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The United Nations Security Council unanimously extended the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) until 17 June 2027 in New York on Monday, preserving its humanitarian, rights and political work.
The 15-member Council adopted China-drafted Resolution 2822. It also requested a strategic review, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres due to report by 31 March 2027.
The extension allows UNAMA to coordinate humanitarian assistance, monitor human rights, engage Kabul and report developments to the Council.
China’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Fu Cong, said the mission remained important.
“Over the years, UNAMA has played an important role in coordinating international assistance and facilitating engagement and dialogue,” Fu said.
He said restrictions on Afghan women working for the UN were affecting its operations.
“The policy restricting female Afghan UN staff from accessing UN premises has been in place for several months, seriously affecting the normal functioning of UN agencies in Afghanistan,” Fu said.
U.S. representative Jennifer Locetta welcomed the review and called for a “streamlined, fit-for-purpose” mandate. She said the Taliban must meet counterterrorism commitments, respect human rights and end “hostage diplomacy”, referring to detained Americans.
Russia’s Deputy Permanent Representative, Anna Evstigneeva, supported the extension but said the review should involve Afghan authorities and focus on humanitarian and development needs.
The Taliban had not publicly responded by publication time. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid previously said UNAMA should improve international engagement and avoid what he described as biased reporting.
According to UN figures cited by Fu, nearly half of Afghanistan’s population requires humanitarian assistance and more than three-quarters cannot meet basic needs.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Norway for talks about the Russia-Ukraine war. He is expected to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who arrived in Oslo earlier. Witkoff will also meet European officials.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said regional issues should be resolved through diplomacy and blamed the United States for insecurity and tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, speaking at a joint news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday.
Yemen's Houthis have denied targeting the holy city of Medina on Wednesday adding that they have not conducted any military operations towards Saudi Arabia either, denying earlier comments from the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff is meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg, with discussions focused on the war in Ukraine and the prospects for progress in ongoing diplomatic efforts.
French authorities imposed local curfews in parts of Paris, Lille and Nice on Monday after a weekend of riots and looting linked to nationwide anti-government protests, as the government faced mounting criticism over security failures.
Georgia's Constitutional Court has begun hearing a landmark case that could see five opposition parties banned following a legal challenge by the ruling Georgian Dream party. Hearings are ongoing and expected to continue until at least Friday.
Türkiye has welcomed Libya's parliamentary approval of a disputed maritime agreement, despite strong opposition from the European Union, which says the deal violates international maritime law.
Yemen's Houthis have denied targeting the holy city of Medina on Wednesday adding that they have not conducted any military operations towards Saudi Arabia either, denying earlier comments from the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.
The United Nations warned on Tuesday that 19.2 million people in Afghanistan could face acute food insecurity this winter, as families struggle to afford food despite an increase in wheat production.
Georgia’s Constitutional Court in Batumi will on Wednesday hear a lawsuit seeking to ban five Georgian opposition parties, four of which collectively gained 784,820 votes (37.79 per cent) in the country’s last national elections in 2024.
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