The Situation in Afghanistan

A/RES/73/88No PDF available

Who created this mandate?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 40The situation in Afghanistan, published in 2018.

What other versions does this mandate have?

17 versions · 2007–2025

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

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What subjects does this mandate have?

11 topics

Afghan Refugees Afghanistan Afghanistan Situation Drug Control Economic Development Governance Human Rights Internal Security Reconciliation Regional Cooperation Rule of Law

What does this mandate say?

69 operative paragraphs

Pledges its continued support to the Government and people of Afghanistan as they rebuild a stable, secure and 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 Afghanistan National Peace and Development Framework and the Geneva Mutual Accountability Framework, so as to secure a 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 and of the new set of indicators for the Self-Reliance through Mutual Accountability Framework, as reiterated in the communiqué of the Brussels Conference on Afghanistan in October 2016;

Welcomes the adoption of the Geneva Mutual Accountability Framework, as reflected in the communiqué adopted at the international Geneva Conference on Afghanistan, which underscores the importance of the effective implementation of mutual commitments of the Government of Afghanistan and the international community on a reciprocal basis;

Emphasizes that threats to stability and development in Afghanistan and the region require closer and more coordinated cooperation, as well as greater coherence and complementarity of approach between countries of the region and the international community, for the long-term peace, security, prosperity and sustainable development of the country, and underscores in this regard the standing of Afghanistan as a platform for such international cooperation;

Security

Recognizes the commitment of the international community to supporting 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, the Wales Summit Declaration on Afghanistan in 2014, the Warsaw Summit Declaration on Afghanistan in 2016 and the Brussels Summit Declaration on Afghanistan in 2018, including through the Resolute Support Mission, as welcomed by the Security Council in its resolution 2189 (2014);

Welcomes the pledges and commitments made at the Warsaw Summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization held on 8 and 9 July 2016, as reinforced at the Brussels Summit held on 11 and 12 July 2018, to continuing national contributions to the financial sustainment of the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces until the end of 2024, to sustaining the Resolute Support Mission and to continuing to deliver training, advice and assistance to the Afghan security institutions, including the police, the air force and special operations forces;

Takes note of the announcement in 2017 by the United States of America of its strategy for Afghanistan and the adoption by the European Union of its strategy on Afghanistan as important components of the continued support of the international community for the security, development and stability of Afghanistan;

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 and other illegal armed groups and criminals, including those involved in the narcotics trade, expresses concern over the serious threat posed by the presence of foreign terrorist fighters, reiterates in this regard its call for the full and serious 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), 2161 (2014), 2253 (2015), 2255 (2015) and 2368 (2017), and calls upon all States to strengthen their international and regional cooperation to enhance information-sharing, border control, law enforcement and criminal justice to better counter the threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters and returning foreign terrorist fighters in Afghanistan and the region;

Expresses its serious concern regarding the presence of terrorist organizations, in particular Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) (Da’esh) affiliates and its brutal acts, including killings of Afghan nationals, and deplorable attempts to undermine relations between communities, commends the progress of the Government of Afghanistan in combating these threats in the country and affirms its support for continued efforts in this regard, and calls for enhanced regional cooperation in the fight against these groups;

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 and medical personnel and civilian objects, including schools and hospitals, and the targeting of Afghan and international forces, which have a deleterious effect on stabilization and development efforts in Afghanistan, and also condemns the use, by the Taliban, including the Haqqani Network, Al-Qaida and other terrorist and violent extremist groups and illegal armed groups, of civilians as human shields, as well as Taliban attacks 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 that endangers the State system and regional peace and security;

Condemns in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly terrorist attack that took place in Kabul on 20 November 2018 targeting a gathering of religious scholars, which resulted in at least 55 people being killed and more than 80 injured, as well as other terrorist attacks throughout Afghanistan which took the lives of Afghan parliamentary candidates, government officials, senior army, police and security officials and civilians, including women and children, diplomatic personnel and religious minorities;

