A text “crucial”, which does not, however, amount to official recognition of the new power. The UN Security Council approved a resolution establishing a formal and lasting relationship with Taliban Afghanistan on Thursday (March 17). The resolution, which does not mention the word “Taliban”, details the new mandate of the UN political mission in Afghanistan (Manua) for one year. It was approved by 14 votes, including that of China, with only Russia abstaining.
“This new Manua mandate is crucial not only to respond to the immediate humanitarian and economic crisis, but also to achieve our overarching goal of peace and stability in Afghanistan.”Norwegian Ambassador to the UN Mona Juul, whose country drafted the resolution, told AFP.
This text, which does not amount to admitting diplomatic representation of the new Taliban power at the UN with the acceptance of its ambassadors, overhauls the UN’s relations with Afghanistan in order to take account of the takeover of the fundamentalists in August.
Manua will have to make sure to be “the eyes and ears of the international community in Afghanistan” over the next year, reacted the organization Human Rights Watch.
Norway’s resolution extends Manua until March 17, 2023. It begins with a section on humanitarian aid to be provided to the Afghan population, against a backdrop of a dramatic economic and social situation and a security environment that seems to be stabilizing.
The resolution continues with a political component. The UN should “provide outreach and good offices services, including to facilitate dialogue among all relevant Afghan political actors and stakeholders”“emphasizing the promotion of inclusive, representative governance” who will be “without any discrimination on the basis of sex, religion or ethnic origin”.
The text emphasizes a “full, equal and meaningful participation of women”, while the latter have so far been excluded from the governance provided by the Taliban. The defense of human rights is developed afterwards, in order to guarantee that any abuse is recorded independently by the UN.