The Situation in Afghanistan

A/RES/65/8No PDF available

Who created this mandate?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 38The situation in Afghanistan, published in 2010.

What other versions does this mandate have?

17 versions · 2007–2025

This is an older version — the most recent is A/RES/79/317

2025A/RES/79/317The situation in AfghanistanLatestCompare with previous version
2022A/RES/77/10The situation in AfghanistanCompare with previous version
2020A/RES/75/90The situation in AfghanistanCompare with previous version
2019A/RES/74/9The situation in AfghanistanCompare with previous version
2018A/RES/73/88The situation in AfghanistanCompare with previous version

Versions are identified automatically by matching titles within the same organ (~97% accuracy on a manual audit).

Which reports were submitted under this mandate?

3 reports of the Secretary-General submitted under this mandate, 2011.

2011A/66/604The situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security report of the Secretary-General
2011A/66/369The situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security report of the Secretary-General
2011A/65/783The situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security report of the Secretary-General

Identified automatically from the metadata in each report’s UN Digital Library catalogue record.

What does this mandate say?

103 operative paragraphs

Emphasizes the central and impartial role of the United Nations in promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan, expresses its appreciation and strong support for all efforts of the Secretary-General and his Special Representative in this regard, and stresses the leading role of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan in seeking to further improve the coherence and coordination of international civilian efforts, guided by the principle of reinforcing Afghan ownership and leadership;

Welcomes the reports of the Secretary-General and the recommendations contained therein;

Also welcomes the renewed commitment by the Government of Afghanistan to the Afghan people and the renewed commitment by the international community to Afghanistan expressed in the communiqués of the London and Kabul Conferences, held on 28 January and 20 July 2010, respectively;

Encourages all partners to support constructively the Kabul process, building upon a deep and broad international partnership towards further increased Afghan responsibility and ownership in security, governance and development, aiming at a secure, prosperous and democratic Afghanistan, focusing on strengthening the constitutional checks and balances that guarantee citizen rights and obligations, and implementing structural reform to enable an accountable and effective Government to deliver concrete progress to its people, and recalls in this regard the second inaugural speech made by President Hamid Karzai on 19 November 2009;

Reiterates in this regard its appreciation for the Afghanistan National Development Strategy, welcomes the detailed national priority programmes presented at the Kabul Conference, stresses the importance of the complementary implementation and costing plans, and recalls the relevant provisions of the Afghanistan Compact,2 including the annexes thereto;

Welcomes the recent parliamentary election in Afghanistan, run entirely under the responsibility of the Afghan authorities supported by the international community, as a crucial step towards consolidating democracy in Afghanistan, expresses its appreciation for the courage of the Afghan people to actively engage in the electoral process and to participate in the election despite security threats, intimidation and incidents caused by the Taliban, Al-Qaida and other illegal armed groups, welcomes the efforts of the relevant Afghan institutions to address alleged irregularities and to ensure a credible, transparent and legitimate process in accordance with Afghan laws and the Constitution, and expresses its appreciation in this regard for the support provided by the international community through the Assistance Mission;

Expresses its strong concern about the security situation in Afghanistan, stresses the need to continue to address the threat to the security and stability of Afghanistan caused by increased violent and terrorist activity by the Taliban, Al-Qaida and other extremist and criminal groups, including those involved in the narcotics trade, and strongly condemns all acts of violence and intimidation committed in Afghanistan, in particular in the southern and eastern parts, including suicide attacks and improvised explosive device attacks;

Expresses deep regret, in this regard, at the resulting loss of life and physical harm inflicted upon Afghan civilians and civilians of other nationalities, including the personnel of Afghan and international agencies and all other humanitarian workers and the diplomatic corps, as well as upon the personnel of the Afghan National Security Forces, the International Security Assistance Force and the Operation Enduring Freedom coalition, and pays homage to all those who have lost their lives;

Stresses the need for the Government of Afghanistan and the international community to continue to work closely together in countering the challenges of terrorist attacks by the Taliban, Al-Qaida and other extremist and criminal groups, which are threatening the democratic process as well as the reconstruction and economic development of Afghanistan, and reiterates in this regard its call for the full implementation of measures and application of procedures introduced in relevant Security Council resolutions, in particular resolutions 1267 (1999), 1822 (2008) of 30 June 2008 and 1904 (2009) of 17 December 2009, and calls upon all Member States to deny those groups any form of sanctuary or financial, material and political support;

