The Situation in Afghanistan

A/RES/70/77No PDF available

Who created this mandate?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 39The situation in Afghanistan, published in 2016.

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
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What subjects does this mandate have?

15 topics

Afghanistan Afghanistan Situation Criminal Justice Democracy Economic Development Governance Human Rights Internal Security Narcotic Drugs Post-Conflict Reconstruction Public Administration Reconciliation Regional Cooperation Rule of Law Social Development

What does this mandate say?

109 operative paragraphs

Pledges its continued support to the Government and people of Afghanistan as they rebuild a stable, secure, economically self-sufficient State, free of terrorism and narcotics, and strengthen the foundations of a constitutional democracy as a responsible member of the international community;

Encourages all partners to support constructively the Government of Afghanistan’s reform agenda, including as envisaged in the Self-Reliance through Mutual Accountability Framework, to ensure a secure, prosperous and democratic Afghanistan, focusing on strengthening the constitutional checks and balances that guarantee citizens’ rights and obligations and implementing structural reform to enable an accountable and effective Government to deliver concrete progress to its people;

Supports the continuing and growing ownership of reconstruction and development efforts by the Government of Afghanistan, emphasizes the crucial need to achieve ownership and accountability in all fields of governance and to improve institutional capabilities, including at the subnational level, in order to use aid more effectively, and underscores in this regard the importance of the commitments of the international community, as reiterated in the Tokyo Declaration: Partnership for Self-Reliance in Afghanistan – From Transition to Transformation1 and the Self-reliance through Mutual Accountability Framework;

Security

Recognizes the continued international commitment to support the training, equipping, financing and development of the capacity of the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces throughout the transformation decade, as agreed in the Chicago Summit Declaration on Afghanistan in 2012 and the Wales Summit Declaration on Afghanistan in 2014, including through the Resolute Support Mission, as welcomed by the Security Council in its resolution 2189 (2014), as well as through midterm contributions for the financial support of the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces, and through the “enhanced enduring partnership” with Afghanistan, notes the status-of-forces agreement with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and looks forward to the deliberations on Afghanistan at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit in Warsaw in 2016;

Reiterates once again its serious 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 the region-based violent extremist activities by the Taliban, including the Haqqani Network, Al-Qaida and other violent and extremist groups and other illegal armed groups and criminals, including those involved in the narcotics trade, and reiterates in this regard its call for the full implementation of measures and the application of procedures introduced in relevant Security Council resolutions, in particular resolutions 1267 (1999), 1988 (2011), 1989 (2011), 2082 (2012), 2083 (2012), 2160 (2014) and 2161 (2014);

Expresses serious concern regarding the increasing presence of Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) (Da’esh) affiliates in Afghanistan, as referenced in the report of the Secretary General,6 and in this regard affirms its support for the efforts of the Government of Afghanistan to combat these threats in the country;

Recognizes the threats that the Taliban, illegal armed groups and criminals, including those involved in the narcotics trade, and the illicit exploitation of natural resources continue to pose to the security and stability of Afghanistan, and urges the Government of Afghanistan, with the support of the international community, to continue to address these threats;

Condemns in the strongest terms all unlawful acts of violence, intimidation and attacks, including improvised explosive device attacks, suicide attacks, assassinations, including of public figures, abductions, indiscriminate attacks against civilians, killings, attacks against individuals, media groups and organs of society engaged in the promotion and protection of universally recognized human rights, attacks against humanitarian workers and the targeting of Afghan and international forces, which have a deleterious effect on stabilization and development efforts in Afghanistan, also condemns the use, by the Taliban, including the Haqqani Network, Al-Qaida and other violent and extremist groups and illegal armed groups, of civilians as human shields, and further condemns the recent killings of civilians in Zabul, Taliban attacks, including on the city of Kunduz in northern Afghanistan, and acts of international terrorists;

Stresses the need for the Government of Afghanistan and the international community to continue to work closely together and to improve coordination in countering such acts, which are threatening peace and stability in Afghanistan and the democratic process, the achievements and the continued implementation of the Afghanistan development gains and process, as well as humanitarian aid measures, recognizes the achievements of the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces in this regard, and calls upon all Member States, in particular neighbouring countries, to deny those groups any form of sanctuary, freedom of operations, movement, recruitment and financial, material or political support, which endangers the State system and regional peace and security;

Expresses deep regret 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 and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, as well as upon the personnel of the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces and of the Resolute Support Mission, and pays homage to all those who have lost their lives;

Stresses the importance of providing the Afghan people with security, 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, and underlines the importance of further strengthening the professionalism and the operational capabilities of the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces in all provinces of Afghanistan through continued training and assistance, including enabling support;

Also stresses the importance of close coordination with the Resolute Support Mission;

