s and girls’ full enjoyment of their human rights and fundamental freedoms, calling on the Taliban to respect and fulfil Afghanistan’s obligations under binding human-rights treaties.

“A new school year starts soon in Afghanistan, but 1.4 million girls have been excluded from secondary education,” noted the representative of the Republic of Korea.  Expressing support for the women and girls of Afghanistan who continue to endure systematic oppression, he said that suffering increases every day and urged:  “We should never get used to this.”  The international community stands at a critical juncture regarding the reintegration of Afghanistan into the fold, and he stressed that the needs and aspirations of the country’s people should be “the main rationale behind our consideration”.

On that subject, the representative of the Russian Federation asserted that cooperation with the de facto authorities is vital to establishing a lasting peace in Afghanistan.  While the UN’s consistent support sends a message about the international community’s commitment to peace and stability in that country, she rejected unjustifiable attempts to politicize the humanitarian sphere.

The representative of China, meanwhile, expressed regret that the resolution failed to reflect the latest developments in Afghanistan, stating that — over two years after the withdrawal of foreign troops — the country’s overall domestic situation is stable.  However, it still faces humanitarian, economic and terrorism challenges, and he expressed hope that UNAMA will continue to play an active role in promoting stable development, facilitating regional integration and helping Afghanistan’s people build a better life.

“This renewal is critical as Afghanistan faces a severe crisis, exacerbated by the Taliban’s lack of commitment and failure to address the situation, engage constructively and establish a just, responsible, inclusive and representative system of governance,” stressed the representative of Afghanistan at the close of the meeting.  Welcoming that the resolution highlights UNAMA’s crucial role in promoting peace, stability and inclusive governance in his country — particularly in monitoring and reporting on human rights, including the situation faced by women and girls — he urged continued unity and consensus in the international community’s “principled engagement with Afghanistan to guide the country toward stability”.