United Nations Security Council Resolution 2041 – Afghanistan

Resolution 2041 (2012)

The Security Council,

Recalling its previous resolutions on Afghanistan, in particular its resolution 1974 (2011) extending through 23 March 2012 the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) as established by resolution 1662 (2006),

Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity of Afghanistan,

Reiterating support for the Transition (Inteqal) process which will entail the assumption of full responsibility by Afghanistan’s institutions in the security sector, consistent with the London, Kabul and Bonn Conferences and the Lisbon Summit, recognizing that transition is not only a security process but also entails the full assumption of Afghan leadership and ownership in governance and development, and affirming that the United Nations support in Afghanistan takes full account of the transition process in Afghanistan,

Emphasizing the Kabul Process towards the primary objective of accelerated Afghan leadership and ownership, strengthened international partnership and regional cooperation, improved Afghan governance, enhanced capabilities of Afghan security forces, economic growth and better protection for the rights of all Afghan citizens, including women, and welcoming specifically the commitments made by the Afghan Government,

Stressing the importance of a comprehensive approach to address the security, economic, governance and development challenges in Afghanistan, which are of an interconnected nature, and recognizing that there is no purely military solution to ensure the stability of Afghanistan,

Reaffirming its continued support for the Government and people of Afghanistan as they rebuild their country, and strengthen the foundations of sustainable peace and constitutional democracy,

Welcoming the International Afghanistan Conference in Bonn on 5 December 2011 and its Conference Conclusions (S/2011/762), as well as the declaration in Bonn that the Process of Transition, to be completed by the end of 2014, should be followed by a Decade of Transformation (2015-2024) and welcoming further the strategic consensus between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the International Community on a renewed and enduring partnership for this Transformation Decade based on firm mutual commitments,

Looking forward to the ministerial conference on Afghanistan to be held in Tokyo in July 2012, which will address the international community’s commitments and support towards Afghanistan’s sustainable economic development through the Transition period and beyond, built upon the firm mutual commitments within the Bonn Conference Conclusions, which also recognized the need for the Government of Afghanistan to take forward governance and economic reforms,

Reaffirming specifically in this context its support for the implementation, under the leadership and ownership of the Afghan people, of the commitments set out in the London (S/2011/65) and Kabul Conference Communiqués, of the Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS) and of the National Drugs Control Strategy, as part of the comprehensive strategy to be taken forward by the Government of Afghanistan with the support of the region and the international community and with a central and impartial coordinating role for the United Nations, consistent with the Kabul Process and in line with the National Priority Programmes,

Welcoming the “Third Ministerial Conference of the Paris Pact on Combating the Illicit Traffic in Opiates Originating in Afghanistan”, held in Vienna on 16 February 2012, taking note of the Vienna Declaration and emphasizing the aim of the Paris Pact to establish a broad international coalition to combat illicit traffic in opiates, as part of a comprehensive approach to peace, stability, and development in Afghanistan, the region and beyond,

Stressing the crucial importance of advancing regional cooperation as an effective means to promote security, stability and economic and social development in Afghanistan, recalling the importance of the Kabul Declaration of 22 December 2002 on Good-Neighbourly Relations (Kabul Declaration) (S/2002/1416), welcoming, in this regard, the continued commitment of the international community to support stability and development in Afghanistan, noting international and regional initiatives such as the Istanbul “Heart of Asia” Summits, the quadrilateral Summits of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and the Russian Federation as well as the Trilateral Summit of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan in February 2012 in Islamabad, as well those as by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Collective Security Organization (CSTO) and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and looking forward to the Fifth Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan (RECCA) to be held in Tajikistan on 26-27 March 2012,

Commending the outcome of the Istanbul Conference for Afghanistan held on 2 November 2011, where Afghanistan and its regional partners, with the support of the international community, affirmed their commitment to strengthen regional security and cooperation for a secure and stable Afghanistan, including through enhanced regional dialogue and confidence-building measures, and looking forwardto the first follow-up on the Istanbul Conference, scheduled to convene at the ministerial level in Kabul on 14 June 2012, and welcomes also, in this regard, the first Senior Officials Preparatory Meeting of 29 February 2012 in Kabul,

Looking forward also to the International Conference on Afghan Refugees in May 2012 in Switzerland and a successful outcome for the population of Afghan refugees and returnees in the region, which aims at the adoption of a roadmap for action,