Welcomes the assumption of full security responsibility by the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces, commends the resiliency and courage displayed in this regard, calls upon the international community to provide the support necessary to increase security, including public order, law enforcement, the security of Afghanistan’s borders and the preservation of the constitutional rights of Afghan citizens, as well as to provide continued support by training, equipping and contributing to the financing of the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces to take on the task of securing their country and fighting against international terrorism, and underscores the importance of the joint Chicago and Wales Summit Declarations on Afghanistan and other relevant agreements with regional and international partners;

Also welcomes, in this regard, the presence of the Resolute Support Mission, expresses its appreciation to Member States for having contributed personnel, equipment and other resources to the Mission and for the support provided to the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces by all international partners, in particular by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization through its previous combat and current non-combat missions in Afghanistan, as well as other bilateral training programmes, and encourages further coordination, where appropriate;

Further 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, as well as the 10-year vision presented by the Ministry of the Interior, focusing, inter alia, on community-based policing (Police-e Mardumi) to increase police accountability and responsiveness, strengthening crime detection and prevention, safeguarding human rights and combating violence against women and children to build a strong, professional police force evolving towards sustainable, credible and accountable civilian law enforcement that will be capable of providing policing services to the Afghan population as part of the broader rule of law system, 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 of the Afghan National Police, with the necessary continued financial and technical support of the international community, recognizes the significant contribution that has been made by international and regional partners, including the International Police Coordination Board, to achieve that aim, and also recognizes in this context the significant contribution of the European Union Police Mission in Afghanistan;

Recognizes the commitments of 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 full, 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 efforts made in regulating private security contractors operating in Afghanistan;

Also recognizes the efforts of the Afghan authorities, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 69/133 of 12 December 2014 on the safety and security of humanitarian personnel and protection of United Nations personnel, to bring to justice the perpetrators of attacks, and calls upon the Afghan authorities to continue its efforts in this regard;

Remains deeply concerned about the persistent problem 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 social and economic activities and to the delivery of humanitarian assistance, early recovery and reconstruction efforts, welcomes the achievements to date in the implementation of the Mine Action Programme for Afghanistan, underscores the importance of sustained international assistance for the implementation of the 10-year operational workplan of the Mine Action Programme, aimed at declaring Afghanistan mine-free by 2023, encourages the Government of Afghanistan, with the support of the United Nations and all relevant actors, to continue 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 eliminate all known or new stocks of anti-personal landmines, and to cooperate fully with the Mine Action Programme, and to continue removal of anti-personnel landmines, anti-vehicle landmines and explosive remnants of war, and expresses the need to provide assistance for the care, rehabilitation, and economic and social reintegration of victims, including persons with disabilities;

Peace process

Recognizes that an Afghan-led inclusive peace process backed by regional actors, in particular Pakistan, supported by the international community, is essential for achieving long-term peace and stability in Afghanistan, reiterates its firm commitment to support the Government of Afghanistan in its efforts in this regard with all those who renounce violence, sever ties with international terrorist organizations, including Al-Qaida, respect the Constitution, including its human rights provisions, notably the rights of women and girls, as well as the rights of persons belonging to minorities, and are willing to join in building a peaceful Afghanistan, with full respect for the implementation of measures and application of the procedures introduced by the Security Council in its resolutions 1267 (1999), 1988 (2011), 2082 (2012) and 2160 (2014), as well as other relevant resolutions of the Council, calls upon all relevant States, especially neighbouring countries, and international organizations to remain engaged in the Afghan-led peace process, and recognizes the impact terrorist attacks have on the Afghan people and risk having on future prospects for a peace settlement;

Reiterates its firm commitment to support the Government of Afghanistan in its efforts to advance the peace process, in line with the Kabul Conference communiqué and the Bonn Conference conclusions,5 and within the framework of the Afghan Constitution and the application of the procedures introduced by the Security Council in its resolutions 1988 (2011), 2082 (2012) and 2160 (2014) as well as other relevant resolutions of the Council, and recalls that women play a vital role in the peace process, as recognized by the Council in its resolutions 1325 (2000) of 31 October 2000 and 2242 (2015) of 13 October 2015 and in related resolutions, including Council resolution 2122 (2013) of 18 October 2013;

Welcomes, in this regard, the direct talks held in 2015 between the Government of Afghanistan and representatives of the Taliban, facilitated by Pakistan and observed by China and the United States of America, as an important first step, and encourages the continuation of the talks;

Encourages Afghanistan and Pakistan to enhance their relationship, which could lead to cooperation to effectively combat terrorism and move forward the Afghan-led peace process;

Underlines the fact that the peace process should enjoy the support and participation of all Afghans, including civil society, in particular women’s groups and minorities, as reinforced most recently in the Bonn Conference conclusions and the Tokyo Declaration, welcomes the steps taken towards greater cooperation between the High Peace Council and civil society, and encourages further cooperation in the future;

Governance, rule of law and human rights

Emphasizes that good governance, the rule of law and human rights form the foundation for the achievement of a stable and prosperous Afghanistan, notes the importance of building the capacity of the Government of Afghanistan to promote and protect human rights, the rule of law and good governance in an accountable and effective manner, and calls upon the international community to support Afghanistan’s governance objectives in this regard, including as outlined in the Self-reliance through Mutual Accountability Framework;