Notes with concern that the security situation is causing some organizations to cease or curtail their humanitarian and development work in some parts of Afghanistan;

Stresses the importance of the provision of sufficient security, and notes that the responsibility for providing security and law and order throughout the country resides with the Government of Afghanistan supported by the international community;

Welcomes, in this regard, the presence of the Assistance Force and the Operation Enduring Freedom coalition, expresses its appreciation for the support they have provided to the Afghan National Army, as well as for the assistance provided to the Afghan National Police by international partners, in particular by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization through its training mission in Afghanistan and by the European Gendarmerie Force contribution to that mission, acknowledges the continued deployment of the European Union Police Mission in Afghanistan as well as other bilateral training programmes, and encourages further coordination where appropriate;

Commends the Afghan National Security Forces and their international partners for their efforts to improve security conditions in Afghanistan, and calls upon the Government of Afghanistan, with the assistance of the international community, to continue to address the threat to the security and stability of Afghanistan;

Stresses the importance of further extending central government authority, including the presence of Afghan security forces, to all provinces of Afghanistan, and welcomes in this regard the plan of the Government of Afghanistan for a phased transition to full Afghan responsibility for security, based on mutually agreed criteria and conditions, as endorsed at the Kabul Conference;

Expresses its support for the objective of the Government of Afghanistan to enable the Afghan National Security Forces to lead and conduct military operations in all provinces by the end of 2014, and calls upon the international community to provide the support necessary to increase security, as well as to provide continued support in training, equipping and providing financing to the Afghan National Security Forces to take on the task of securing their country;

Welcomes the commitment of the international partners of Afghanistan to support the Government in creating the conditions necessary to allow for transition and to continue to support the transition process so as to enable it to advance to the point at which the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Police are fully capable of maintaining internal and external security, public order, law enforcement, the security of the borders of Afghanistan and the preservation of the constitutional rights of Afghan citizens, and calls upon Member States to accelerate their efforts in this regard;

Also welcomes the commitment of the Government of Afghanistan, with a view to ensuring stability and providing conditions for the effective rule of law, to continue the implementation of the Afghan National Police Strategy and the National Police Plan underpinning it, to build a strong, professional police force, with a focus on the ongoing institutional and administrative reforms of the Ministry of the Interior, including the implementation of its anti-corruption action plan, and leadership development, as well as to progressively enhance the quality and increase the strength of the Afghan National Security Forces, with the necessary continued financial and technical support by the international community;

Calls upon Member States to continue contributing personnel, equipment and other resources to the Assistance Force and to further develop the provincial reconstruction teams in close coordination with the Government of Afghanistan and the Assistance Mission;

Notes, in the context of the comprehensive approach, the synergies in the objectives of the Assistance Mission and the Assistance Force;

Urges the Afghan authorities, with the support of the international community, to take all possible steps to ensure the safety, security and free movement of all United Nations, development and humanitarian personnel and their safe and unhindered access to all affected populations, and to protect the property of the United Nations and of development or humanitarian organizations, and notes the importance of regulating private security contractors operating in Afghanistan;

Also urges the Afghan authorities to make every effort, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 60/123 of 15 December 2005, to bring to justice the perpetrators of attacks;

Stresses the importance of advancing the full implementation of the programme of disbandment of illegal armed groups throughout the country, under Afghan ownership, while ensuring coordination and coherence with other relevant efforts, including security sector reform, community development, counter-narcotics, district-level development and Afghan-led initiatives to ensure that entities and individuals do not illegally participate in the political process, in particular in future elections, in accordance with adopted laws and regulations in Afghanistan, and calls for adequate support in order for the Ministry of the Interior to increasingly assume its leading role in implementing the programme of disbandment of illegal armed groups;

Expresses its appreciation for the progress achieved by the Government of Afghanistan in the disbandment of illegal armed groups, welcomes the continued commitment of the Government to stand firm in this regard as well as to work actively at the national, provincial and local levels to advance this commitment, stresses the importance of all efforts to create sufficient legal income-earning opportunities, and calls for continued international support for these efforts;

Remains deeply concerned about the problem of millions of anti-personnel landmines and explosive remnants of war, which constitute a great danger to the population and a major obstacle to the resumption of economic activities and to recovery and reconstruction efforts;

