United Nations Security Council Resolution 2274 – The situation in Afghanistan

Resolution 2274 (2016)

The Security Council,

Recalling its previous resolutions on Afghanistan, in particular its resolution 2210 (2015) extending through 17 March 2016 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, as well as its continued support for the Government and people of Afghanistan as they rebuild their country and strengthen the foundations of sustainable peace and development and constitutional democracy,

Recalling the completion at the end of 2014 of the Transition (Inteqal) Process and the initiation of the Transformation Decade (2015-2024) with the assumption of full responsibility for the security sector by Afghan institutions, 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 affirmingthat the United Nations support in Afghanistan takes full account of the completion of the transition process in Afghanistan,

Emphasizing the Kabul Process towards the primary objective of reinforced Afghan leadership and ownership, strengthened international partnership and regional cooperation, improved Afghan governance, enhanced capabilities of Afghan security forces, economic growth, sustainable development and better protection for the rights of all Afghan citizens, in particular women and girls, 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,

Welcoming the start of the second year of the National Unity Government and emphasizing the importance of all parties in Afghanistan working within its framework in order to achieve a unified, peaceful and prosperous future for all the people of Afghanistan,

Welcoming further the strategic consensus between the Government of Afghanistan and the International Community on a renewed and enduring partnership for the Transformation Decade based on their refreshed mutual commitments as laid down in the Self-Reliance through Mutual Accountability Framework (SMAF) adopted by the Senior Officials Meeting on 5 September 2015 in Kabul, welcoming progress made towards meeting the mutual commitments set out in the Tokyo Mutual Accountability Framework (TMAF) and reaffirmed at the 2014 London Conference, to support the sustainable economic growth and development of Afghanistan, and reaffirming the importance of continued efforts by the Government of Afghanistan and the international community towards meeting their mutual commitments, and looking forward to the Ministerial Conference on Afghanistan to be held in Brussels in October 2016,

Affirming that sustainable progress on security, political stability, governance, fiscal sustainability, human rights, especially women’s rights, rule of law and development as well as the cross-cutting issues of counter-narcotics, anti-corruption and accountability are mutually reinforcing and that governance and development programmes should be consistent with the goals set forth in the Tokyo Declaration and be consistent with the Government of Afghanistan’s reform agenda, and welcoming the continuing efforts of the Government of Afghanistan and the international community to address these challenges through a comprehensive approach,

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 and Kabul Conferences Communiqués, and in the Self-Reliance through Mutual Accountability Framework (SMAF) outcome document of the Afghan Government reform agenda and of the National Drugs Control Strategy, as part of the comprehensive implementation strategy to be taken forward by the Government of Afghanistan with the support of the region and the international community, and with a coordinating role for the United Nations as facilitator and co-convener of donors, consistent with the Kabul Process,

Welcoming the Afghan government reform programme entitled “Realizing Self-Reliance: Commitments to Reforms and Renewed Partnership” that contains strategic policy priorities for Afghanistan towards realizing self-reliance in the Transformation Decade for improving security, political stability, economic and fiscal stabilization, advancing good governance, including electoral reform and strengthening democratic institutions, promoting the rule of law and respect for human rights, particularly in relation to women and girls, fighting corruption and the illicit economy, including narcotics, and paving the way for enhanced private sector investment and sustainable, social, environmental and economic development, and in this context affirming its support for the implementation of this reform programme under leadership and ownership of the Government of Afghanistan,

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, and noting international and regional initiatives such as the two Afghan-led regional processes, namely the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process on Regional Security and Cooperation for a Secure and Stable Afghanistan and the Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan (RECCA) process, as well as other initiatives such as the Trilateral Summit of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan, the Trilateral Summit of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkey and the Trilateral Summit of Afghanistan, Pakistan and the UK, as well as those by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Collective Security Organization (CSTO) and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Commending the outcome of the Fifth Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process Ministerial Conference, convened in Islamabad in December 2015, where Afghanistan and its regional partners, while stating their belief that “a secure, peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan, with strong commitment to human rights” is “vital to peace, stability and prosperity of the region as a whole”, recognized that “Afghanistan is one of the countries at the forefront of the war against terrorism, fighting regional and international terrorist groups and safeguarding the region against the spread of terrorism”, reaffirmed that it is their “collective responsibility to help and support Afghanistan in combating” the collective challenges it faces, and urged “the international community to stand by its commitments made during the London Conference of continued financial support to Afghanistan’s National Unity Government”, welcoming the confidence-building measures on Counter-Terrorism, Counter-Narcotics and Trade, Commerce and Investment Opportunity, and those on Education, Disaster Management and Regional Infrastructure, welcoming the Sixth Heart of Asia Ministerial Conference, to be held in New Delhi in 2016, and noting that the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process is intended to complement and cooperate with, and not substitute for, existing efforts of regional organizations, particularly where they relate to Afghanistan,