Welcomes the commitment of the Government of Afghanistan to its comprehensive reform agenda, which, inter alia, has resulted in the creation of a series of policy-making councils chaired by the President, strengthening the National Unity Government decision-making processes and follow-up, and the adoption of 100-day action plans by ministries to monitor the delivery of services and to enhance accountability and transparency for citizens;

A.Democracy

Welcomes the establishment of the National Unity Government, emphasizes the importance of all parties in Afghanistan working together to achieve a unified, peaceful, democratic and prosperous future for all the people of Afghanistan, and welcomes the achievements of the Government of Afghanistan in strengthening the democratic institutions;

Recalls the commitment of the Government of Afghanistan, reiterated at the Tokyo Conference on Afghanistan, to strengthen and improve Afghanistan’s electoral process through long-term electoral reform, including by considering lessons learned in the light of previous elections, and to promote the participation of women in order to ensure that future elections will be transparent, credible, inclusive and democratic, reaffirms that Afghanistan’s peaceful future lies in strengthened and transparent democratic institutions, respect for the separation of powers, reinforced constitutional checks and balances and the guarantee and enforcement of citizens’ rights and obligations, and welcomes in this regard the establishment of the Special Electoral Reform Commission and its work and the intention of the Government of Afghanistan to hold parliamentary elections and district council elections as soon as possible;

B.Justice

Welcomes the steps taken by the Government of Afghanistan on justice sector reform and the commitment to improve access to the delivery of justice throughout Afghanistan made by the Government at the London Conference on Afghanistan, held on 4 December 2014, urges the Government to implement its reform agenda, as envisaged in its paper, entitled “Realizing Self-Reliance: Commitments to Reforms and Renewed Partnership”, in a timely manner, in coordination with the relevant organizations and government departments, urges the international community to continue to support the efforts of the Government in this regard, and welcomes the selection and confirmation of the Chief Justice, who has already taken the first steps of reform, including by ensuring the declaration of assets by the members of the Supreme Court, launching a systematic performance review and further increasing the number of female judges;

Acknowledges the progress made by the Government of Afghanistan, with the support of 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, and calls for the establishment of an effective mechanism for preventing prison escapes and recapturing escapees;

Welcomes and encourages further efforts by the Government of Afghanistan, with the support of the Assistance Mission, the international community and other partners, including the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, to protect and promote the human rights of all detainees and prevent violations thereof in all Afghan prisons and detention facilities, consistent with the Afghan Constitution, Afghan laws and international obligations, welcomes the cooperation of the Government, as well as the efforts of the international community to provide support in this regard, takes note of the recommendations contained in the reports of the Assistance Mission of 10 October 2011 and 20 January 2013, notes the progress made in this regard, welcomes and supports the adoption of the national action plan to fully eliminate torture in Afghan detention facilities, encourages further progress on addressing allegations of human rights abuses of detainees, and reiterates the importance of respecting the rule of law and established legal processes and procedures;

Welcomes the commitment by the Government of Afghanistan to provide unimpeded access for relevant organizations to all prisons in Afghanistan, emphasizes the importance of ensuring access for relevant organizations, 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;

C.Public administration

Urges the Government of Afghanistan to continue to effectively reform the public administration sector in order to promote the rule of law and to ensure good governance and accountability, welcomes the efforts of the Government and its commitments made in implementing its reform agenda, as envisioned in the Self-reliance through Mutual Accountability Framework, the Kabul process and the Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework,2 and also welcomes the efforts of the Government and its commitments made, most recently at the second Senior Officials Meeting of the Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board of the Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework, in 2015;

Encourages the international community, including all donor nations as well as international institutions and organizations, governmental and non-governmental, to assist the Government of Afghanistan in making sustainable capacity-building and human resources development a cross-cutting priority and to align, in a coordinated manner, 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, and in this respect welcomes the agreement reached between the Government of Afghanistan and international and partner country organizations on salaries based on capacity-building for results, targeting training in critical civil service positions;

Reiterates the importance of institution-building in complementing and contributing to the development of an economy characterized by sound macroeconomic policies, targeting poverty reduction, job creation, 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, and emphasizes the connection between generating economic growth, including through infrastructural projects, and the creation of job opportunities in Afghanistan;

Recalls the ratification by the Government of Afghanistan of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, reiterates its appreciation for the anti-corruption commitments made by the Government at the Tokyo and London Conferences, calls for decisive 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 the efforts of the Government and the firm commitment of the new leadership of Afghanistan to fight corruption, including the decision to pursue the Kabul Bank case, to reform procurement processes and to address other drivers of corruption, calls upon the international community to support the efforts of the Government in this regard, and welcomes the continued international support for Afghanistan’s governance objectives, while noting 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 and the launch of the 100-day action plans by each of the 34 provincial governors, underscores the importance of more visible, accountable and capable subnational institutions and actors in reducing the political space for insurgents, encourages capacity-building for and the empowerment of local institutions in a phased and fiscally sustainable manner, and calls for the predictable and regular allocation of more resources to provincial authorities, including continued vital support from the Assistance Mission and the international community;