Welcomes the assumption of full security responsibility by the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces, commends the resilience 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 terrorism, and underscores the importance of the Chicago, Wales, Warsaw and Brussels 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 and respect for human rights for all, including women’s full and equal enjoyment of these rights, to continuing its security sector reform by making the security provision, management and oversight of the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces more effective and accountable, welcomes in this regard the progress being made in the Afghan national security institutions, as presented at the Geneva Conference, recognizes the importance of the further implementation of the Afghan National Police Strategy and the 10-year vision presented by the Ministry of the Interior, and expresses its appreciation for the support that Member States have provided to the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces;

Recalls that regional security cooperation plays a key role in maintaining stability in Afghanistan and the region, welcomes the progress achieved by Afghanistan and regional partners in this regard, calls for further efforts by Afghanistan and regional partners and organizations, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, to strengthen their partnership and cooperation, takes note of the eighteenth meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization held in Qingdao, China, on 9 and 10 June 2018, as it related to Afghanistan, and in this regard also takes note of the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization-Afghanistan Contact Group held in Beijing on 28 May 2018;

Remains deeply concerned about the persistent problem of anti-personnel landmines and explosive remnants of war, welcomes the achievements to date in the implementation of the Mine Action Programme for Afghanistan aimed at declaring Afghanistan mine-free by 2023, underscores the importance of sustained international assistance, 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, expresses concern at the use of improvised explosive devices by the Taliban against civilians and the Afghan security forces, and notes the need to enhance coordination and information-sharing between both Member States and the private sector to prevent the flow of improvised explosive device components to the Taliban;

Peace and reconciliation

Recognizes that an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned 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 and reiterates its firm commitment to supporting the Government of Afghanistan in its efforts in this regard, and that, to be successful, a political solution must ensure the renunciation of violence and the breaking of all ties to international terrorism, protect the human rights of all, including women, children and persons belonging to minorities, in accordance with international law and as enshrined in the Constitution of Afghanistan, and build a peaceful Afghanistan, with full respect for the implementation of the measures and application of the procedures introduced by the Security Council in its resolutions 1267 (1999), 1988 (2011), 2082 (2012), 2160 (2014) and 2255 (2015), 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 and Afghan-owned peace process, and recognizes the impact that terrorist attacks have on the Afghan people, while underlining that such acts should not hinder efforts to achieve a peace settlement;

Welcomes the offer made by the Government of Afghanistan to begin direct negotiations within the framework of a comprehensive peace plan and the offer made to the Taliban of talks without preconditions at the second meeting of the Kabul Process for Peace and Security Cooperation, on 28 February 2018, and calls upon the Taliban to accept this offer without any preconditions and without the threat of violence, with the aim of agreeing on an ultimate political settlement that leads to sustainable peace for the people of Afghanistan;

Also welcomes the temporary and partial ceasefire announced separately by the Government of Afghanistan and the Taliban, for the end of Ramadan and the Eid al-Fitr holiday, expresses its strong disappointment that the Taliban has not agreed to the Government’s offer to extend or repeat them, and urges the Taliban to respond to the call for peace from the Afghan people;

Encourages Afghanistan and Pakistan to enhance their relationship, which could lead to cooperation to combat terrorism effectively and move forward the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process, takes note, in that regard, of the conclusion of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity as an important mechanism of cooperation, and underscores the importance of the effective implementation of the commitments made;

Recalls that women play a vital role in the peace process, as recognized by the Security Council in its resolution 1325 (2000) of 31 October 2000 and in related resolutions, including resolution 2242 (2015) of 13 October 2015, welcomes steps taken by the Government of Afghanistan in implementing its national action plan on women, peace and security, recognizes in this regard the increasing role of women in the peace process, as manifested in their representation in the High Peace Council and its provincial committees and secretariats, as well as their contribution to the development of the Afghanistan peace and reconciliation strategy, as reflected in the report of the Secretary-General, supports further efforts in this regard, and encourages the Government of Afghanistan to further support the active participation of women in the peace process;

