17 March 2011 - The UN Security Council is today scheduled to meet on Afghanistan ahead of the expected renewal of the UNAMA mandate which expires on 23 March. The Government of Afghanistan has written to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon requesting a renewed extension of the political mission’s mandate.

For further updates of the Security Council action on Afghanistan through March (including expected Council action; key recent developments; human-rights related developments; key issues; options; Council dynamics) see the UN Security Council website.

Staffan de Mistura, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan and the head of UNAMA, will today brief the Security Council on latest developments. His statement will be available on this website after the brief.

UNAMA is a political mission first mandated by the UN Security Council on 28 March 2002, with an annual renewal of the mandate since that time. Currently (as of 31 December 2010) UNAMA personnel levels are: 370 international civilians, 1,603 local civilians, 12 military observers, 4 police, 56 UN volunteers.