Also welcomes the establishment of the High Council on Land and Water, chaired by the President, and the systematic efforts by the Afghanistan Independent Land Authority to ensure firm property rights and the protection of public and community lands, 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 the formal registration of all property and improved security of property rights, including for women, and welcomes the steps already taken by the Government in this regard;

D.Human rights

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, stresses the need to fully implement the human rights provisions of the Afghan Constitution, in accordance with obligations under applicable international law, in particular those regarding the full enjoyment by women and children of their human rights, and also stresses the importance of countering violent extremism in a comprehensive way, recognizing the efforts of the Government of Afghanistan in this respect;

Acknowledges and encourages the efforts made by the Government of Afghanistan in promoting respect for human rights, expresses its concern at the destructive consequences of violent and terrorist activities, including against persons belonging to ethnic and religious minorities, by the Taliban, including the Haqqani Network, Al-Qaida and other violent and extremist groups and other illegal armed groups and criminals for the enjoyment of human rights and for the capacity of the Government to ensure human rights and fundamental freedoms for all Afghans, notes with concern reports of incidents in which violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law have occurred, including violations and abuses committed against women and children, in particular girls, stresses the need to further promote tolerance and religious freedom and to ensure respect for the right to freedom of expression and the right to freedom of thought, conscience or belief in accordance with the Afghan Constitution and the international covenants that Afghanistan adheres to, emphasizes the necessity of investigating allegations of current and past violations and abuses, 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, calls for full implementation of the mass media law, while noting with concern and condemning the continuing intimidation and violence targeting Afghan media and journalists, such as recent warnings by the Taliban to two private television stations and cases of abduction and even the killing of journalists by terrorist and extremist and criminal groups, and urges that harassment and attacks on media outlets and journalists be investigated by Afghan authorities and that those responsible be brought to justice;

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;

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, emphasizes the importance of the Government of Afghanistan’s reaffirmation of its commitment to maintaining the standards regarding Human Rights Commissioners in accordance with article 11 of the law on the Commission and the Paris Principles to retaining the Commission’s “A” status, welcomes the decision of the Government to take full responsibility for the core funding of the Commission, urges the Government to implement this decision, urges the Commission to cooperate closely with Afghan civil society, and calls upon the international community for continued support in this regard;

Recalls Security Council resolutions 1674 (2006) of 28 April 2006, 1738 (2006) of 23 December 2006 and 1894 (2009) of 11 November 2009 and the midyear report of July 2015 on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, prepared by the Assistance Mission, expresses its serious concern at the continued high number of civilian casualties, including, in particular, women and children, and their impact on local communities, notes that the Taliban, including the Haqqani Network, Al-Qaida and other violent and extremist groups and illegal armed groups remain responsible for the significant majority of civilian casualties, reiterates its call for all feasible steps to be taken to protect civilians, and calls for additional appropriate steps in this regard and for full compliance with international humanitarian and human rights law;

Recognizes the efforts made to protect the civilian population and to minimize civilian casualties, and calls upon the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces and international forces to continue to make enhanced efforts in this regard, notably through the continuous review of tactics and procedures and the conduct of after-action reviews and investigations in cases in which civilian casualties have occurred and when the Government of Afghanistan finds these joint investigations appropriate;

Reiterates the importance of upholding international obligations for the advancement of women’s rights, as enshrined in the Afghan Constitution, in this context also reiterates the importance of implementing Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), welcomes the adoption by the Government of Afghanistan in June 2015 of its national action plan on women, peace and security, supports efforts towards its implementation, and recalls Council resolutions 1820 (2008) of 19 June 2008, 1888 (2009) of 30 September 2009, 1889 (2009) of 5 October 2009, 1960 (2010) of 16 December 2010, 2106 (2013) of 24 June 2013, 2122 (2013) and 2242 (2015) on women and peace and security;

Emphasizes its steadfast and unwavering commitment and that of the Government of Afghanistan to achieving the full and equal participation of women in all spheres of Afghan life, the need for absolute equality of women before the law, equal access to education and employment and the participation and empowerment of women in Afghan politics, public life, government administration and security sector at all levels, especially in leadership positions;

Commends the achievements and efforts of the Government of Afghanistan to counter discrimination and 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 its ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and by the Afghan Constitution as well as the National Action Plan for the Women of Afghanistan and the law on the elimination of violence against women, notes the progress reported by the Assistance Mission in the implementation of the law, stresses the importance of its full implementation, a key commitment under the Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework, and underlines the need for continued progress on gender issues in accordance with the obligations of Afghanistan under international law;