Recognizes that there is no purely military solution to ensure the stability of Afghanistan, welcomes the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process, as articulated at the second meeting of the Kabul Process for Peace and Security Cooperation as a main forum and vehicle under the leadership of the Government of Afghanistan to lead peace efforts, notes the work of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group, the International Contact Group on Afghanistan, the Tashkent dialogue consultations and the Moscow format consultations to reinforce Afghan-led and Afghan-owned efforts towards the holding of early direct peace talks between the Government of Afghanistan and authorized representatives of Taliban groups, and calls upon all regional and international partners of Afghanistan to continue their efforts, recognizing that success can be achieved only through the unified and close coordination of efforts under the leadership and ownership of the Government of Afghanistan;

Democracy

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;

Recalls the commitment of the Government of Afghanistan to improving Afghanistan’s electoral process, welcomes the parliamentary elections held in October 2018 and commends the participation and courage of millions of Afghans, including women as voters and candidates, condemns in the strongest terms all terrorist activity and violent attacks aimed at disrupting the elections, reiterates the important role of the independent Afghan electoral institutions in upholding the integrity of the electoral process, calls upon all stakeholders to continue to engage with the electoral institutions with patience and respect and to channel complaints through established constitutional mechanisms in line with Afghanistan’s electoral laws and Constitution, and also calls upon Afghanistan’s Government and institutions, including the Independent Election Commission and the Electoral Complaints Commission, to ensure that the forthcoming presidential elections and other elections foreseen in 2019 are credible, inclusive, fair and free, safe and transparent by continuing to implement the necessary electoral reforms and further technical and operational improvements to strengthen trust and confidence, including the updating of the voter registration databases;

Welcomes the increasingly wide and comprehensive dialogue on the political transition towards strengthening the unity of the Afghan people, and underscores its importance for consolidating democracy and Afghan political stability;

Calls upon the Government of Afghanistan to continue to reform effectively the public administration sector in order to implement the rule of law and to ensure good governance and accountability, and welcomes the commitments, efforts and progress made by the Government in this regard;

Rule of law, human rights and good governance

Emphasizes that the rule of law, human rights and good governance form the foundation for the achievement of a stable and prosperous Afghanistan;

Recalls the constitutional guarantee of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all Afghans, 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 acknowledges efforts of the Government of Afghanistan in this regard;

Recognizes the membership of Afghanistan in the Human Rights Council, and welcomes the commitment and responsibility assumed in upholding and promoting human rights at the national, regional and international levels, within the framework of relevant international human rights instruments to which it is a party;

Reiterates 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, as well as Al-Qaida, ISIL (Da’esh) affiliates and other terrorist and violent 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, and stresses the need to further promote tolerance and to ensure respect for the right to freedom of expression and the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief as enshrined in the Afghan Constitution and the international covenants that Afghanistan adheres to;

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;

Calls for the full implementation of the mass media law, while noting with concern and condemning the continuing intimidation and violence targeting Afghan journalists, such as cases of abduction and even the killing of journalists by terrorist and violent extremist and criminal groups, urges that the harassment of and attacks on journalists be investigated by Afghan authorities and that those responsible be brought to justice, and welcomes in this regard the issuance of the presidential decree of 3 January 2017 on better implementation of the laws related to mass media to reinforce freedom of expression and ensure access to information and the creation of a journalists’ support fund aimed at assisting the bereaved families of journalists and reporters;

Reiterates its unwavering commitment and that of the Government of Afghanistan to achieving the full and equal participation of women in all spheres of Afghan life, commends the achievements and efforts of the Government aimed at countering discrimination and protecting and promoting the equal rights of women and men consistent with its international obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and pursuant to the Afghan Constitution, the National Action Plan for the Women of Afghanistan, the Afghan national action plan on women, peace and security, the law on the elimination of violence against women and the national strategy to prevent violence against women, and welcomes recent measures taken towards the protection of women’s and girls’ full and equal enjoyment of human rights, including the establishment of a senior position in the Office of the Attorney General on the elimination of violence against women and the appointment of 44 female attorneys in 25 provinces;