Stressing the central and impartial role that the United Nations continues to play in promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan by leading the efforts of the international community, including, jointly with the Government of Afghanistan, the coordination and monitoring of efforts in implementing the Kabul Process through the Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board (JCMB) in support of the priorities set up by the Government of Afghanistan and expressing its appreciation and strong support for the ongoing efforts of the Secretary-General, his Special Representative for Afghanistan and in particular the women and men of UNAMA who are serving in difficult conditions to help the people of Afghanistan,

Expressing its appreciation to the Secretary-General for the comprehensive review undertaken in accordance with the request in paragraph 43 of Security Council resolution 1974 (2011) and taking due note of its findings contained in the Secretary-General’s report on Afghanistan dated 5 March 2012 (SC/2012/133),

Reaffirming that, consistent with the transition process, the role of international actors will evolve further from direct service delivery to support and capacity-building for Afghan institutions, enabling the Government of Afghanistan to exercise its sovereign authority in all its functions, including the phasing out of all Provincial Reconstruction Teams, as well as the dissolution of any structures duplicating the functions and authority of the Government of Afghanistan at the national and subnational levels,

Stressing the importance of a comprehensive and inclusive, Afghan-led and Afghan-owned political process in Afghanistan to support reconciliation for all those who are prepared to reconcile as laid forth in the 20 July 2010 Kabul Conference Communiqué and further elaborated in the 5 December 2011 Bonn Conference Conclusions supported by the Government of Afghanistan and the international community, with full respect for the implementation of measures and application of the procedures introduced by the Security Council in its resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1988 (2011) as well as other relevant resolutions of the Security Council and noting, in this context, the establishment of the Committee pursuant to Security Council resolution 1988 (2011),

Recalling the support of the Traditional Loya Jirga in November 2011 to the Government of Afghanistan’s reconciliation process and supporting the aims of the High Peace Council and its outreach efforts both within and outside Afghanistan,

Recalling the Government of Afghanistan’s commitments at the Kabul Conference to strengthen and improve Afghanistan’s electoral process, including long-term electoral reform, in order to ensure that future elections will be transparent, credible and democratic, and reaffirming that Afghanistan’s peaceful future lies in the building of a stable, secure, economically sustainable state, free of terrorism and narcotics and based on the rule of law, strengthened democratic institutions, respect for the separation of powers, reinforced constitutional checks and balances and the guarantee and enforcement of citizens’ rights and obligations,

Welcoming the contribution of the International Contact Group to the United Nations efforts in coordinating and broadening international support for Afghanistan,

Emphasizing once again the agreement reached at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) Lisbon Summit 2010 between the Government of Afghanistan and countries contributing to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to gradually transfer full security responsibility in Afghanistan to the Afghan National Security Forces country-wide by the end of 2014, taking note of the Declaration by NATO and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on an enduring partnership signed in Lisbon on 20 November 2010 acknowledging the joint efforts under the Transition (Inteqal) process, welcoming the progress made so far in the implementation of the first and second tranche of Transition, and looking forward to the phased and responsible extension of the process to the rest of the country,

Underlining the importance of operationally capable, professional and sustainable Afghan National Security Forces for meeting Afghanistan’s security needs, with a view to lasting peace, security and stability, stressing the long-term commitment, beyond 2014, and into the Transformation Decade (2015-2024), of the international community to support the further development, including training, and professionalization of the Afghan national security forces, Looking forward to the discussion on Afghanistan at the forthcoming NATO Summit in Chicago,

Recognizing that security gains must be supported by progress in Afghan governance and development capacity, noting, in this context, the synergies in the objectives of UNAMA and of ISAF as also noted in resolution 2011 (2011), and stressing the need for optimized cooperation, coordination and mutual support, taking due account of their respective designated responsibilities,

Recognizing once again the interconnected nature of the challenges in Afghanistan, reaffirming that sustainable progress on security, governance, human rights, the rule of law, and development, as well as the cross-cutting issues of anti-corruption, counter-narcotics and transparency are mutually reinforcing and welcoming the continuing efforts of the Afghan Government and the international community to address these challenges through a comprehensive approach,

Reiterating the need for all United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, through the Country Team mechanism and a “One-UN” approach under the guidance of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, to increase efforts, in full consultation and cooperation with the Government of Afghanistan, to achieve greater coherence, coordination, efficiency and full alignment with the National Priority Programmes identified by the Government of Afghanistan,