Strongly condemns all incidents of discrimination and violence against women and girls and other forms of gender-based and sexual violence, including “honour killings”, underscores the importance of countering impunity for these incidents, especially against women activists and women prominent in public life, takes note of the important progress made by the Government of Afghanistan in this regard, reiterates its strong commitment to support the efforts of the Government of Afghanistan to continue to address this issue, and also reiterates its appreciation for all measures taken to address targeted violence against women, including prevention of forced marriages, as well as the contribution of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women);

Stresses the need to ensure respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of children in Afghanistan, and recalls the need for the full implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, its Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography and its Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict by all States parties, as well as of Security Council resolution 1612 (2005) of 26 July 2005, and all other subsequent resolutions on children and armed conflict, and takes note of the reports of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict in Afghanistan and the conclusions of the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict in Afghanistan;

Expresses its strong concern, in this regard, about the ongoing recruitment and use of children by the Taliban, including the Haqqani Network, and other illegal armed groups and terrorist groups in Afghanistan, as well as the killing and maiming of children as a result of the conflict, stresses in this regard the importance of ending the recruitment and use of children in violation of applicable international law and all other violations and abuses committed against children, expresses appreciation for the progress made by and the firm commitment of the Government of Afghanistan to the protection of children, including its strong condemnation of any exploitation of children, as indicated by the establishment of the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Children, the appointment of a focal point on child protection, the signing by the Government, in January 2011, of an action plan, including the annexes thereto, on children associated with national security forces in Afghanistan and the endorsement by the Government of a road map in August 2014 to accelerate compliance with the action plan, welcomes progress made in the implementation of the action plan, and reiterates the calls for the full implementation of its provisions, in close cooperation with the Assistance Mission;

Recognizes the special needs of girls, strongly condemns continued terrorist attacks as well as threats of attacks on educational facilities, especially on those for Afghan girls, and/or hospitals and protected persons in relation to them in Afghanistan, in contravention of applicable international law, and expresses deep concern about the high number of school closures as a result of terrorist attacks or threats of attacks;

Reiterates the importance of the Afghan National Plan of Action on Combating Child Trafficking, also reiterates its calls for the comprehensive implementation of the Plan of Action, and welcomes the accession of Afghanistan to the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime;

Social and economic development

Welcomes the Government of Afghanistan’s strategy document entitled “Towards self-reliance: strategic vision for the transformation decade”, as well as of the national priority programmes contained therein, with their focus on economic growth, revenue generation, job creation, governance and human development;

Renews its commitment to long-term support for the economic development of Afghanistan on the basis of mutual accountability and in accordance with the reform agenda of the Government, as agreed in the Self-Reliance through Mutual Accountability Framework;

Welcomes the renewed version of the Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework, the Self-Reliance through Mutual Accountability Framework, and the monitoring mechanism included therein, which will guide the activities of the National Unity Government of Afghanistan and the international community at least to the end of the term of the present Government, in which the Government reaffirmed its commitment to improve security and political stability, fight corruption, improve governance, the rule of law and human rights, restore fiscal sustainability and integrity of public finance and commercial banking, reform development planning and management and ensure citizen’s development rights, create an enabling environment for private sector development and inclusive growth and renew development partnerships and improve aid effectiveness, and in which the international community committed to enhance the efficiency of development aid, align part of its assistance with Afghan priorities and channel part of its assistance through the national budget of the Government;

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 the strategy document entitled “Towards self-reliance: strategic vision for the transformation decade”, as well as the national priority programmes contained therein, all possible and necessary humanitarian, recovery, reconstruction, development, financial, educational, technical and material assistance for Afghanistan, and underlines the crucial importance of continued and sequenced implementation of the reform agenda, national priority programmes and the development and governance goals as agreed in the Self-Reliance through Mutual Accountability Framework;

Recognizes the substantial development and the notable progress made by Afghanistan with the steadfast support of the international community in the past years, expresses its support for the reaffirmation and consolidation of the partnership between Afghanistan and the international community at the London Conference on Afghanistan in 2014 at the outset of the transformation decade (2015–2024), during which Afghanistan will consolidate its sovereignty through strengthening a fully functioning, sustainable State in the service of its people, urges the Government of Afghanistan to involve all elements of Afghan society, in particular women, in the development and implementation of relief, rehabilitation, recovery and reconstruction programmes, and welcomes the commitment of the Government to develop a national economic empowerment plan for women;

Also recognizes the challenges that lie ahead for Afghanistan, and welcomes the generous pledges totalling over 16 billion United States dollars made by the international community during the Tokyo Conference through 2015 and the commitment of the international community to sustain support through 2017 at or near levels of the past decade, thereby renewing its commitment to long-term support for the economic development of Afghanistan on the basis of mutual accountability, welcomes the continued resolve of the Government of Afghanistan to fulfil the commitments made by the Government under the Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework, and stresses that sustained international support in the years ahead requires resolute action by both the international community and the Government;