Emphasizes the need to ensure respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of children in Afghanistan, 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 Council resolutions 1998 (2011) of 12 July 2011 and 2286 (2016) of 3 May 2016 on attacks against schools and hospitals, in particular by terrorist and violent extremist and criminal groups, commends the Government of Afghanistan for introducing legislation banning the recruitment and use of children and for establishing local child protection units, and welcomes the progress made on the implementation of the action plan for the prevention of underage recruitment, signed in January 2011, and the annex thereto on children associated with the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces, and of the road map towards compliance, as well as the signing in 2017 of a child protection policy to protect children from the effects of armed conflict;

Recalls Security Council resolutions 2250 (2015) of 9 December 2015 on the maintenance of international peace and security and 2419 (2018) of 6 June 2018 on youth, peace and security, in which the Council reaffirmed the important role youth can play in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, welcomes the appointment of Afghanistan’s first youth representative to the United Nations, recognizes in this regard the Government of Afghanistan’s efforts in enhancing the representation of youth for the prevention and resolution of conflict, and encourages continued efforts in this regard;

Reiterates its appreciation for the anti-corruption commitment made by the Government of Afghanistan, welcomes in this respect the establishment of the National High Council for Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption, the Anti-Corruption Justice Centre and the National Procurement Commission, the adoption on 28 September 2017 of the Afghanistan National Strategy for Combating Corruption, the enactment of the revised penal code and the anti-corruption law of 2018 and the finalization of anti-corruption action plans for various ministries, as measures taken by the Government to implement its comprehensive reform agenda, strengthen governance and achieve a more effective, accountable and transparent administration at the national, provincial and local levels of government, takes note in this regard of the progress made thus far against the benchmarks of its comprehensive reform agenda presented and endorsed at the third Senior Officials Meeting and at the Geneva Conference on Afghanistan, and urges continued decisive action and accelerated implementation by the Government to establish a more effective, accountable and transparent administration at the national, provincial and local levels of government;

Calls upon the international community to support the efforts of Afghanistan to meet governance objectives in this regard;

Counter-narcotics

Welcomes the efforts of the Government of Afghanistan in fighting drug production in Afghanistan, takes note of the report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime entitled Afghanistan Opium Survey 2018: Cultivation and Production, released on 19 November 2018, which, inter alia, notes a significant decrease in the production and cultivation of drugs, due in part to the drought affecting Afghanistan, notes that areas under cultivation remain at high levels, stresses the need to further strengthen joint, coordinated and resolute efforts by the Government, supported by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and international and regional actors, within their designated responsibilities, 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, human rights and economic and social development, in particular in rural areas, including the development of improved alternative livelihood programmes;

Notes with great concern the strong nexus between the drug trade and terrorist activities by the Taliban, including the Haqqani Network, as well as Al-Qaida, ISIL (Da’esh) affiliates and other terrorist groups, violent and extremist groups and criminal groups, which pose a serious threat to security, the rule of law and development in Afghanistan and the region, and stresses the importance of the full implementation of all relevant Security Council resolutions in this regard, including resolutions 2255 (2015) and 2368 (2017), and in this regard emphasizes the need for the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1988 (2011) and the Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) to continue to pay attention to the linkages between the proceeds of organized crime, inter alia, the illicit production of and trafficking in drugs and their chemical precursors and the financing, respectively, of the Taliban, including the Haqqani Network, and of ISIL (Da’esh), Al-Qaida and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities;

Calls upon the international community to continue to assist the Government of Afghanistan in its National Drug Control Strategy and National Drug Action Plan, calls for such efforts to eliminate the cultivation and production of, trafficking in and consumption of illicit drugs, increase support for Afghan law enforcement and criminal justice agencies, agricultural and rural development for the creation of improved alternative, licit livelihoods for farmers and demand reduction support, increase public awareness of counter-narcotics issues and build the capacity of drug control institutions and care and treatment centres for drug users, reiterates its call upon the international community to channel counter-narcotics funding through the Government of Afghanistan, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and other relevant organizations and mechanisms to the extent possible, notes that the problem of production, cultivation, trafficking in and consumption of narcotic drugs, as well as the problem of precursors, should be addressed on the basis of the principle of common and shared responsibility of the Government and the international community, and welcomes and supports relevant international and regional projects and activities, including those carried out by Afghanistan, Iran (Islamic Republic of) and Pakistan within the framework of the triangular initiative to counter narcotics, as well as the Paris Pact initiative;