Welcoming also the outcome of the high-level segment of the UNHCR Executive Committee on the Afghan refugee situation held in Geneva on 6 and 7 October 2015, and the International Conference on the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees to Support Voluntary Repatriation, Sustainable Reintegration and Assistance to Host Countries, held in Geneva on 2 and 3 May 2012, and looking forward to the further implementation of the joint communiqué of the Conference, aimed at increased sustainability of returns and continued support for host countries, through sustained support and directed efforts of the international community, Stressing the important role that the United Nations will continue to play in promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan by coordinating amongst international donors and supporting the Afghan Government’s efforts in the role it plays in leading and coordinating between the Government and the international community and by working closely with the Government of Afghanistan and the international community to advocate for allocation of critical international resources for Afghanistan, all of this consistent with the principle of Afghan leadership, ownership and sovereignty in governance and development and in line with the Kabul Process and the Self-Reliance through Mutual Accountability Framework (SMAF) and based on the Government of Afghanistan’s reform agenda, 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 affirmed at the Tokyo and London Conferences; 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,

Taking note of the March 2015 Portfolio Review presented by the UN Country Team to the Government of Afghanistan, which highlights the work of the United Nations Agencies, Funds and Programmes in meeting the development objectives and expectations of the people of Afghanistan,

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 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 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), 1988 (2011), 2082 (2012), 2160 (2014) and 2255 (2015), as well as other relevant resolutions of the Council,

Welcoming the direct talks held in 7 July 2015 in Muree, Pakistan, between the Government of Afghanistan and Taliban representatives, facilitated by Pakistan and observed by China and the United States of America,

Recalling the Government of Afghanistan’s commitments at the Kabul, Tokyo and London Conferences and in the agreement creating the National Unity Government to strengthen and improve Afghanistan’s electoral process, including long-term electoral reform, in order to ensure that future elections will be transparent, credible, inclusive and democratic, looking forward to preparations for the upcoming parliamentary elections, and emphasizing the need for continued support of UNAMA, at the request of the Afghan authorities in this regard,

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,

Underlining the importance of operationally capable, professional, inclusive and sustainable Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) for meeting Afghanistan’s security needs, with a view to lasting peace, security and stability both in Afghanistan and the region, stressing the long-term commitment of the international community to support, throughout the Transformation Decade (2015-2024), the further development, including training, and professionalization of the ANDSF, and the recruitment and retention of women to the ANDSF, acknowledging the contribution of Afghanistan’s partners to peace and security in Afghanistan, welcoming the agreement between NATO and Afghanistan which led to the establishment on 1 January 2015 of the non-combat Resolute Support Mission, for training, advising and assisting the ANDSF at the invitation of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, noting the responsibility of the Government of Afghanistan to sustain a sufficient and capable ANDSF, noting also NATO and contributing partners’ contribution to the financial sustainment of the ANDSF and the long -term NATO-Afghanistan “Enhanced Enduring Partnership”, with a clear view to the gradual assumption of full financial responsibility by the Government of Afghanistan for its own security forces, recalling in this context resolution 2189 (2014), and looking forward to the 2016 Warsaw NATO summit deliberations on Afghanistan,

Stressing 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 further increase its focus on joint programming at all levels, to avoid duplication, ensure value for money and reduce transaction costs, as well as to establish progress indicators and transition benchmarks with the view to moving from co-ownership to affirming the full ownership and management of programmes by the Government, in full consultation and cooperation with the Government of Afghanistan, to achieve further greater coherence, coordination, efficiency and full alignment with the Government of Afghanistan’s reform agenda,

Encouraging the international donor community to continue their civilian and development efforts from 2017 to 2020 to assist the Government and the people of Afghanistan in advance of the Ministerial Conference on Afghanistan to be held in Brussels in October 2016 and hosted by the European Union, and also encouraging the international community to continue their contributions consistent with the Self-Reliance through Mutual Accountability Framework (SMAF) in a coordinated manner with the Afghan authorities and UNAMA, with a view to strengthening Afghan leadership and ownership as reaffirmed in the Kabul Process and at the Tokyo Conference in July 2012 and the London Conference in December 2014,