Welcomes the progress achieved through the Mine Action Programme for Afghanistan, supports the Government of Afghanistan in its efforts to meet its responsibilities under the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and on Their Destruction, to cooperate fully with the Mine Action Programme coordinated by the United Nations and to eliminate all known or new stocks of anti-personnel landmines, and acknowledges the need for continued assistance from the international community in this regard;

Stresses the crucial role of constructive regional cooperation in promoting security and development in Afghanistan, encourages further improved relations and enhanced engagement between Afghanistan and its neighbours, and calls for further efforts in this regard, including by regional organizations;

Pledges its continued support to the Government and people of Afghanistan as they rebuild their country, strengthen the foundations of a constitutional democracy and resume their rightful place in the community of nations;

Emphasizes that good governance, the rule of law and human rights form the foundation for the achievement of a stable and prosperous Afghanistan, and notes the importance of building the capacity of the Government of Afghanistan to promote and protect human rights, the rule of law and governance in an accountable and effective manner;

Recalls the constitutional guarantee of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all Afghans as a significant political achievement, calls for full respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all, without discrimination of any kind, and stresses the need to fully implement the human rights provisions of the Afghan Constitution, in accordance with obligations under applicable international law, including those regarding the full enjoyment by women and children of their human rights;

Acknowledges and encourages the efforts made by the Government of Afghanistan in this respect, and expresses its concern at the harmful consequences of violent and terrorist activities by the Taliban, Al-Qaida and other extremist and criminal groups for the enjoyment of human rights and for the capacity of the Government of Afghanistan to ensure human rights and fundamental freedoms for all Afghans;

Recalls Security Council resolutions 1674 (2006) of 28 April 2006, 1738 (2006) of 23 December 2006, 1894 (2009) of 11 November 2009, the mid-year report of August 2010 on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, prepared by the Assistance Mission, expresses its concern at the high number of civilian casualties, including women and children, notes that the Taliban, Al-Qaida and other extremist and criminal groups are responsible for the significant majority of civilian casualties, reiterates its call for all feasible steps to be taken to ensure the protection of civilians, and calls for additional appropriate steps in this regard and for full compliance with international humanitarian and human rights law;

Recognizes the importance of holding free, fair, transparent, credible, secure and inclusive elections as crucial steps towards consolidating democracy for all Afghans, stresses the responsibility of the Afghan authorities in this regard, also stresses the need for the timely and orderly preparation of elections, calls upon the international community to continue to provide financial and technical assistance, recalls the leading role of the Assistance Mission in coordinating these efforts, and calls upon the international community to support the Government of Afghanistan and the relevant Afghan institutions as they work to deliver on the Kabul communiqué commitments to initiate a strategy for longer-term election reform;

Welcomes the steps taken by the Government of Afghanistan on justice sector reform and the commitment to improving access to the delivery of justice throughout Afghanistan made by the Government of Afghanistan at the Kabul Conference, stresses the need for further accelerated progress towards the establishment of a fair, transparent and effective justice system, in particular by implementing the National Justice Programme and the National Justice Strategy in a timely manner and by providing security and ensuring the rule of law throughout the country, and urges the international community to continue to support the efforts of the Government in these areas in a coordinated manner;

Acknowledges the progress made by the Government of Afghanistan and the international community in devoting adequate resources to the reconstruction and reform of the prison sector in order to improve respect for the rule of law and human rights therein, while reducing physical and mental health risks to inmates;

Emphasizes the importance of ensuring access for relevant organizations to all prisons in Afghanistan, and calls for full respect for relevant international law, including humanitarian law and human rights law, where applicable, including with regard to minors, if detained;

Acknowledges the efforts of the Government of Afghanistan in promoting respect for human rights, notes with concern reports of continued violations of human rights and of international humanitarian law, including violent or discriminatory practices, violations committed against persons belonging to ethnic and religious minorities, as well as against women and children, in particular girls, stresses the need to promote tolerance and religious freedom as guaranteed by the Afghan Constitution, emphasizes the necessity of investigating allegations of current and past violations, and stresses the importance of facilitating the provision of efficient and effective remedies to the victims and of bringing the perpetrators to justice in accordance with national and international law;

Commends the Government of Afghanistan for its active participation in the universal periodic review process, calls for continued active participation of Afghan civil society in this process, and encourages the timely implementation of the recommendations addressed in the relevant report;