Welcoming the efforts of countries that are increasing their civilian, including humanitarian efforts to assist the Government and the people of Afghanistan and encouraging the international community to further enhance their contributions in a coordinated manner with the Afghan authorities and UNAMA, with a view to strengthening Afghan leadership and ownership, including at the Tokyo Conference in July 2012,

Stressing the need to further improve the reach, quality and quantity of humanitarian aid, ensuring efficient, effective and timely coordination and delivery of humanitarian assistance, including through enhanced coordination among the United Nations agencies, funds and programmes under the authority of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and between the United Nations and other donors, especially where it is most needed, supporting the Afghan Government to increasingly take the lead in coordinating humanitarian assistance to its citizens,

Emphasizing the need for all, within the framework of humanitarian assistance, of upholding and respecting the humanitarian principles, of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence,

Reiterating its concern about the security situation in Afghanistan, in particular the ongoing violent and terrorist activities by the Taliban, Al-Qaida and other violent and extremist groups, illegal armed groups, criminals and those involved in the production, trafficking or trade of illicit drugs, and the strong links between terrorism activities and illicit drugs, resulting in threats to the local population, including children, national security forces and international military and civilian personnel,

Recognizing the continuously alarming threats posed by the Taliban, Al-Qaida and other violent and extremist groups and illegal armed groups as well as the challenges related to the efforts to address such threats, and expressing its serious concern over the harmful consequences of violent and terrorist activities by the Taliban, Al-Qaida and other violent and extremist groups and illegal armed groups on the capacity of the Afghan Government to guarantee the rule of law, to provide security and basic services to the Afghan people, and to ensure the improvement and protection of their human rights and fundamental freedoms,

Recalling its resolutions 1674 (2006), 1738 (2006) and 1894 (2009) on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, expressing its serious concern with the increased high number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan, in particular women and children, the increasingly large majority of which are caused by the Taliban, Al-Qaida and other violent and extremist groups and illegal armed groups, reaffirming that all parties to armed conflict must take all feasible steps to ensure the protection of civilians, calling for all parties to comply with their obligations under international law including international humanitarian and human rights law and for all appropriate measures to be taken to ensure the protection of civilians, and recognizing the importance of the ongoing monitoring and reporting to the United Nations Security Council, including ISAF, of the situation of civilians and in particular civilian casualties, taking note of the progress made by Afghan and international forces in minimizing the civilian casualties, as recognized in the 4 February 2012 report by UNAMA on the protection of civilians in armed conflict,

Expressing also concern with the serious threat that anti-personnel mines, remnants of war and improvised explosive devices pose to the civilian population, and stressing the need to refrain from the use of weapons and devices prohibited by international law,

Encouraging the international community and regional partners to further effectively support Afghan-led sustained efforts to address drug production and trafficking, notably through the JCMB’s working group on counter-narcotics as well as regional initiatives, recognizing the threat posed by illicit drug production, trade and trafficking to international peace and stability in different regions of the world, and the important role played by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in this regard, and stressing the important role of the United Nations to continue to monitor the drug situation in Afghanistan,

Supporting the Afghan Government’s continued ban of Ammonium Nitrate fertilizer, and urging prompt action to implement regulations for the control of all explosive materials and precursor chemicals, thereby reducing the ability of insurgents to use them for improvised explosive devices, and calling upon the international community to support the Afghan Government’s efforts in this regard,

Recalling the declaration addressed to the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) by the Government of Afghanistan that there is no legal use for acetic anhydride in Afghanistan for the time being and that producing and exporting countries should abstain from authorizing the export of this substance to Afghanistan without the request from the Afghan Government, and encouraging, pursuant to resolution 1817 (2008), Member States to increase their cooperation with the INCB, notably by fully complying with the provisions of article 12 of the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, 1988,

Recalling the resolution (1999), 1296 (2000), 1674 (2006), 1738 (2006) and 1894 (2009) on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, its resolutions 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008) and 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009) and 1960 (2010) on women and peace and security, and its resolution 1612 (2005), 1882 (2009) and 1998 (2011) on children and armed conflict, and taking note of the report of the Secretary-General (S/2011/55) on Children and Armed Conflict in Afghanistan as well as the conclusions of the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict (S/AC.51/2011/3),

1. Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General of 5 March 2012 (S/2012/133);

