The United Nations Security Council held a closed-door session on Afghanistan, which ended without a definitive outcome. During the session, members discussed extending UNAMA’s mandate, appointing a UN Special Envoy, and reviewing the results of the Doha Meeting. The current head of the Security Council stressed that achieving peace and stability in Afghanistan depends on establishing an inclusive political framework and upholding human rights, with a specific focus on women’s rights. He called on the Taliban to cease their discriminatory policies, systematic suppression, and gender-based discrimination while urging them to honor Afghanistan’s international obligations.
Simultaneously, eleven signatory countries to the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) principles in the Security Council issued a joint statement reaffirming their strong commitment to advancing the rights and interests of women and girls in Afghanistan. Nevertheless, the United Nations Security Council had previously reported that, in a closed-door session, the Deputy Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs presented a detailed report on the Doha meeting and its consultations with Taliban officials.
The United Nations Security Council held a closed-door session yesterday with the presence of some participants from the Doha Meeting. This session was convened based on Resolution 2721 (2023) of the Security Council. In this resolution, the Secretary-General of the United Nations was requested to appoint a special representative for Afghanistan after consulting and deliberating with a wide range of stakeholders and to report to this Council within 60 days.
However, the Security Council session behind closed doors was held without the presence of the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The session was chaired by Carolyn Rodrigues, the Ambassador of Guyana to the organization. According to information released by the Security Council before this session, council members discussed the appointment of a UN Special Envoy for Afghanistan, the powers, and the structure of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
Meanwhile, Carolyn Rodrigues, the rotating head of the UN Security Council, stated in a declaration that peace and stability in Afghanistan will be ensured when an all-inclusive political process is established, respect for the rule of law is upheld, and human rights, especially those of women and girls, are fully respected. The rotating head of the Security Council added that no one has been nominated as the UN Special Envoy for Afghanistan so far. She urged the Taliban to put an end to their misogynistic policies in Afghanistan. Rodrigues strongly condemned the Taliban’s systematic and persistent gender discrimination and suppression of women and girls.
In her statement, Rodrigues called on the Taliban to adhere to Afghanistan’s international commitments. She emphasized that Afghanistan is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a member of conventions eliminating discrimination against women, and children’s rights, and international civil rights treaties, among others.
The rotating head of the UN Security Council also highlighted meaningful social and cultural participation of women in Afghanistan and called for ensuring women’s rights to participate in the management and leadership of society.
However, Naseer Ahmad Faiq, the chargé d’affaires of Afghanistan’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, told the Hasht-e Subh Daily that the closed-door session of the Security Council was held in compliance with Resolution 2721 of the Council. According to him, this resolution mandated the Secretary-General of the United Nations to report to the Security Council within 60 days after consultations and discussions regarding the appointment of a UN Special Envoy for Afghanistan. Mr. Faiq added that during this session, the Deputy Secretary-General in charge of political and peace affairs presented a detailed report on the two-month-long discussions and efforts of the organization to the Security Council.
The chargé d’affaires of Afghanistan’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations stated that representatives of Iran, Pakistan, Qatar, Turkey, India, and Pakistan also participated in this Security Council session and raised their demands. Mr. Faiq clarified that no specific decision was made during this session, but there was support for appointing a UN Special Envoy for Afghanistan. He pointed out that representatives of some countries in the Security Council expressed their considerations regarding the demands of the Taliban.
Simultaneously, signatories of the Joint Commitment on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) issued a joint statement reaffirming their strong commitment to advancing the rights and interests of women and girls in Afghanistan. The signatories of this joint statement listed 13 points concerning the situation in Afghanistan, especially women’s rights, and emphasized their implementation. They emphasized that peace, stability, and sustainable development in Afghanistan can only be achieved through an all-inclusive political process based on respect for the rule of law and human rights.
The signatory countries of this joint statement have welcomed the participation of representatives of Afghan civil society in the Doha Meeting. These countries continue to emphasize their support for a process where the rights of women and girls are fully respected, and the voices of all the people of Afghanistan are heard. The signatories of this joint statement have urged the Taliban to be accountable for human rights violations and crimes against women and girls in Afghanistan. According to the signatories, the harsh winter conditions and natural disasters exacerbate the dire humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. They stated, “Women are integral to needs assessments, planning, and delivery of humanitarian assistance, acknowledging that their absence negatively impacts such aid reaching women, children, and the elderly.”
The signatories of this joint statement include Ecuador, France, Guyana, Japan, Malta, South Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Switzerland, Britain, and the United States.
António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who hosted the second meeting of country special representatives on Afghanistan on February 18th and 19th in Doha, Qatar, stated in a press conference that the Taliban had sent him a letter explaining unacceptable conditions for their participation. The Secretary-General mentioned that the Taliban’s demands included banning the participation of civil society representatives and other conditions indirectly recognizing the Taliban’s legitimacy.
Stéphane Dujarric, the spokesperson for the Secretary-General of the United Nations, reiterated that the second Doha meeting aimed to “discuss how to increase international participation in a coherent, coordinated, and structured manner, including through consideration of independent assessments on Afghanistan.”
The independent assessment report presented to the council on November 9, 2023, proposes a “participation architecture” and offers four overarching recommendations for an all-inclusive approach among political actors, and humanitarian, and developmental stakeholders to address the current challenges facing Afghanistan. These recommendations encompass a set of actions aimed at addressing the basic needs of the Afghan people, strengthening confidence, and providing a roadmap for political participation designed to reintegrate Afghanistan into the international community in line with its international commitments.
The independent assessment report suggests three mechanisms to oversee the implementation of its recommendations: a “large group format” composed of special representatives of member countries regarding Afghanistan who participated in the first Doha meeting, a “smaller contact group” selected from the larger group and linked to it, and a UN Special Enovy focusing on diplomacy between Afghanistan and international stakeholders and advancing intra-Afghan dialogues.
The Taliban have expressed opposition to some of the recommendations of the independent assessment, including the appointment of a UN Special Envoy. The group argues that such a position is unnecessary. The Taliban have stated that Afghanistan has had negative experiences with UN Special Envoys throughout its history.
China and Russia have emphasized the importance of considering the Taliban’s views on this assessment and have raised questions about the composition of the “smaller contact group.” These issues have led both Council members to abstain from Resolution 2721.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations has stated that the decision on the “smaller contact group” should be made by member states, suggesting that such a group could consist of five permanent Security Council members, neighboring countries, and donors.
In January of this year, Sierra Leone and Switzerland, co-chairs of the informal expert group, wrote to the Secretary-General before the second Doha meeting, emphasizing the importance of focusing on Afghan women’s rights and participation in all aspects.
It has also been mentioned that Security Council members will soon hold another meeting to discuss the extension of UNAMA’s mandate. Negotiations and consultations among Council members have already begun. The mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan is expected to conclude in March of this year. The regular quarterly Security Council session on Afghanistan will be held in early March 2024.