Stresses the need to ensure respect for the right to freedom of expression and the right to freedom of thought, conscience or belief as enshrined in the Afghan Constitution, in this regard calls for full implementation of the mass media law, while noting with concern the continuing intimidation and violence targeting Afghan journalists and challenges to the independence of the media, condemns cases of the abduction and even killing of journalists by terrorist as well as extremist and criminal groups, and urges that harassment and attacks on journalists be investigated by Afghan authorities and that those responsible be brought to justice;

Reiterates the important role of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission in the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, stresses the need to guarantee its constitutional status and implement its mandate, focusing on communities across Afghanistan, so as to foster a more informed public and increase Government accountability, welcomes the decision of the Government of Afghanistan to take full responsibility for the core funding of the Commission, urges the Commission to cooperate closely with Afghan civil society, and calls upon the international community for continued support in this regard;

Commends the Government of Afghanistan for the holding of the Afghan national Consultative Peace Jirga in Kabul from 2 to 4 June 2010, expresses its support for an Government of Afghanistan-led process of peace and reconciliation as recommended by the Jirga, calls upon the Government to renew and fully implement the Action Plan on Peace, Justice and Reconciliation, supports the Afghan Peace and Reintegration Programme, which is open to those who are willing to reintegrate into their communities, renounce violence, have no links to terrorist organizations, respect the Afghan Constitution and are willing to join the mainstream in building a stable, secure, peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan, expresses its support for calls upon those concerned to meet these conditions and reconcile and reintegrate, without prejudice to the implementation of measures and application of procedures introduced by the Security Council in its resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1904 (2009), and recalls other relevant resolutions in this regard;

Calls upon the Government of Afghanistan to ensure that the Afghan Peace and Reintegration Programme is implemented in an inclusive manner consistent with the Afghan Constitution and the international legal obligations of Afghanistan, while upholding the human rights of all Afghans and countering impunity, notes with appreciation the establishment of the High Peace Council, welcomes the establishment of the Peace and Reintegration Trust Fund, recalls the respective commitments made at the London and Kabul Conferences, and stresses the importance of continued contributions by the international community to the Trust Fund;

Recalls Security Council resolutions 1325 (2000) of 31 October 2000, 1820 (2008) of 19 June 2008, 1888 (2009) of 30 September 2009 and 1889 (2009) of 5 October 2009 on women and peace and security, commends the efforts of the Government of Afghanistan to mainstream gender issues, including into the national priority programmes, and to protect and promote the equal rights of women and men as guaranteed, inter alia, by virtue of its ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, and by the Afghan Constitution and the implementation of the National Action Plan for Women, reiterates the continued importance of the full and equal participation of women in all spheres of Afghan life, and of equality before the law and equal access to legal counsel without discrimination of any kind, and stresses the need for continued progress on gender issues in accordance with the obligations of Afghanistan under international law;

Reiterates, in view of legislation previously adopted, the continued importance of upholding international obligations for the advancement of women’s rights as enshrined in the Afghan Constitution, and welcomes the commitment of the Government of Afghanistan to implement the law on the elimination of violence against women, including services for victims, and to submit its report to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women in 2010;

Strongly condemns incidents of discrimination and violence against women and girls, in particular if directed against women activists and women prominent in public life, wherever they occur in Afghanistan, including killings, maimings and “honour killings” in certain parts of the country;

Reiterates its appreciation for the Elimination of Violence against Women Special Fund of the United Nations Development Fund for Women as well as for its Urgent Response Fund, which continues to address targeted violence against women and women’s rights defenders in Afghanistan, and stresses the need for continued financial contributions by the international community to those funds;

Welcomes the achievements and efforts of the Government of Afghanistan in countering discrimination, urges the Government to actively involve all elements of Afghan society, in particular women, in the development and implementation of relief, rehabilitation, recovery and reconstruction programmes, as well as in national priority programmes, and accurately track the progress of the full integration of women into the political, economic and social life of Afghanistan, stresses the need for continued progress on gender equality, in accordance with its obligations under international law and in the empowerment of women in Afghan politics and public administration, including at the subnational level, also stresses the need to facilitate the access of women to employment and to ensure female literacy and training, and calls upon the international community to continue to provide support in this regard;

Stresses the need to ensure respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of children in Afghanistan, welcomes the initial report of Afghanistan to the Committee on the Rights of the Child, and recalls the need for the full implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the two Optional Protocols thereto by all States parties, as well as of Security Council resolutions 1612 (2005) of 26 July 2005 and 1882 (2009) of 4 August 2009 on children and armed conflict;