2. Expresses its appreciation for the United Nations long-term commitment to support the Government and the people of Afghanistan and reiterates its full support to the work of UNAMA and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General;

3. Decides to extend until 23 March 2013 the mandate of UNAMA, as defined in its resolutions 1662 (2006), 1746 (2007), 1806 (2008), 1868 (2009), 1917 (2010), 1974 (2011) and paragraphs 4, 5, 6 and 7 below;

4. Recognizes that the renewed mandate of UNAMA takes full account of the transition process and is in support of Afghanistan’s full assumption of leadership and ownership in the security, governance and development areas, consistent with the understandings reached between Afghanistan and the international community in the London, Kabul and Bonn Conferences and the Lisbon Summit;

5. Calls on the United Nations, with the support of the international community, to support the Government of Afghanistan’s National Priority Programmes covering the issues of security, governance, justice and economic and social development and to support the full implementation of mutual commitments made on these issues at the Kabul and London Conferences, and reaffirmed as part of the strategic consensus at the Bonn Conference, as well as on continuing implementation of the National Drug Control Strategy, and requests that UNAMA, in an increasingly enabling function, assist the Government of Afghanistan on its way towards ensuring full Afghan leadership and ownership, as defined by the Kabul process;

6. Decides further that UNAMA and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, within their mandate and guided by the principle of reinforcing Afghan sovereignty, leadership and ownership, will continue to lead and coordinate the international civilian efforts, in accordance with the London and Kabul Conference Communiqués and the Bonn Conference Conclusions, and with a particular focus on the priorities laid out below:

(a) promote, as co-chair of the Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board (JCMB), more coherent support by the international community to the Afghan Government’s development and governance priorities, including through supporting the ongoing development and sequencing of the National Priority Programmes, mobilization of resources, coordination of international donors and organizations, and direction of the contributions of United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, in particular for counter-narcotics, reconstruction and development activities; at the same time, support efforts to increase the proportion of development aid delivered through the Afghan Government, in line with the commitments made at the Kabul Conference, and support efforts to increase the transparency and effectiveness of the Afghan Government’s use of such resources;

(b) continue the cooperation with ISAF and the NATO Senior Civilian Representative at all levels and throughout the country in support of the ongoing transition to full Afghan leadership and ownership agreed to at the Kabul and London Conferences and the Lisbon Summit, in a sustainable manner to ensure the protection and promotion of the rights of all Afghans, in accordance with their existing mandates, in order to optimize civil-military coordination, to facilitate the timely exchange of information and, to ensure coherence between the activities of national and international security forces and of civilian actors in support of an Afghan-led development and stabilization process, including through engagement with provincial reconstruction teams and engagement with non-governmental organizations, in particular through its participation on the Joint Afghan-NATO Inteqal Board (JANIB) as an observer;

(c) provide outreach as well as good offices to support, if requested by the Afghan Government, the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process of peace and reconciliation, including through the implementation of the Afghan Peace and Reintegration Programme and proposing and supporting confidence-building measures within the framework of the Afghan constitution and with full respect for the implementation of measures and application of the procedures introduced by the Security Council in its resolutions 1267 (1999), 1988 (2011) and 1989 (2011) as well as other relevant resolutions of the Council;

(d) support, at the request of the Afghan authorities, the organization of future Afghan elections, as well as to strengthen, in support of the Government of Afghanistan’s efforts, the sustainability, integrity and inclusiveness of the electoral process, as agreed at the London, Kabul and Bonn Conferences, and provide capacity-building and technical assistance to the Afghan institutions involved in this process;

(e) support regional cooperation, with a view to assisting Afghanistan utilize its role at the heart of Asia to promote regional cooperation, and to work towards a stable and prosperous Afghanistan, building on the achievements made;

7. Also reaffirms that UNAMA and the Special Representative, leveraging the competencies of the United Nations country team and taking into account the transition process, will continue to lead international civilian efforts with an emphasis on enabling and strengthening the role of Afghan institutions to perform their responsibilities in the following priority areas:

(a) promote through an appropriate UNAMA presence, to be determined in full consultation and cooperation with the Government of Afghanistan, and in support of the Afghan Government’s efforts, implementation of the Kabul Process throughout the country including through enhanced cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and facilitate inclusion in and understanding of the Government’s policies;