Social and economic development

Notes Afghanistan’s position as the top improver in the World Bank Doing Business 2019 report and the work of the Government of Afghanistan in implementing reforms to improve the business regulatory framework;

Welcomes the Afghanistan National Peace and Development Framework setting out the strategic policy priorities of Afghanistan towards achieving self-reliance and the presentation of five national priority programmes, on a citizens’ charter, women’s economic empowerment, urban development, comprehensive agriculture and national infrastructure, to improve the conditions for advancing sustainable development and stability;

Renews its commitment to long-term support for the economic development of Afghanistan on the basis of mutual accountability as stated in the Geneva Mutual Accountability Framework, 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 Afghanistan National Peace and Development Framework and the national priority programmes contained therein, all possible and necessary humanitarian, recovery, reconstruction, development, financial, educational, technical and material assistance for Afghanistan, and underscores 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 Geneva Mutual Accountability Framework;

Recognizes the substantial development and notable progress achieved 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 midway through 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, welcomes the presentation by the Government of Afghanistan of the National Priority Programme on Women’s Economic Empowerment and encourages its continued implementation, and welcomes the launch of the women’s economic empowerment plan in March 2017 and the creation of a coordination unit for the National Priority Programme within the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Martyrs and Disabled as important measures for the implementation of the National Priority Programme;

Welcomes the progress made in implementing the Self-Reliance through Mutual Accountability Framework and the commitment to continuing the reforms agreed in the Geneva Mutual Accountability Framework and the monitoring mechanism included therein, in which the Government of Afghanistan reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening 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 enhancing the 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: Partnership for Self-Reliance in Afghanistan – From Transition to Transformation and reaffirmed in the communiqué of the Brussels Conference on Afghanistan and the new Geneva Mutual Accountability Framework indicators;

Commends the Government of Afghanistan for aligning its new development strategy with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and urges the international community to assist the Government in implementing its unfinished Millennium Development Goals and its Sustainable Development Goals;

Also commends the Government of Afghanistan for improving budgetary transparency and its efforts to reach fiscal sustainability, notes the challenges ahead, and urges that continued efforts be made to meet revenue targets;

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;

Reiterates the necessity of providing Afghan children, especially Afghan girls, with educational and health facilities in all parts of the country, and welcomes the progress achieved in the sector of public education;

Notes with concern the severe drought affecting Afghanistan, with 3.3 million Afghans facing emergency-level food insecurity and more than 220,000 Afghans displaced from their homes, and urges the international community to provide the necessary support and to work with the Government of Afghanistan and humanitarian organizations to respond effectively to the drought needs identified in the revised Afghanistan Humanitarian Response Plan without delay, prior to the onset of winter;

Underscores the urgent need to address the impacts of climate change in Afghanistan, and emphasizes the need for local, subnational, national, regional and international action to enhance efforts to build resilience, especially for the most vulnerable, by investing in resilience, including disaster risk reduction, strengthening adaptation strategies and enhancing joint risk assessments and risk management strategies, including early warning systems in the country to monitor environmental changes, to cut the impact and cost of natural disasters;

Refugees

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, asks for continued generous support by the international community, and asks relevant international organizations, in particular the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration, to continue to work closely with Afghanistan and the countries hosting Afghan refugees 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, emphasizes the importance of the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees to Support Voluntary Repatriation, Sustainable Reintegration and Assistance to Host Countries, and looks forward to the further implementation of the joint communiqué of the International Conference on the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees to Support Voluntary Repatriation, Sustainable Reintegration and Assistance to Host Countries 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 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 internally displaced persons and 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;