Expresses its concern, in this regard, about the ongoing recruitment and use of children by illegal armed and terrorist groups in Afghanistan, stresses the importance of ending the use of children contrary to international law, expresses appreciation for the progress achieved by and the firm commitment of the Government of Afghanistan in this regard, including the strong condemnation of any exploitation of children, and welcomes the Government action plan on the prevention of the recruitment of children under 18 years of age, the establishment of the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Children and the appointment of a focal point on child protection by the Ministry of the Interior;

Welcomes the adoption by the Government of Afghanistan of the National Plan of Action on Combating Child Trafficking, also welcomes initiatives to pass legislation on human trafficking, guided by the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, and stresses the importance of considering becoming a party to the Protocol;

Urges the Government of Afghanistan to continue to effectively reform the public administration sector in order to implement the rule of law and to ensure good governance and accountability, in accordance with the Kabul process, at both the national and subnational levels, with the support of the international community, welcomes the efforts of the Government and commitments made at the Kabul Conference in this regard, stresses the importance of transparent appointment procedures for senior civil servants, and continues to encourage the Government to make active use of the Senior Appointments Panel;

Encourages the international community, including all donor nations as well as international institutions, to assist the Government of Afghanistan in making capacity-building and human resources development a cross-cutting priority and to align with efforts by the Government, including the work of the Independent Administrative Reform and Civil Service Commission, to build administrative capacity at the national and subnational levels;

Recalls the ratification by Afghanistan of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, welcomes the anti-corruption commitments made by the Government of Afghanistan at the London and Kabul Conferences, calls for further action by the Government to fulfil those commitments in order to establish a more effective, accountable and transparent administration at the national, provincial and local levels of Government, welcomes continued international support to that end, and notes with deep concern the effects of corruption with regard to security, good governance, the combating of the narcotics industry, and economic development;

Welcomes the Subnational Governance Policy, underscores the importance of more visible, accountable and capable subnational institutions and actors in reducing the political space for insurgents, emphasizes the importance of the Kabul process being accompanied by the implementation of national programmes at the subnational level, encourages the capacity-building of local institutions in a phased and fiscally sustainable manner, and calls for the allocation of more resources to provincial authorities, including continued support from the international community;

Urges the Government of Afghanistan to address, with the assistance of the international community, the question of claims for land property through a comprehensive land titling programme, including formal registration of all property and improved security of property rights, and welcomes the steps already taken by the Government in this regard;

Welcomes the Afghanistan National Development Strategy and the progress report thereon, as well as further efforts by the Government of Afghanistan to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, and expresses appreciation for the establishment of the interministerial coordination mechanism under the cluster approach and its role in prioritizing and implementing the Strategy and the national priority programmes as presented at the Kabul Conference;

Also welcomes the continuing and growing ownership of rehabilitation, reconstruction and development efforts by the Government of Afghanistan, and emphasizes the crucial need to achieve ownership in all fields of governance and to improve institutional capabilities, including at the subnational level, in order to use aid more effectively;

Stresses the need for a continued strong international commitment to humanitarian assistance and for programmes, under the ownership of the Government of Afghanistan, of recovery, rehabilitation, reconstruction and development, while expressing its appreciation to the United Nations system and to all States and international and non-governmental organizations whose international and local staff continue to respond positively to the humanitarian, transition and development needs of Afghanistan despite increasing security concerns and difficulties of access in certain areas;

Expresses its appreciation for the humanitarian and development assistance work of the international community in the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan, recognizes the necessity for further improvement in the living conditions of the Afghan people, and emphasizes the need to strengthen and support the capacity of the Government of Afghanistan to deliver basic social services, in particular education and public health services, and to promote development;

Urges the Government of Afghanistan to enhance efforts to reform key service delivery sectors, such as energy and drinking water supply, as preconditions for progress in social and economic development, commends the Government for its efforts to date to increase revenues and taxes collected to reach fiscal sustainability, and urges continued commitment to revenue generation;

Expresses its appreciation for the work of the provincial reconstruction teams as they work within the provincial context to support national priorities to build the capacities of local institutions;

Urgently appeals to all States, the United Nations system and international and non-governmental organizations, including the international and regional financial institutions, to continue to provide, in close coordination with the Government of Afghanistan and in accordance with Afghan priorities and the National Development Strategy, all possible and necessary humanitarian, recovery, reconstruction, development, financial, educational, technical and material assistance for Afghanistan, and recalls in this regard the leading role of the Assistance Mission in seeking to further improve the coherence and coordination of international efforts;

