Security Council resolution 2626 (2022) [on extension of the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) until 17 Mar. 2023]
Symbol: S/RES/2626 (2022)
Date: 2022-03-17
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/77 [47] UN ASSISTANCE MISSION IN AFGHANISTAN
S/77 [46] AFGHANISTAN SITUATION
S/ X The situation in Afghanistan.
Subjects: UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan|UN. Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan|PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS|GOOD OFFICES|AFGHANISTAN
Votes in favour: 14
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 1
Voting record:
country: ALBANIA
vote: yes
country: BRAZIL
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: GABON
vote: yes
country: GHANA
vote: yes
country: INDIA
vote: yes
country: IRELAND
vote: yes
country: KENYA
vote: yes
country: MEXICO
vote: yes
country: NORWAY
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: abstention
country: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                    S/RES/2626 (2022)
               Security Council                                                Distr.: General
                                                                               17 March 2022




               Resolution 2626 (2022)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 8997th meeting, on
               17 March 2022

                    The Security Council,
                    Recalling its previous resolutions on Afghanistan, in particular its resolution
               2596 (2021) extending through 17 March 2022 the mandate of the United Nations
               Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA),
                   Stressing the important role that the United Nations will continue to play in
               promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan,
                     Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial
               integrity and national unity of Afghanistan, as well as its continued support for the
               people of Afghanistan,
                     Recognizing that an integrated and coherent approach among relevant political,
               humanitarian and development actors, within and outside of the United Nations
               system, consistent with their respective mandates, is critical to building and
               sustaining peace in Afghanistan,
                    Emphasizing the importance of the establishment of an inclusive and
               representative government, further emphasizing the importance of the full, equal and
               meaningful participation of women, and upholding human rights, including for
               women, children and minorities,
                     Expressing its deep concern regarding the dire economic and humanitarian
               situation in Afghanistan, including food insecurity, and recalling that women,
               children, and minorities have been disproportionately affected, recognizing the need
               to help address the substantial challenges facing Afghanistan’s economy, including
               through efforts to restore the banking and financial systems and efforts to enable the
               use of assets belonging to Afghanistan’s Central Bank for the benefit of the Afghan
               people, and for strengthened efforts to provide humanitarian assistance and other
               activities that support basic human needs in Afghanistan, in accordance with
               resolution 2615 (2021), and the important coordination role of the United Nations in
               this regard, and emphasizing that the effective delivery of humanitarian assistance
               requires all actors to allow full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access for all
               humanitarian personnel, including women, for United Nations agencies, international
               and national non-governmental organizations, and other humanitarian actors,
                   Expressing its serious concern about the situation of women and girls, the
               imposition of restrictions on their participation in public life, and the erosion of



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               respect for their rights, in particular through their lack of equal access to education,
               economic opportunities, justice and other services,
                     Acknowledging that enhancing respect for the civil, political, social, economic
               and cultural rights of all Afghans is of critical importance as well as contributes to
               the conditions essential to creating sustainable development in Afghanistan,
                     Further expressing its deep concern about the security situation in Afghanistan,
               particularly the situation for civilians, including women, children, displaced persons,
               minorities, and humanitarian workers, as well as the presence of landmines,
               improvised explosive devices and explosive remnants of war, a nd the number of
               reported serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights abuses
               across the country, and stressing the importance of sustained efforts to reduce
               violence and that perpetrators of such violence must be held accountable,
                     Reaffirming the importance of combating terrorism in Afghanistan, including
               those individuals and groups designated by the Security Council Committee pursuant
               to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015), and ensuring the territory
               of Afghanistan should not be used to threaten or attack any country, to plan or finance
               terrorist acts, or to shelter and train terrorists, and that no Afghan group or individual
               should support terrorists operating on the territory of any country,
                      Expressing concern over the cultivation, production, trade and trafficking of
               illicit drugs in Afghanistan which continue to pose a threat to peace and stability in
               the region and beyond, calling upon states to strengthen international and regional
               cooperation to counter this threat and recognizing the important role of the United
               Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in this context,
                    1.   Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General of 28 January 2022
               (S/2022/64);
                    2.     Expresses its appreciation for the United Nations’ long-term commitment
               to support the people of Afghanistan and reiterates its full support to the work of
               UNAMA and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, and stresses the
               need for its continued field presence;
                   3.    Welcomes UNAMA’s ongoing efforts in the implementation of its
               mandated tasks and priorities;
                    4.    Decides to extend until 17 March 2023 the mandate of UNAMA, as
               previously defined in its resolutions 1662 (2006), 1746 (2007), 1806 (2008), 1868
               (2009), 1917 (2010), 1974 (2011), 2041 (2012), 2096 (2013), 2145 (2014), 2210
               (2015), 2274 (2016), 2344 (2017), 2405 (2018), 2460 (2019), 2489 (2019), 2543
               (2020), 2596 (2021) and paragraph 5 below;
                      5.   Decides further that UNAMA and the Special Representative of the
               Secretary-General will continue to carry out their mandate in close consultations with
               all relevant Afghan political actors and stakeholders, including relevant authorities as
               needed, in support of the people of Afghanistan in a manner consistent with Afghan
               sovereignty, leadership and ownership, with a particular focus on the priorities laid
               out below:
                     (a) coordinate and facilitate, in accordance with international law, including
               international humanitarian law, and consistent with humanitarian principles, the
               provision of humanitarian assistance and financial resources to support humanitarian
               activities, taking into account resolution 2615 (2021), and strengthen the cooperation
               and coherence of activities across Afghanistan, work towards improving the
               accessibility of the full spectrum of activities by humanitarian and development
               agencies and personnel, both women and men, across all ethnic groups, in all areas
               of the country, in support of all people in need, including women, children, displaced

