On June 25, after the last briefing about the situation in Afghanistan delivered by Deborah Lyons, the Special Representative to the Secretary General for Afghanistan and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), the Security Council (SC) members recognized a peace process will only be viable through the collaboration between Afghan leaders and Afghanistan’s regional and international partners. Furthermore, the members of the SC considered the political agreement between President Dr. Ashrag Ghani and Dr. Abdullah Abdullah will lay the foundations for sustainable intra-Afghan negotiations.
The members of the SC recalled the Resolution 2513 on The Situation in Afghanistan by endorsing the rapid release of remaining prisoners in the coming days. Correspondingly, the members supported the commitments to release prisoners between the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Taliban. The SC also encouraged both parties to further their negotiations to the Intra-Afghan issues, such as the recent increase of violence.
Additionally, the SC expressed its serious concern over the presence of terrorist organizations in Afghanistan, such as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The members of the SC pronounced themselves against the recent attacks by the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant-Khorasan (ISIL-K) and urged all sides in Afghanistan to condemn actions by Al-Qaida, ISIL-K among others.
Similarly, the SC members deplored the killing of two AIHRC employees in Kabul on the 27th of June. In addition, the Council members emphasized that all parties should respect their obligations under international humanitarian law. Hence, the SC solemnly affirms the perpetrators of attacks against civilians, hospitals, and humanitarian personnel or facilities must be held accountable.
Moreover, members of the SC further recommended the involvement of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to counter the significant increase of cultivation, production and illicit traffic of drugs in the country, as it represents a threat to the economic and social stability of Afghanistan.
In regard to the global pandemic, the SC noted with deep concern the devastating impact of COVID-19 in Afghanistan and encouraged the support of all Afghan parties and the international community to advance regional connectivity and reconstruction in the region, which is essential to achieve stability and economic development in Afghanistan.
Lastly, the members of the SC recognized UNAMA’s commitment to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, national unity and the fulfillment of human rights in Afghanistan.
To know more, please read:
https://unama.unmissions.org/security-council-press-statement-unama
https://unama.unmissions.org/sites/default/files/sg_report_on_afghanistan_june_2020.pdf
Author: Carolina Tellez; Editor: Sara Gorelli