Welcomes the principles of effective partnership set out in the communiqué of the Kabul Conference, in this context calls for the full implementation of the commitments made at the London Conference and reaffirmed at the Kabul Conference to channel increasing international resources through the budget of the Government of Afghanistan and in greater alignment with Afghan priorities, and encourages all partners to work with the Government to implement the “Operational guide: criteria for effective off-budget development finance” and to improve procurement procedures and due diligence in international contracting procedures;

Invites all States and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations providing assistance to Afghanistan to focus on institution-building in a coordinated manner and to ensure that such work complements and contributes to the development of an economy characterized by sound macroeconomic policies, the development of a financial sector that provides services, inter alia, to microenterprises, small and medium-sized enterprises and households, transparent business regulations and accountability;

Encourages the international community and the corporate sector to support the Afghan economy as a measure for long-term stability and to explore possibilities for increased trade and investments and enhanced local procurements, and encourages the Government of Afghanistan to further promote an economic environment favourable for private-sector investments at both the national and subnational levels;

Urgently encourages all States as well as intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to expand agricultural cooperation with Afghanistan, within the National Agricultural Development Framework and in line with the Afghanistan National Development Strategy;

Expresses its appreciation for all efforts to increase regional economic cooperation, in particular through the Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan, aimed at promoting economic cooperation between Afghanistan, regional neighbours, international partners and financial institutions, welcomes in this regard the Fourth Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan, held in Istanbul, Turkey, on 2 and 3 November 2010, and recognizes the important role of the Economic Cooperation Organization and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation in promoting the development of Afghanistan;

Welcomes and urges further efforts to strengthen the process of regional economic cooperation, including measures to facilitate regional trade and transit, including through finalizing bilateral transit trade agreements, to increase foreign investments and to develop infrastructure, including infrastructural connectivity, energy supply and integrated border management, noting the historic role of Afghanistan as a land bridge in Asia;

Reiterates the necessity of providing Afghan children, especially Afghan girls, with educational and health facilities in all parts of the country, welcomes the progress achieved in the sector of public education, recalls the National Education Strategic Plan as a promising basis for further achievements, and reiterates further the need to provide vocational training for adolescents;

Recognizes the special needs of girls, strongly condemns terrorist attacks on educational facilities, especially on those for Afghan girls, and encourages the Government of Afghanistan, with the assistance of the international community, to expand those facilities, train professional staff and promote full and equal access to them by all members of Afghan society, including in remote areas;

Welcomes the continuous return of refugees and internally displaced persons, in a voluntary and sustainable manner, while noting with concern that conditions in parts of Afghanistan are not yet conducive to a safe and sustainable return to some places of origin;

Expresses its appreciation to those Governments that continue to host Afghan refugees, acknowledging the huge burden they have so far shouldered in this regard, and reminds the host countries and the international community of their obligations under international refugee law with respect to the protection of refugees, the principle of voluntary return and the right to seek asylum and to ensure unhindered access for humanitarian relief agencies in order to provide protection and assistance to the refugees;

Urges the Government of Afghanistan, acting with the support of the international community, to continue to strengthen its efforts to create the conditions for the voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return and reintegration of the remaining Afghan refugees and internally displaced persons;

Notes, in this regard, the continued constructive work between the countries of the region, as well as the tripartite agreements between the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Government of Afghanistan and the Governments of countries hosting refugees from Afghanistan, in particular Pakistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran;

Calls for the provision of continued international assistance to the large numbers of Afghan refugees and internally displaced persons to facilitate their voluntary, safe, dignified and orderly return and sustainable reintegration into society so as to contribute to the stability of the entire country;

Recognizes that underdevelopment and lack of capacity increase the vulnerability of Afghanistan to natural disasters and to harsh climate conditions, and urges in this regard the Government of Afghanistan, with the support of the international community, to increase its efforts aimed at strengthening disaster risk reduction at the national and subnational levels and at modernizing the agricultural sector and strengthening its agricultural production, thereby reducing the vulnerability of Afghanistan to adverse external conditions such as drought, flooding and other natural disasters;