(b) support the efforts of the Afghan Government, in fulfilling its commitments as stated at the London, Kabul and Bonn Conferences, to improve governance and the rule of law including transitional justice, budget execution and the fight against corruption, throughout the country in accordance with the Kabul Process, with a view to helping bring the benefits of peace and the delivery of services in a timely and sustainable manner;

(c) continue, with the support of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, to cooperate with and build capacity of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC), to cooperate also with the Afghan Government and relevant international and local non-governmental organizations to monitor the situation of civilians, to coordinate efforts to ensure their protection, to promote accountability, and to assist in the full implementation of the fundamental freedoms and human rights provisions of the Afghan Constitution and international treaties to which Afghanistan is a State party, in particular those regarding the full enjoyment by women of their human rights;

(d) coordinate and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance, in support of the Afghan Government and in accordance with humanitarian principles, with a view to building the capacity of the Government so it can assume the central and coordinating role in the future, including by providing effective support to national and local authorities in assisting and protecting internally displaced persons and to creating conditions conducive to the voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return of refugees from neighbouring and other countries and internally displaced persons;

8. Calls upon all Afghan and international parties to coordinate with UNAMA in the implementation of its mandate and in efforts to promote the security and freedom of movement of United Nations and associated personnel throughout the country;

9. Reiterates the need to ensure security of United Nations staff and its support for the measures already taken by the Secretary-General in this regard;

10. Stresses the importance of a continued presence of UNAMA and other United Nations agencies, funds and programmes in the provinces, consistent with the transition process, in support of and in cooperation with the Afghan Government, in response to needs and with a view to security and including the objective of overall United Nations effectiveness, and strongly supports the authority of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the coordination of all activities of United Nations agencies, funds and programmes in Afghanistan based on a “One-UN” approach;

11. Encourages the Secretary-General to continue his current efforts to take necessary measures to address the security issues associated with the United Nations presence and, during the current process of transition, particularly encourages careful coordination with the Afghan national security forces, supported by the Assistance Force, as appropriate;

12. Underscores the importance of a sustainable democratic development in Afghanistan with all Afghan institutions acting within their clearly defined areas of competence, in accordance with the relevant laws and the Afghan Constitution and welcomes, in this regard, the commitment of the Government of Afghanistan at the Kabul Conference, reaffirmed at the Bonn Conference, to deliver further improvements to the electoral process, including addressing the sustainability of the electoral process, and, taking into account the commitments by the international community and the Afghan Government made at the London, Kabul and Bonn Conferences, reaffirms UNAMA’s supporting role, at the request of the Afghan Government, in the realization of these commitments, and requests that, upon the request of the Government of Afghanistan, UNAMA provide assistance to the relevant Afghan institutions to support the integrity of the electoral process; and further calls upon members of the international community to provide assistance as appropriate;

13. Welcomes the continuing efforts of the Afghan Government to advance the peace and reconciliation process, including by the High Peace Council and the implementation of the Afghanistan Peace and Reintegration Programme, to promote an inclusive, Afghan-led dialogue on reconciliation and political participation as laid forth in the 20 July 2010 Kabul Conference Communiqué on dialogue for all those who “renounce violence, have no links to international terrorist organizations,” including Al-Qaida, “respect the constitution,” including its human rights provisions, notably the rights of women, “and are willing to join in building a peaceful Afghanistan,” and as further elaborated in the principles and outcomes of the 5 December 2011 Bonn Conference Conclusions, and encourages the Government of Afghanistan to make use of UNAMA’s good offices to support this process as appropriate, in full respect of the implementation of measures and procedures introduced by the Security Council in its resolution 1267 (1999) and 1988 (2011) as well as other relevant resolutions of the Council;

14. Welcomes also the measures taken by the Government of Afghanistan, and encourages it to continue to increase the participation of women as well as minorities and civil society in outreach, consultation and decision-making processes, and recalls that women play a vital role in the peace process, as recognized in Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) and related resolutions, therefore reiterates the need for the full, equal and effective participation of women at all stages of peace processes and urges their involvement in the development and implementation of post-conflict strategies in order to take account of their perspectives and needs;

15. Notes the establishment of the Committee pursuant to Security Council resolution 1988 (2011), its methods and procedures, welcomes, in this context, the cooperation of the Afghan Government and UNAMA with the Committee including by providing relevant information for updating the 1988 List, and by identifying individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with the Taliban in constituting a threat to the peace, stability and security of Afghanistan, as per the designation criteria set out in Security Council Resolution 1988 (2011), and notes that means of financing or supporting these individuals, groups, undertakings and entities includes but is not limited to proceeds derived from illicit cultivation, production and trafficking of narcotic drugs and their precursors originating in and transiting through Afghanistan, and encourages the continuation of such cooperation;