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           persons, minorities and persons with disabilities, as well as support efforts to create
           conditions conducive to a voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable re turn and
           reintegration of internally displaced persons and refugee populations, while taking
           steps to avoid unnecessary duplication of other relevant entities’ efforts in this regard;
                 (b) coordinate international donors and organizations in relation to b asic
           human needs, taking into account resolution 2615 (2021), including through
           information-sharing, facilitate development policy dialogue between all relevant
           Afghan stakeholders, the region and the wider international community, support
           efforts to increase accountability, transparency and the effective use of aid without
           discrimination, and support community-based systems for meeting basic human needs
           and increasing resilience, support the provision of essential services to the Afghan
           population and contribute to creating economic and social conditions that can lead to
           self-reliance and stability, and continue to work with all relevant stakeholders and
           international financial institutions to facilitate commercial and financial activity in
           Afghanistan and support efforts to facilitate access to assets belonging to
           Afghanistan’s Central Bank for the benefit of the Afghan people;
                 (c) provide outreach and good offices, including to facilitate dialogue bet ween
           all relevant Afghan political actors and stakeholders, the region and the wider
           international community, with a focus on promoting inclusive, representative,
           participatory and responsive governance at the national and subnational levels,
           without any discrimination based on gender, religion or ethnicity, with the full, equal
           and meaningful participation of women and the meaningful participation of
           minorities, youth and persons with disabilities, provide advice on inclusive national
           and local consultative mechanisms, as well as confidence-building measures,
           capacity-building, conflict management and reconciliation;
                 (d) promote responsible governance and the rule of law, including transitional
           justice, monitor and report on political, security, social an d economic developments,
           including the adverse impacts of the drought, provide assistance as appropriate to the
           Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team established pursuant to
           paragraph 7 of resolution 1526 (2004), monitor and analyse security dynamics across
           the country, perform analysis relating to political economy, including a better
           understanding of the illicit economy, provide comprehensive analy sis and liaise with
           all relevant Afghan political actors, civil society representatives and other
           stakeholders to promote political inclusion and broad participation in the conduct of
           public affairs, and analyse and report on developments relating to the r ule of law;
                 (e) engage with all stakeholders at the national and subnational levels and
           civil society and international non-governmental organizations in the protection and
           promotion of the human rights of all Afghans, monitor, report and advocate with
           regard to the situation for civilians, the prevention and elimination of violence,
           including a survivor-centred approach to preventing and responding to sexual and
           gender-based violence, the prevention of torture, monitoring of places of detention
           and the promotion of the rights of detainees, as well as monitor and report on civil,
           political, social, economic and cultural rights to assist with efforts to further reduce
           poverty and support social cohesion, support the rights of victims and civic
           engagement, promote, support and advise on Afghanistan’s implementation of the
           provisions of instruments concerning human rights and fundamental freedoms to
           which Afghanistan is a State party and by which it is bound, including the Convention
           on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and
           advocate for the provision of and equal access to essential public services, due process
           and justice, and as appropriate provide technical advice to duty bearers on
           international human rights standards;



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                      (f) integrate gender mainstreaming as a cross-cutting issue throughout the
               implementation of its mandate, support and promote gender equality, women’s and
               girls’ empowerment and the full protection of their human rights, including education,
               and the full, equal, meaningful and safe participation, engagement and leadership of
               women in all levels and stages of decision-making, in line with resolution 1325 (2000)
               and related resolutions, and engage with diverse Afghan women’s organizations and
               networks, as well as monitor and report specifically on violations, abuses and
               reprisals committed against women, including against those who protect and promote
               human rights, journalists, health-care and humanitarian workers, as well as those
               previously associated with the government, police, justice and security sector;
                     (g) monitor and report on violations and abuses against children, and support
               efforts to strengthen the protection of children, including through en gagement with
               parties listed in the annexes of the Secretary-General’s report on Children and Armed
               Conflict (A/75/873-S/2021/437) to undertake specific commitments and measures to
               end and prevent violations and abuses against children;
                     (h) support regional cooperation, with a view to promoting stability and peace,
               as well as assisting Afghanistan in utilizing its role at the heart of Asia to promote
               regional cooperation and connectivity, based on transparenc y, openness, and
               inclusiveness, welcome joint efforts to enhance dialogue and collaboration and to
               advance shared goals of economic development across the region, and facilitate
               coordinated approaches by countries and organizations in the region to contrib ute to
               a stable and prosperous Afghanistan;
                     (i) coordinate the overall risk management approach of the United Nations in
               Afghanistan, including monitoring, analysis and escalation of risks related to the
               assistance coordinated by the United Nations to Afghanistan in line with
               paragraphs 5 (a) and 5 (b) of this resolution, including the risk of aid diversion;
                      (j) support, within its mandate, existing mechanisms to improve the overall
               security situation in Afghanistan, provide assessments of the explosive ordnance
               threat and its impact on civilians, including children, advise and coordinate explosive
               ordnance threat mitigation measures in support of humanitarian and development
               initiatives, support the coordination of the humanitarian mine action sector, a nd
               support regional and international efforts to prevent and address the illicit trade in
               and destabilizing accumulation of small arms and light weapons and their diversion
               in Afghanistan and the region;
                     6.    Stresses the critical importance of a continued presence of UNAMA and
               other United Nations Agencies, Funds and Programmes across Afghanistan, and calls
               upon all relevant Afghan political actors and stakeholders, including relevant
               authorities as needed, as well as international actors to coordinate wit h UNAMA in
               the implementation of its mandate and to ensure the safety, security and freedom of
               movement of United Nations and associated personnel throughout the country;
                   7.     Requests that the Secretary-General reports to the Council every three
               months on the situation in Afghanistan, and the implementation of UNAMA’s
               mandate, including at the subnational level;
                    8.    Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.




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