Commends the relief efforts by the Government of Afghanistan and donors, but continues to express its concern at the overall humanitarian situation, stresses the continued need for food assistance, and calls for continued international support for and the early fulfilment, before the approaching winter, of the funding target of the Afghanistan Humanitarian Action Plan;

Welcomes the efforts of the Government of Afghanistan in fighting drug production in Afghanistan, takes note of the sharp drop in opium production as reported by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in the Afghanistan Opium Survey 2010, released on 30 September 2010, which notes plant infection as the main reason for the drop in opium production, but reiterates its deep concern about the continued cultivation and production of narcotic drugs in Afghanistan, mainly concentrated in areas where the Taliban, Al-Qaida and other extremist and criminal groups are particularly active, as well as the ongoing drug trafficking, and stresses the need for more coordinated and resolute efforts by the Government of Afghanistan, supported by the international community, to fight this menace;

Stresses the importance of a comprehensive approach in addressing the drug problem of Afghanistan, which, to be effective, must be integrated into the wider context of efforts carried out in the areas of security, governance, the rule of law and human rights, and economic and social development, and also stresses that the development of alternative livelihood programmes is of key importance in the success of the counter-narcotics efforts in Afghanistan;

Notes with great concern the increasingly strong nexus between the drug trade and terrorist activities by the Taliban, Al-Qaida and other extremist and criminal groups, which pose a serious threat to security, the rule of law and development in Afghanistan, and stresses the importance of the full implementation of all relevant Security Council resolutions in this regard, including resolutions 1735 (2006) of 22 December 2006 and 1822 (2008);

Calls upon all Member States in this regard to further intensify their efforts to reduce the demand for drugs in their respective countries and globally in order to contribute to the sustainability of the elimination of illicit cultivation in Afghanistan;

Stresses the need to prevent trafficking in and diversion of chemical precursors used in the illicit manufacturing of drugs in Afghanistan, and calls for the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1817 (2008) in this regard;

Urges the Government of Afghanistan, supported by the international community, to work to mainstream counter-narcotics throughout all the national programmes and to ensure that counter-narcotics is a fundamental part of the comprehensive approach, as well as to increase its efforts against opium cultivation and drug trafficking in accordance with the balanced eight-pillar plan of the Afghan National Drug Control Strategy, to be updated in 2010 with specific benchmarks;

Commends the efforts of the Government of Afghanistan in this regard, as well as the efforts to update and carry out the National Drug Control Strategy, including the Prioritized Implementation Plan and benchmarks, urges the Government and the international community to take decisive action, in particular to stop the processing of and trade in drugs, by pursuing the concrete steps set out in the Strategy and in the Afghanistan Compact and through initiatives such as the Good Performers Initiative established to provide incentives for governors to reduce cultivation in their provinces, and encourages the Afghan authorities to work at the provincial level on elaborating counter-narcotics implementation plans;

Calls upon the international community to assist the Government of Afghanistan in carrying out its National Drug Control Strategy, aimed at eliminating the cultivation, production, trafficking in and consumption of illicit drugs, including through increased support for Afghan law enforcement and criminal justice agencies, agricultural and rural development, demand reduction, the elimination of illicit crops, increased public awareness, the building of the capacity of drug control institutions and care and treatment centres for drug addicts and the creation of alternative livelihoods for farmers, and reiterates its call upon the international community to channel counter-narcotics funding through the Government to the extent possible;

Urges the Government of Afghanistan, assisted by the international community, to promote the development of sustainable livelihoods in the formal production sector, as well as in other sectors, and to improve access to reasonable and sustainable credit and financing in rural areas, thus improving substantially the lives, health and security of the people, particularly in rural areas;

Supports the fight against the illicit trafficking in drugs from and precursors to Afghanistan and neighbouring States and countries along trafficking routes, including increased cooperation among them in strengthening anti-narcotic controls and the monitoring of the international trade in chemical precursors;

Acknowledges the global challenge of illicit narcotics, recalls the need to strengthen international and regional cooperation with Afghanistan in its sustained efforts to address drug production and trafficking, recognizes the threat posed by illicit drug production, trade and trafficking to peace and stability in the region and beyond, also recognizes the progress achieved by relevant initiatives within the framework of the Paris Pact, stresses the importance of further progress in the implementation of these initiatives, and welcomes the intent of the Government of Afghanistan to strengthen international and regional cooperation in this regard;

Pays homage to all those who have innocently lost their lives in the fight against drug traffickers, in particular members of the security forces of Afghanistan and its neighbours;