16. Stresses the role of UNAMA in supporting, if requested by the Government of Afghanistan, an inclusive Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process of peace and reconciliation, including the Afghan Peace and Reintegration Programme, while continuing to assess, including in collaboration with the AIHRC, its human rights and gender implications, including the promotion and protection of human rights, and encourages the international community to assist the efforts of the Government of Afghanistan in this regard including through continued support to the Peace and Reintegration Trust Fund;

17. Commends the outcome of the Istanbul Conference for Afghanistan held on 2 November 2011 and welcomes the ongoing Afghan-led regional effort within the framework of the Istanbul Process on Regional Security and Cooperation for a Secure and Stable Afghanistan and calls on Afghanistan and its regional partners to continue to enhance regional dialogue and confidence;

18. Welcomes ongoing efforts by the Government of Afghanistan, its neighbouring and regional partners and international organizations including the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to foster trust and cooperation with each other as well as recent cooperation initiatives developed by the countries concerned and regional organizations, including the Trilateral Summits of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkey, the Trilateral Summit of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan in February 2012 in Islamabad as well as SCO and SAARC, and further welcomes the reaffirmation in the outcome documents of the Istanbul and Bonn Conferences of the principles set out in the Good Neighbourly Relations Declaration of 2002;

19. Stresses the importance of increasing cooperation between Afghanistan and its international and regional partners against the Taliban, Al-Qaida and other violent and extremist groups and illegal armed groups, in promoting peace and prosperity in Afghanistan and in fostering cooperation in the economic and development sectors as a means to achieve the full integration of Afghanistan into regional dynamics and the global economy;

20. Calls for strengthening the process of regional cooperation, including measures to facilitate regional trade and transit, including through regional and bilateral transit trade agreements, expanded consular visa cooperation and facilitation of business travel, to expand trade, to increase foreign investments and to 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, noting the historic role of Afghanistan as a land bridge in Asia and looks forward to the Fifth Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan (RECCA) to be held in Tajikistan on 26-27 March 2012;

21. Reaffirms the central role played by the JCMB in coordinating, facilitating and monitoring the implementation of the Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS) and the National Priority Programmes and calls upon all relevant actors to enhance their cooperation with the JCMB in this regard with a view to further improve its efficiency;

22. Calls on international donors and organizations and the Afghan Government to adhere to their commitments made at the Kabul Conference and previous international conferences, as reaffirmed at the Bonn Conference, and reiterates the importance of further efforts in improving aid coordination and effectiveness, including by ensuring transparency, combating corruption; and enhancing the capacity of Government of Afghanistan to coordinate aid;

23. Calls upon the Afghan Government, with the assistance of the international community, including ISAF and the Operation Enduring Freedom coalition, in accordance with their respective designated responsibilities as they evolve, to continue to address the threat to the security and stability of Afghanistan posed by the Taliban, Al-Qaida and other violent and extremist groups, illegal armed groups, criminals and those involved in the production, trafficking or trade of illicit drugs;

24. Reiterates the importance of increasing, in a comprehensive framework, the functionality, professionalism and accountability of the Afghan security sector through appropriate vetting procedures, training, mentoring, equipping and empowerment efforts, for both women and men, in order to accelerate progress towards the goal of self-sufficient and ethnically balanced Afghan security forces providing security and ensuring the rule of law throughout the country and stresses the importance of the long-term commitment by the international community, beyond 2014, to ensure a capable, professional and sustainable Afghan National Security Force;

25. Welcomes in this context the continued progress in the development of the Afghan National Army and its improved ability to plan and undertake operations, and encourages sustained training efforts, including through the contribution of trainers, resources and Operational Mentoring and Liaison Teams through the NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan, and advice in developing a sustainable defence planning process as well as assistance in defence reform initiatives;

26. Takes note of the ongoing efforts of the Afghan authorities to enhance the capabilities of the Afghan National Police, calls for further efforts towards that goal and stresses the importance, in this context, of international assistance through financial support and provision of trainers and mentors, including the contribution of the NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan, the European Gendarmerie Force (EGF) contribution to this mission and the European Union through its police mission (EUPOL Afghanistan);