Welcomes the continued progress in implementing the Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework and the monitoring mechanism included therein, in which the Government of Afghanistan reaffirmed its commitment to strengthen governance, grounded in human rights, the rule of law and adherence to the Afghan Constitution, and held it as integral to sustained growth and economic development, and in which the international community committed to enhance efficiency of development aid by aligning assistance with the Afghan national priority programmes and by channelling assistance through the national budget of the Government, as outlined in the Tokyo Declaration;

Also welcomes the outcome of the second Senior Officials Meeting of the Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board of the Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework, in 2015, and the Co-Chairs’ statement thereon, which acknowledged both the achievements of the Government of Afghanistan and the international community in the implementation of their respective commitments under the Framework based on the principles of mutual accountability and inclusiveness, stresses that sustained international support in the transformation decade requires resolute action by both the international community and the Government, welcomes the ministerial meeting in 2014 co-chaired by the Governments of Afghanistan and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and looks forward to its next meeting in 2016 in Brussels;

Further welcomes the commitment of the Government of Afghanistan to align its future development programmes with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, acknowledges significant progress made by the Government towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2020, and urges the international community to assist the Government in completing its unfinished goals;

Expresses its appreciation for the humanitarian and development assistance work of the international community in the stabilization and development of Afghanistan and 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 security concerns and difficulty of access in certain areas;

Recognizes the necessity for further improvement in the living conditions of the Afghan people, and emphasizes the need to strengthen and support the development of the capacity of the Government of Afghanistan to deliver basic social services at the national, provincial and local levels, 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 of Afghanistan for improving budgetary transparency, its efforts to reach fiscal sustainability and its efforts to date to implement its agreement with the International Monetary Fund, notes the challenges ahead, and urges that continued efforts be made to meet revenue targets;

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 procurement, and further encourages the Government of Afghanistan to continue to promote an economic environment and legal framework favourable for private sector investments at both the national and subnational levels, given that 36 per cent of the population has been living below the poverty line for many years and nearly 50 per cent of young persons are unemployed, and supports the commitment of the Government to develop and implement a stimulus package that would lead to the type of sustainable growth that would make young persons and the poor stakeholders in their country;

Emphasizes, in this regard, the importance of strengthening local and regional networks of transportation that will facilitate connectivity for economic development, stability and self-sustainability, particularly the completion and maintenance of local railroad and land routes, the development of regional projects to foster further connectivity and the enhancement of international civil aviation capabilities;

Urgently encourages all States as well as intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to expand agricultural and livestock cooperation with Afghanistan at the national level, consistent with the reform agenda of the National Unity Government and the relevant national priority programme, respectively, with a view to helping to eradicate poverty, create jobs and ensure social and economic development, including in rural communities;

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, 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, and reiterates further the need to provide vocational training for adolescents;

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 cash-for-work programmes by relevant actors and further improvement in food assistance, ensuring that the basic needs of internally displaced persons are met, and calls for continued international support in this regard, as well as for the early fulfilment, before the approaching winter, of the urgent humanitarian needs in the 2015 Common Humanitarian Action Plan for Afghanistan;

Recognizes that underdevelopment and lack of capacity increase the vulnerability of Afghanistan to natural disasters and to harsh climate conditions, and in this regard urges 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;

Expresses its appreciation to those Governments that continue to host Afghan refugees, in particular Pakistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran, acknowledging the huge burden they have so far shouldered in this regard, and asks for continued generous support by the international community, with a view to facilitating their voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return, rehabilitation and reintegration;

Welcomes the outcome of the high-level segment on the Afghan refugee problem of the sixty-sixth session of the Executive Committee of the Programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, held in Geneva on 6 and 7 October 2015, also welcomes the outcome of the International Conference on the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees to Support Voluntary Repatriation, Sustainable Reintegration and Assistance to Host Countries, held in Geneva on 2 and 3 May 2012, and looks forward to the further implementation of the joint communiqué of the Conference, aimed at increased sustainability of returns and continued support for host countries, through the sustained support and the directed efforts of the international community;

Expresses its concern over the recent increase in the number of internally displaced persons and refugees from Afghanistan, stresses that stability and development in Afghanistan can be achieved if its citizens can see a future for themselves within their country, reiterates to host countries and the international community the 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 full, safe and unhindered access for humanitarian relief agencies in order to provide protection and assistance to the refugees, and calls upon countries to continue to accept an appropriate number of Afghan refugees for resettlement, as a manifestation of their shared responsibility and solidarity;

Welcomes the commitment of the Government of Afghanistan in making the repatriation and reintegration of Afghan refugees one of its highest national priorities, including their voluntary, safe and dignified return and their sustainable reintegration into national development planning and prioritization processes, and encourages and supports all efforts of the Government towards the implementation of this commitment;

Reaffirms its firm support for the implementation of the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees to Support Voluntary Repatriation, Sustainable Reintegration and Assistance to Host Countries endorsed by the international community in 2012, and acknowledges the Enhanced Voluntary Return and Reintegration Package for Afghan Refugees as an innovative way to enhance sustainable return and reintegration;