Takes note of the cooperation framework signed between the Government of Afghanistan and the European Union, entitled “Joint way forward on migration issues”, and in this context underscores the importance of close and effective cooperation to address the problem of irregular migration in a comprehensive manner, with due focus on and consideration of addressing the root causes of migration, including through job creation and the establishment of returnees’ livelihoods in Afghanistan, and in accordance with international commitments and obligations, including the human rights and legal rights of all migrants and the rights of persons in need of international protection in line with the provisions of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol thereto, as applicable;

Welcomes the commitment of the Government of Afghanistan to 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, takes note in this regard of the accession of Afghanistan to the Protocol against the smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, on 2 February 2017, 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;

Welcomes the continued return of Afghan refugees and internally displaced persons, in a voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable manner, while noting with concern the security challenges of Afghanistan;

Regional cooperation

Stresses the crucial importance of advancing constructive and sustainable regional cooperation as an effective means of promoting and complementing peace, security, stability and economic and social development in Afghanistan, recognizes in this regard the importance of the contribution of neighbouring and regional partners and regional organizations, recalls the importance of the Kabul Declaration on Good-neighbourly Relations of 22 December 2002 and welcomes in this regard the continued commitment of the international community to supporting the stability and development of Afghanistan, encourages further improved relations and enhanced engagement between Afghanistan and its neighbours, calls for further efforts in this regard, including in the framework of the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process on Regional Security and Cooperation for a Secure and Stable Afghanistan and by regional organizations and long-term strategic partnerships and other agreements aimed at achieving a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan, welcomes international and regional initiatives in this regard, such as those of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, the Economic Cooperation Organization, the Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan process, the European Union, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Quadrilateral Cooperation and Coordination Mechanism in Counter-Terrorism comprising the armed forces of Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and Tajikistan, the China-Afghanistan-Pakistan dialogues and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-building Measures in Asia;

Welcomes the important initiatives for regional connectivity, notably in the frameworks of the Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan and the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process confidence-building measures to facilitate increased trade throughout the region, commends the holding of the seventh Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan in Ashgabat on 14 and 15 November 2017, and looks forward to the forthcoming Heart of Asia Ministerial Conference, to be held in Turkey in 2019;

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;

Welcomes and urges further efforts to strengthen the process of regional economic cooperation, including measures to facilitate regional connectivity, trade and transit, acknowledges the progress made on such projects and initiatives as the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project, the Central Asia South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade Project (CASA-1000), the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) 500 and Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Tajikistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TUTAP) electricity projects, the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan Regional Integration Programme (PATRIP), the Chabahar agreement between Afghanistan, India and the Islamic Republic of Iran and the transport of development assistance from India to Afghanistan through the Chabahar port, the Lapis Lazuli Transit, Trade and Transport Route agreement and the Turkmenistan-Aqina railway segment and on bilateral transit trade agreements, expanded consular visa cooperation and the facilitation of business travel, to expand trade, increase foreign investments and 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 and the region, notes the historical role of Afghanistan as a land bridge in Asia, recalls that such regional economic cooperation plays an important role in achieving stability and development in Afghanistan, in this regard urges all relevant stakeholders to create a feasible and secure environment for the full implementation of these development initiatives and trade agreements, and welcomes the progress made by these initiatives and projects in enhancing regional connectivity, trade and transit, including the creation of direct air freight corridors between Afghanistan and China, India, Italy, Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates;

United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board

Expresses its appreciation for the work of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, as mandated by the Security Council in its resolution 2405 (2018), stresses the continued importance of the central and impartial coordinating role of the United Nations in promoting a more coherent international engagement, and acknowledges the central role played by the Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board in this regard;

Emphasizes the importance of the strategic review of the mandated tasks, priorities and related resources of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, and calls for the continued implementation of the recommendations of the Secretary-General, with a view to supporting efforts for peace and ensuring greater coordination, coherence and efficiency among relevant United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, based on the “One United Nations” approach, in line with the reform agenda and the national priority programmes of the Government of Afghanistan;

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

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

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