27. Welcomes the progress in the implementation by the Afghan Government of the programme of disbandment of illegal armed groups and its integration with the Afghanistan Peace and Reintegration Programme, and calls for accelerated and harmonized efforts for further progress, with support from the international community;

28. Condemns in the strongest terms all attacks, including Improvised Explosive Device attacks, suicide attacks, assassinations and abductions, targeting civilians and Afghan and international forces and their deleterious effect on the stabilization, reconstruction and development efforts in Afghanistan, and condemns further the use by the Taliban and other extremist groups of civilians as human shields;

29. Condemns also attacks against humanitarian workers, emphasizing that the attacks impede efforts to aid the people of Afghanistan, and underlines the need for all parties to ensure full, safe and unhindered access of all humanitarian actors, including United Nations staff and associated personnel, and comply fully with applicable international humanitarian law;

30. Welcomes the achievements to date in the implementation of the Mine Action Programme of Afghanistan, and encourages the Government of Afghanistan, with the support of the United Nations and all the relevant actors, to continue its efforts towards the removal of anti-personnel landmines, anti-tank landmines and explosive remnants of war in order to reduce the threats posed to human life and peace and security in the country; and expresses the need to provide assistance for the care, rehabilitation, and economic and social reintegration of victims, including persons with disabilities;

31. Recognizes the progress made by ISAF and other international forces in minimizing the risk of civilian casualties, as described in the 4 February 2012 UNAMA report on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, and calls on them to continue to take robust efforts in this regard, notably by the continuous review of tactics and procedures and the conduct of after-action reviews and investigations in cooperation with the Afghan Government in cases where civilian casualties have occurred and when the Afghan Government finds these joint investigations appropriate;

32. Expresses its strong concern about the recruitment and use of children by Taliban, Al-Qaida and other violent and extremist groups in Afghanistan as well as the killing and maiming of children as a result of the conflict, reiterates its strong condemnation of the recruitment and use of child soldiers in violation of applicable international law and all other violations and abuses committed against children in situations of armed conflict, in particular attacks against schools, education and health care facilities, and the use of children in suicide attacks and calls for those responsible to be brought to justice;

33. Stresses the importance of implementing Security Council resolution 1612 (2005), 1882 (2009) and 1998 (2011), in this context, supports the decree by the Minister of the Interior reaffirming the government’s commitment to preventing violations of the rights of the child dated 6 July 2011, welcomes the establishment of the Afghan Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee on Children and Armed Conflict and the subsequent signing by the Afghan Government of the action plan, and its annex, on children associated with national security forces in Afghanistan and calls for the full implementation of the provisions of the plan, in close cooperation with UNAMA, and requests the Secretary-General to continue to give priority to the child protection component of UNAMA;

34. Remains concerned at the serious harm that opium cultivation, production and trafficking and consumption continue to cause to the security, development and governance of Afghanistan as well as to the region and internationally, takes note of the UNODC Afghanistan Opium Survey 2011 released in October 2011, calls on the Afghan Government, with the assistance of the international community, to accelerate the implementation of the National Drug Control Strategy, including through alternative livelihood programmes, and to mainstream counter-narcotics throughout national programmes, and encouragesadditional international support for the four priorities identified in that Strategy, commends the support provided by the UNODC to the Triangular Initiative and the Central Asian Regional Coordination and Information Centre (CARICC) within the framework of the Paris Pact Initiative and the Rainbow Strategy and the UNODC regional programme for Afghanistan and neighbouring countries; as well as the contribution of the Domodedovo Police Academy of Russia;

35. Calls upon States to strengthen international and regional cooperation to counter the threat to the international community posed by the production, trafficking, and consumption of illicit drugs originating in Afghanistan, with a view to its progressive elimination, in accordance with the principle of common and shared responsibility in addressing the drug problem of Afghanistan, including through strengthening the law enforcement capacity and cooperation against the trafficking in illicit drugs and precursor chemicals and money-laundering and corruption linked to such trafficking, and calls for full implementation of its resolution 1817 (2008);

36. Appreciates the work of the Paris Pact initiative and its “Paris-Moscow” process in countering the production, trafficking and consumption of opium and heroin from Afghanistan and the elimination of poppy crops, drug laboratories and stores as well as the interception of drug convoys, underlines the importance of border management cooperation and welcomes the intensified cooperation of the relevant United Nations institutions with the OSCE and the CSTO in this regard;