Stressing the need to further improve the efficient and effective 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, welcoming the establishment of the United Nations Common Humanitarian Fund, and supporting the Afghan Government’s essential role in the coordination of 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 region based violent extremist activities by the Taliban, including the Haqqani Network, as well as Al-Qaida and other violent and extremist groups, illegal armed groups, criminals and those involved in the production, trafficking ortrade of illicit drugs, and the strong links between terrorism activities and illicit drugs, resulting in threats to the local population, including women, children, national security forces and international military and civilian personnel, including humanitarian and development workers, and expressing also its deep concern for the record number of civilian casualties, in particular women and children from conflict-related violence in Afghanistan, as noted in the February 2016 UNAMA report on Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict,

Recognizing the continuously alarming threats posed by the Taliban, including the Haqqani Network, as well as Al-Qaida, ISIL (Da’esh) affiliates 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 all the above -mentioned 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,

Expressing serious concern at the presence and potential growth of ISIL (Da’esh) affiliates in Afghanistan, and affirming its support to the efforts by the ANDSF to combat them as well as assistance by Afghanistan’s international partners in this regard,

Recalling its resolutions 1674 (2006), 1738 (2006) and 1894 (2009) on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, expressing its grave concern with the 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, condemning the suicide attacks, often in civilian-populated areas, and the targeted and deliberate killings, in particular of women and girls, including high-level women officials and those promoting women’s rights, as well as journalists, reaffirming that all parties to armed conflict must take all feasible steps to ensure the protection of affected civilians, especially women, children and displaced persons, including from sexual violence and all other forms of gender-based violence, and that perpetrators of such violence must be held accountable, calling for all parties to comply with their obligations under international law including international humanitarian law 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, of the situation of civilians and in particular civilian casualties, taking note of the efforts made by Afghan and international forces in minimizing civilian casualties, and noting the February 2016 report by UNAMA on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, and the December 2015 UNAMA special report on Kunduz Province,

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

Supporting the Afghan Government’s continued ban of ammonium nitrate fertilizer, urging prompt action to implement applicable regulations for the control of all explosive materials as well as raw materials and components, including detonators, that can be used to manufacture IEDs, thereby reducing the ability of Taliban, Al-Qaida and other violent and extremist groups to use them for that purpose, noting the need to enhance coordination and information-sharing, both between Member States and with the private sector, to prevent the flow of IED components to those groups, and calling upon the international community to support the Afghan Government’s efforts in this regard,

Encouraging the international community and regional partners to further effectively support Afghan-led sustained efforts to address drug production and trafficking in a balanced and integrated approach, including through the JCMB’s working group on counter-narcotics as well as regional initiatives, and recognizingthe threat posed by the production, trade and trafficking of illicit drugs 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,

Taking note of the recent decrease in production and cultivation of drugs suggested by the 2015 UNODC Afghanistan Opium Survey, reiterating the serious harm that opium cultivation, production and trafficking and consumption continue to cause to the stability, security, public health, social and economic development and governance of Afghanistan as well as to the region and internationally, and stressing the important role of the United Nations to continue to monitor the drug situation in Afghanistan,

Acknowledging that illicit proceeds of drug trafficking significantly contribute to the financial resources of the Taliban and its associates, and stressing the need for increased coordinated regional efforts to combat the drug problem,

Welcoming the ongoing work of the Paris Pact Initiative as one of the most important frameworks in the fight against opiates originating in Afghanistan, taking note of the Vienna Declaration, and emphasizing the aim of the Paris Pact to establish a broad international coalition to combat the traffic of illicit opiates, as part of a comprehensive approach to peace, stability, and development in Afghanistan, the region and beyond,

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, 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 t he United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, 1988, and encouraging further international and regional cooperation with a view to prevent the diversion and trafficking of chemical precursors into Afghanistan,

Recalling its resolutions 1265 (1999), 1296 (2000), 1674 (2006), 1738 (2006), 1894 (2009) and 2222 (2015) on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, its resolutions 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008) and 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009), 1960 (2010), 2106 (2013), 2122 (2013) and 2242 (2015) on women and peace and security, its resolution 1612 (2005), 1882 (2009), 1998 (2011), 2068 (2012) and 2143 (2014) on children and armed conflict, and 2117 (2013) on small arms and light weapons, and taking note of the reports of the Secretary-General on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict (S/2015/453), on Children and Armed Conflict (S/2015/409), and in particular the report of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict in Afghanistan (S/2015/336) as well as the conclusions of the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict,

Adopted by the Security Council at its 7645th meeting, on 15 March 2016.