Strongly supports the Government of Afghanistan in its commitment to create the necessary conditions for the repatriation and sustainable reintegration of Afghan refugees in the country, with emphasis on youth empowerment, education, livelihoods, social protection and infrastructure, and stresses in this regard the key importance of attaining peace and stability for solving the refugee crisis, as well as of advances in social and economic welfare leading to the improvement of the living conditions inside Afghanistan through the coordinated efforts of the Government with the support of the international community;

Welcomes the continued return of Afghan refugees and internally displaced persons, in a voluntary, safe, dignified 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;

Urges the Government of Afghanistan, acting with the support of the international community, to continue to strengthen its efforts to create the conditions for sustainable return by continuing to strengthen its absorption and integration capacity for the full rehabilitation and sustainable 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 and quadripartite 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;

Regional cooperation

Stresses the crucial importance of advancing constructive regional cooperation as an effective means to promote peace, security, stability and economic and social development in Afghanistan, encourages further improved relations and enhanced engagement between Afghanistan and its neighbours, and calls for further efforts in this regard, including within the frameworks of the two established Afghan-led regional processes, namely the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process on Regional Security and Cooperation for a Secure and Stable Afghanistan3 and the Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan, as well as by regional organizations and long-term strategic partnerships and other agreements aimed at achieving a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan, and welcomes international and regional initiatives in this regard, such as the Economic Cooperation Organization, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Central Asian Regional Economic Cooperation Programme, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the European Union and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe;

Acknowledges Afghanistan’s crucial role as the business hub and land bridge in the “Heart of Asia”, connecting South Asia, Central Asia, Eurasia/Europe and the Middle East, and affirms its support to the Government of Afghanistan in realizing its potential as a viable trade and transit hub for the development of the region and playing its role as a constructive partner in enhancing regional security and stability and regional economic cooperation between Afghanistan and the region through transit, trade, energy and investment that will contribute to the prosperity and stability of Afghanistan and the wider region;

Commends the continuing efforts of the signatories to the Kabul Declaration on Good-neighbourly Relations4 to implement their commitments under the Declaration, calls upon all other States to respect and support the implementation of those provisions, and welcomes the reaffirmation, in the Kabul Conference communiqué, of the principles set out in the Declaration;

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, including the Haqqani Network, Al-Qaida and other extremist and criminal groups and illegal armed groups and in promoting peace and prosperity in Afghanistan, in the region and beyond;

Welcomes the ongoing efforts of the Government of Afghanistan, its neighbouring and regional partners and international organizations, including the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, to foster trust and cooperation with each other, as well as recent cooperation initiatives developed by the countries concerned and by regional organizations, including the trilateral summit of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkey, the trilateral summit of Afghanistan, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan, the trilateral summit of Afghanistan, Pakistan and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the trilateral strategic dialogue between Afghanistan, China and Pakistan and the trilateral high-level meeting of Afghanistan, China and the United States of America;

Reaffirms support to the ongoing Afghan-led regional effort within the framework of the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process, welcomes the outcomes of the Heart of Asia Ministerial Conferences held in Kabul in 2012, in Almaty in 2013 and in Beijing in 2014, as follow-up to the Conference on Security and Cooperation in the Heart of Asia, held in Istanbul in 2011, and the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process Senior Officials Meeting held in Islamabad on 25 May 2015 and in New York on 27 September 2015, welcomes the adoption of the implementation plans of all six confidence-building measures in the areas of disaster management, counter-terrorism, counter-narcotics, regional infrastructure, and trade, commerce and investment opportunities as well as education, prioritized for implementation, commends the progress of the Istanbul Process since its inception, looks forward to the fifth Heart of Asia Ministerial Conference, to be held in Pakistan in December 2015, notes with appreciation efforts to enhance regional dialogue and confidence through the Istanbul Process, and recalls that the Istanbul Process is intended to complement and cooperate with, and not substitute for, existing efforts of regional organizations, particularly where they relate to Afghanistan;

Expresses its appreciation for all efforts to increase regional economic cooperation aimed at promoting economic cooperation between Afghanistan, regional neighbours, international partners and financial institutions, and recognizes, inter alia, the important role of the Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan, the Delhi Investment Summit on Afghanistan and its recommendations for promoting foreign investment and private sector development and partnerships of Afghanistan, the Economic Cooperation Organization, the Central Asian Regional Economic Cooperation Programme and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, as well as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the European Union and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in promoting the development of Afghanistan;

Reaffirms support to the ongoing Afghan-led regional economic efforts within the framework of the Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan process, welcomes the decade-long achievements of the process, anticipates closer linkages and complementarities between the prioritized projects of the sixth Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan and the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process, also reaffirms that coordinated regional economic development strategies should support the overall regional economic integration vision, and emphasizes shared ownership of the work towards comprehensive regional connectivity and its importance in promoting region-wide economic integration, confidence and prosperity;

