The UN Security Council has adopted a resolution almost unanimously extending the mission of the United Nations political mission in Afghanistan for one year.
The resolution, which was voted on Thursday evening, extends the mission of the United Nations Mission in Afghanistan (Manoa) until March 17, 2023, and was supported by 14 countries out of the total 15 members of the Security Council, while Russia abstained from voting.
On September 17, the Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2596, which extended the mandate of the UN mission for six months, that is, until Thursday.
The new resolution - drafted by Norway - does not enshrine international recognition of the government formed and led by the Taliban, and did not mention the movement, but it sets a new mandate for the UN mission under the rule of the movement that took control of the country late last summer in the midst of the withdrawal of US and foreign forces from Afghanistan, and the decision to extend the mission of the United Nations mission is "essential" to establishing peace in the country.
The resolution, which was negotiated over a period of weeks, includes activities of the UN mission in the humanitarian, political and human rights fields, including the rights of women, children and journalists.
In particular, it states that the UN mission "must coordinate and facilitate, in accordance with international law, including international humanitarian law and in accordance with humanitarian principles, the provision of humanitarian assistance and financial resources to support humanitarian activities."
Norwegian Ambassador Mona Jol said that the decision gives the UN mission a strong mandate to work with all parties concerned, including the Taliban, but stressed that this does not mean in any way that the United Nations recognize the movement.
For his part, the Russian ambassador to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzia, said that his country abstained from voting because it was necessary for the United Nations to obtain the approval of the existing authority in Afghanistan for the presence of the UN mission there, considering that the new international resolution ignored the emergence of new facts in Afghanistan (meaning the control of Taliban).
Nebenzia added that ensuring the support of the "de facto authority" in Kabul would have helped the mission to perform its mission and achieve its goals, noting that failure to state the importance of cooperation between the mission and the Taliban undermines the ability of the UN mission to implement its mandate in Afghanistan.
And last month, the acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaki said that the interim government - led by the Taliban - is close to achieving international recognition.