A draft UN Security Council resolution renewing the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) no longer refers to the Taliban as Afghanistan’s “de facto authorities,” according to Security Council Report, an independent New York-based organization that monitors and analyzes the work of the Security Council.
Instead, the draft resolution uses the phrase “relevant authorities,” a change that emerged after disagreements among Council members over language that some governments feared could imply legitimacy or recognition of Taliban rule.
According to Security Council Report, the United States, Britain and France objected to the term “de facto authorities,” arguing that it could confer a degree of legitimacy on the Taliban, which returned to power in Afghanistan in August 2021 but has not been formally recognized by any country.
China and Russia, however, reportedly supported retaining the phrase, arguing that it accurately reflects the political reality in Afghanistan, where the Taliban exercises control over state institutions and territory.
The dispute was one of several contentious issues during negotiations over the resolution, which is expected to extend UNAMA’s mandate for another year, until June 17, 2027.
The vote comes after the Security Council took the unusual step in March of extending UNAMA’s mandate for only three months rather than its customary one-year period. At the time, the United States pushed for a broader assessment of the mission’s priorities, effectiveness and ability to carry out its mandate under current conditions in Afghanistan.
As a result, the new draft resolution includes a request for UN Secretary-General António Guterres to conduct a strategic review of UNAMA and submit a written report aimed at supporting the effective implementation of the mission’s mandate.
According to Security Council Report, several Council members supported the review proposal, while others expressed concern that it could create uncertainty about the future of the mission. Russia reportedly questioned the need for such a review and opposed language that could be interpreted as opening the door to reconsidering UNAMA’s long-term viability.
Negotiations also revealed broader divisions over the international community’s engagement with Afghanistan.
Several Western members of the Council sought to preserve language emphasizing the UN-led Doha Process, which has become the principal framework for international engagement on Afghanistan. Russia, meanwhile, advocated a more “pragmatic” approach that would place greater emphasis on regional diplomatic initiatives and formats.
According to Security Council Report, disagreements over references to the Doha Process, regional engagement mechanisms and broader diplomatic efforts ultimately led negotiators to remove some disputed language from the final draft.
Human rights provisions also featured prominently in the negotiations.
Several Council members pushed to preserve or strengthen language related to human rights, women, peace and security, and protections for women and girls. The draft resolution retains references to sexual and gender-based violence and calls on UNAMA to document the human rights situation in Afghanistan, including the rights of women and children, the report says.
According to the report, the language on women and girls comes amid continued international criticism of Taliban restrictions on education, employment and public participation.
UNAMA, established in 2002, serves as the United Nations’ principal political mission in Afghanistan. Since the Taliban’s return to power, the mission has played a central role in humanitarian coordination, human rights monitoring and facilitating dialogue between Afghanistan and the international community.
If approved, the resolution would not only renew UNAMA’s mandate through June 2027 but also launch the first broad review of the mission’s role and priorities in several years, potentially shaping how the UN engages with Afghanistan in the future.