37. Reiterates the importance of the full, sequenced, timely and coordinated implementation of the National Priority Programme on Law and Justice for All, by all the relevant Afghan institutions and other actors in view of accelerating the establishment of a fair and transparent justice system, eliminating impunity and contributing to the affirmation of the rule of law throughout the country;

38. Stresses in this context the importance of further progress in the reconstruction and reform of the prison sector in Afghanistan, in order to improve the respect for the rule of law and human rights therein, emphasizes the importance of ensuring access for relevant organizations, as applicable, to all prisons and places of detention in Afghanistan, and calls for full respect for relevant international law including humanitarian law and human rights law, noting the recommendations contained in the report of the Assistance Mission dated 10 October 2011;

39. Notes with strong concern the effects of widespread corruption on security, good governance, counter-narcotics efforts and economic development, and urges the Afghan Government, with the assistance of the international community, to vigorously lead the fight against corruption, and to enhance its efforts to establish a more effective, accountable and transparent administration and notes the commitments and efforts of the Government of Afghanistan in this regard;

40. Encourages all Afghan institutions, including the executive and legislative branches, to work in a spirit of cooperation, calls on the Afghan Government to pursue continued legislative and public administration reform in order to tackle corruption and to ensure good governance, as agreed at the Bonn Conference, with full representation of all Afghan women and men, and accountability at both national and subnational levels, and stresses the need for further international efforts to provide technical assistance in this area and reiteratesthe importance of the full, sequenced, timely, and coordinated implementation of the National Priority Programme on National Transparency and Accountability in this regard;

41. Calls for full respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms, including those of human rights defenders, and of international humanitarian law throughout Afghanistan, welcomes the growth in Afghan free media, but notes with concern the continued restrictions on freedom of media, and attacks against journalists, commends the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) for its courageous efforts to monitor respect for human rights in Afghanistan as well as to foster and protect these rights and to promote the emergence of a pluralistic civil society, applauds AIHRC for its organization of the Civil Society Forum at the Bonn Conference, stresses the importance of full cooperation with the AIHRC by all relevant actors and of allowing their independence as well as of ensuring their safety, and supports broad engagement across government agencies and civil society for the realization of the mutual commitments made, including the commitment to provide sufficient government financing for the AIHRC;

42. Recognizes that despite progress achieved on gender equality, enhanced efforts, including on measurable and action oriented objectives, are necessary to secure the rights of women and girls and to ensure all women and girls in Afghanistan are protected from violence and abuse, enjoy equal protection under the law and equal access to justice, strongly condemns discrimination and violence against women and girls, in particular violence aimed at preventing girls from attending schools, stresses the importance of implementing Security Council resolutions 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009) and 1960 (2010), notes the mainstreaming commitments introduced therein, and of ensuring that women fleeing domestic violence are able to find safe and secure refuge;

43. Welcomes the Afghan Government’s commitment to strengthen the participation of women in all Afghan governance institutions, including elected and appointed bodies and the civil service, supports efforts to accelerate implementation of the National Action Plan for Women in Afghanistan (NAPWA), to integrate its benchmarks into the National Priority Programmes and to develop a strategy to implement fully the Elimination of Violence Against Women (EVAW) law, including services to victims, recalls that the promotion and protection of women’s rights are an integral part of peace, reintegration and reconciliation, and requests the Secretary-General to continue to include in its reports to the Security Council relevant information on the process of integration of women into the political, economic and social life of Afghanistan;

44. Recognizes the importance of voluntary, safe, orderly return and sustainable reintegration of the remaining Afghan refugees for the stability of the country and the region, and calls for continued and enhanced international assistance in this regard;

45. Affirms also the importance of voluntary, safe, orderly return and sustainable reintegration of internally displaced persons;

46. Notes the need to continue to strengthen, with the support of the international community, Afghanistan’s absorption capacity for the full rehabilitation and reintegration of the remaining Afghan refugees and internally displaced persons;

47. Requests that the Secretary-General reports to the Council every three months on developments in Afghanistan, and to include in his reports an evaluation of progress made against the benchmarks for measuring and tracking progress in the implementation of UNAMA’s mandate and priorities as set out in this resolution;

48. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

Adopted by the Security Council at its 6738th meeting, on 22 March 2012.