The UN Security Council on Wednesday unanimously adopted a resolution proposed by the United States which will facilitate humanitarian aid to Afghanistan on the brink of economic collapse for a year, hoping that the Taliban will not profit from it.
The resolution states that "the payment of funds, financial assets" as well as "the provision of goods and services necessary" to meet "basic human needs in Afghanistan" are "permitted" and "do not constitute a violation" of sanctions. imposed on entities linked to the Taliban.
Influx of refugees from neighboring countries
The adoption of this text represents a first step for the United Nations with regard to Afghanistan, led since August by the Taliban, whose regime has not yet been recognized by the international community.
It aims to reduce the risk of an influx of refugees fleeing poverty to countries neighboring Afghanistan and to address a need for increased assistance, as noted by the United States.
Unlike a previous version of the text which provided for exemptions from sanctions limited to case by case - which China failed on Monday - the adopted resolution covers the provision of humanitarian aid in the broad sense.
"Humanitarian aid and life-saving assistance must be able to reach the Afghan people without any hindrance," Chinese Ambassador to the UN Zhang Jun said on Monday, saying that "conditions or restrictions created artificially were not acceptable ”.
A measure valid for one year
In an attempt to ensure that aid will go to the Afghans and that the Taliban will not benefit from it, the resolution calls for a review of the basic humanitarian relief exemption after twelve months.
China said on Wednesday that it did not consider, despite this mention, the authorization to expire in a year.
During the negotiations, France and India for their part insisted that the duration of the resolution be only six months, but without succeeding in bending Washington, according to diplomats.
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"If there is evidence that the exemption is being abused or that money reaches people sanctioned, it is possible to go back," said a diplomat on condition of anonymity.
The resolution “strongly encourages providers” of humanitarian aid to “minimize any direct or indirect benefit” to individuals or entities subject to international sanctions.
In Afghanistan, aid workers may be required to conduct financial transactions with ministries headed by sanctioned individuals, and the resolution ensures that they do not find themselves in a position of violation of sanctions.
"Save the Afghan people"
This text also includes a check on the destination of humanitarian aid within two months of its distribution, as well as a UN report on the operation of the aid every six months. For UN Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths, “the need for liquidity” in Afghanistan has become “urgent”. It is “not only (to) save the Afghan people but also (to) allow humanitarian organizations to act,” he recently argued.
After the Taliban returned to power, the United States froze nearly $ 9.5 billion from the Afghan Central Bank and the World Bank also suspended aid to Kabul.
On Wednesday, Russia demanded in this regard "a thaw of assets and financial resources" blocked in the West.
On December 10, the World Bank announced the payment before the end of December of humanitarian aid of $ 280 million to UNICEF and the World Food Program, destined for Afghanistan, these UN agencies being responsible for distributing these funds. .
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