Welcomes and urges further efforts to strengthen the process of regional economic cooperation, including measures to facilitate regional trade and transit, including through regional and bilateral transit trade agreements, expanded consular visa cooperation and facilitation of business travel, to expand trade, to increase foreign investments and to develop infrastructure, including infrastructural connectivity, energy supply, transport and integrated border management, with a view to promoting sustainable economic growth and the creation of jobs in Afghanistan, noting the historical role of Afghanistan as a land bridge in Asia, and welcomes in this regard the signing of an agreement by Afghanistan and Pakistan on electricity transit fees as an important step towards regional electricity trade between Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan;

Counter-narcotics

Welcomes the efforts of the Government of Afghanistan in fighting drug production in Afghanistan, welcomes and supports the adoption of the Afghan National Drug Action Plan 2015–2019, takes note of the report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime entitled “Afghanistan Opium Survey 2015”, released in October 2015, welcomes the recent decrease in production and cultivation of drugs as noted in the report, reiterates its deep concern about the cultivation and production of illicit narcotic drugs in Afghanistan, mainly concentrated in areas where the Taliban, Al-Qaida and other violent and extremist groups and criminals are particularly active, as well as the ongoing drug trafficking, stresses the need, based on the principle of common and shared responsibility, to further strengthen joint, more coordinated and resolute efforts by the Government, supported by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and by international and regional actors, within their designated responsibilities, to fight this menace, and encourages international and regional cooperation with Afghanistan in its sustained efforts to address drug production and trafficking;

Stresses the importance of a comprehensive and balanced 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, particularly in rural areas, calls upon the international community to continue to assist the Government of Afghanistan in implementing its National Drug Control Strategy and its National Drug Action Plan;

Also stresses, in this regard, that the development of alternative livelihood programmes is of key importance in the success of the counter-narcotics efforts in Afghanistan and that sustainable strategies require international cooperation, and 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;

Notes with great concern the strong nexus between the drug trade and terrorist activities by the Taliban, including the Haqqani Network, Al-Qaida and other violent and extremist groups 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 2160 (2014) and 2161 (2014);

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) of 11 June 2008 in this regard;

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, and underlines the importance of technical assistance and support to the most affected transit States to support their capacities 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 plan of the updated Afghan National Drug Control Strategy;

Commends the efforts of the Government of Afghanistan, in this regard, to develop and adopt the National Drug Action Plan which outlines the actions necessary to counter the cultivation, production, trafficking in and use of narcotics, the time frame, goals and metrics to evaluate progress on the plan and the ways in which the international community can support this plan, and urges the Government and the international community to take decisive action by pursuing the concrete steps set out in the plan;

Calls upon the international community to continue to assist the Government of Afghanistan in implementing its National Drug Control Strategy and National Drug Action Plan 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 for the creation of alternative livelihoods for farmers, demand reduction, the elimination of illicit crops, increased public awareness and the building of the capacity of drug control institutions and care and treatment centres for drug addicts, and reiterates its call upon the international community to channel counter-narcotics funding through the Government, to the extent possible;

Recalls the need to strengthen international and regional cooperation with Afghanistan in its sustained efforts to address drug production, trade and trafficking, recognizes the threat they pose, encourages further sustained efforts by the Government of Afghanistan in this regard, as well as the intent of the Government to strengthen international and regional cooperation in this regard, and welcomes the progress made in the Heart of Asia process in this regard;

100

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, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-building Measures in Asia, the Economic Cooperation Organization, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Central Asian Anti-Drug Quartet and others, and welcomes the intention of the Government of Afghanistan to strengthen international and regional cooperation with relevant partners in the field of border control;

101

Stresses the importance of further, effective cooperative support by relevant international and regional actors, including the United Nations, 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;

102

Welcomes and supports the joint regional activities carried out by Afghanistan, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan within the framework of their triangular initiative to counter narcotics;

103

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;

Coordination

104

Expresses its appreciation for the work of the Assistance Mission, as mandated by the Security Council in its resolution 2210 (2015), stresses the continued importance of the central and impartial coordinating role of the United Nations in promoting a more coherent international engagement, including the role played by the Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board in this regard, and looks forward to the next meeting of the Board in early 2016;

105

Welcomes the evolving presence of the Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, which ensures that the United Nations can fulfil its essential coordinating and support role, as requested by the Government of Afghanistan, security conditions permitting;

106

Also welcomes the outcome of the Tripartite Review Commission on the United Nations in Afghanistan, which was established in accordance with Security Council resolution 2210 (2015), with a view to fully examining the role, structure and activities of all United Nations entities in Afghanistan, in accordance with the principles of Afghan national sovereignty, national leadership and national ownership, in the light of the completion of the security transition and the beginning of the transformation decade, and supports efforts to promote greater mutual accountability and transparency, effectiveness and capacity-building;

107

Stresses the need to ensure that the Assistance Mission is adequately resourced and protected by the Afghan authorities, with international support, as appropriate, to fulfil its mandate;

108

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;

109

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

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