Welcomes initiatives to enhance border management cooperation between Afghanistan and its neighbours in ensuring comprehensive measures for drug control, including the financial dimension, emphasizes the importance of pursuing such cooperation, especially through bilateral arrangements and those launched by the Collective Security Treaty Organization, and welcomes the intention of the Government of Afghanistan to strengthen international and regional cooperation with relevant partners in the field of border control;

Stresses the importance of further, effective cooperative support by relevant international and regional actors, including the United Nations and the Assistance Force, within its designated responsibilities, to Afghan-led sustained efforts to address the threat posed by the illicit production of and trafficking in drugs, welcomes in this regard the regional programme on Afghanistan and neighbouring countries of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and encourages the respective countries to continue to participate;

Expresses its appreciation for the work of the Assistance Mission as mandated by the Security Council in its resolution 1917 (2010), and stresses the continued importance of the central and impartial role played by the Assistance Mission in promoting and coordinating a more coherent international engagement;

Welcomes the ongoing extension of the presence of the Assistance Mission into additional provinces, which thus ensures that the United Nations fulfils its essential coordinating role, and encourages the Assistance Mission to consolidate its presence and to continue its expansion throughout the country, in particular in the south, security conditions permitting;

Stresses the need to ensure that the Assistance Mission is adequately resourced to fulfil its mandate;

Acknowledges the central role played by the Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board, stresses that the role of the Board is to support Afghanistan by, inter alia, monitoring and supporting the Kabul process and coordinating international assistance and reconstruction programmes, and welcomes further efforts to provide appropriate guidance and promote a more coherent international engagement;

Commends the continuing efforts of the signatories of the Kabul Declaration on Good-neighbourly Relations of 22 December 2002 to implement their commitments under the Declaration, and furthermore calls upon all other States to respect and support the implementation of those provisions and to promote regional stability;

Welcomes and encourages further efforts by the Government of Afghanistan and its neighbouring partners to foster trust and cooperation with each other, and looks forward, where appropriate, to increasing cooperation between Afghanistan, all its neighbouring and regional partners, and regional organizations against the Taliban, Al-Qaida and other extremist and criminal groups and in promoting peace and prosperity in Afghanistan, in the region and beyond;

Welcomes the ongoing efforts by the Government of Afghanistan and its neighbouring and regional partners to foster trust and cooperation with each other, also welcomes in this regard the inclusive vision set out in the Istanbul Statement on Friendship and Cooperation in the “Heart of Asia”, adopted at the Regional Summit on Afghanistan held in Istanbul on 26 January 2010, expresses its appreciation for the meeting of regional organizations held in Kabul on 19 July 2010, hosted by the Government of Afghanistan, commends the agreement by those organizations on a plan for enhanced coordination of the regional engagement of Afghanistan within the framework of a high-level core group, takes note of the inaugural Core Group meeting, held in Istanbul on 4 November 2010, and notes the trilateral summits of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkey, held in Istanbul in January 2010; of Afghanistan, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Tajikistan, held in Tehran in August 2010; and of Afghanistan, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan in January 2010, and the quadrilateral summit of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and the Russian Federation, held in Sochi, Russian Federation, in August 2010, as well as efforts made by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, including the outcome of the special conference on Afghanistan held under the auspices of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Moscow on 27 March 2009, and initiatives within the framework of the Dubai Process to promote the country’s stability and development;

Expresses its appreciation for the continued commitment of the international community to supporting the stability and development of Afghanistan, and recalls the additional international support as pledged;

Encourages the Group of Eight countries to continue to stimulate and support cooperation between Afghanistan and its neighbours through mutual consultation and agreement, including on development projects in areas such as infrastructural connectivity, repatriation of refugees, border management and economic development;

100

Expresses its appreciation for the efforts of the members of the Tripartite Commission, namely, Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Assistance Force, to continue to address cross-border activities and to broaden their cooperation;

101

Emphasizes the need to maintain, strengthen and review civil-military relations among international actors, as appropriate, at all levels in order to ensure complementarity of action based on the different mandates and comparative advantages of the humanitarian, development, law enforcement and military actors present in Afghanistan, bearing in mind the central and impartial coordinating role of the United Nations;

102

Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly every three months on developments in Afghanistan, as well as on the progress made in the implementation of the present resolution;

103

Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its sixty-sixth session the item entitled “The situation in Afghanistan”.

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The Situation in Afghanistan

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