United Nations Security Council Resolution 2513 – The situation in Afghanistan

Resolution 2513 (2020)

The Security Council,

Recalling its previous resolutions on Afghanistan, in particular resolutions 2255 (2015), 2344 (2017), 2489 (2019), and 2501 (2019), and the statement by its President of 19 January 2018 (S/PRST/2018/2),

Stressing the important role that the United Nations, together with its assistance mission, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), 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, and its support for a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Afghanistan,

Acknowledging the widespread and sincere demand of the Afghan people for lasting peace and an end to the war, and recognizing that a sustainable peace can be achieved only through an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned peace process that leads to an inclusive, negotiated political settlement,

Welcoming accelerated efforts to make progress toward reconciliation and welcoming and encouraging the continuation of the efforts of all regional and international partners of Afghanistan to support peace, reconciliation, and development in Afghanistan,

Welcoming the nationwide reduction in violence period that resulted from talks between the United States and the Taliban, as well as consultations with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, in creating an environment conducive to peace negotiations, enabling greater freedom of movement, and reducing civilian casualties, and stressing the importance of sustained efforts to continue to reduce violence,

Emphasizing the importance of supporting the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in capacity building, in particular of the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) as well as the Afghan National Police (ANP) in securing their country and in their fight against terrorism,

Welcoming efforts to initiate, without delay, inclusive, intra-Afghan negotiations aimed at securing a durable peace settlement that ends the conflict in Afghanistan and ensures that Afghanistan is never again a safe haven for international terrorism,

Welcoming the Taliban’s commitment to prevent any group or individual, including Al-Qaida, from using the soil of Afghanistan to threaten the security of other countries, and its commitment to participate in intra-Afghan negotiations with all sides to discuss and agree on a political settlement and on the date and modalities of a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire, including joint implementation mechanisms,

Reaffirming the importance of ensuring that the territory of Afghanistan should not be used by Al-Qaida, ISIL or other international terrorist groups to threaten or attack any other country, and that neither the Taliban nor any other Afghan group or individual should support terrorists operating on the territory of any other country,

Bearing in mind the urgent need for all Afghan parties to counter the world drug problem with the goal of combating traffic in opiates originating from Afghanistan,

Noting that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is not recognized at the United Nations, and furthermore that the UN Security Council does not support the restoration of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,

1. Welcomes the significant steps towards ending the war and opening the door to intra-Afghan negotiations enabled by the Joint Declaration between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the United States of America for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan (Joint Declaration) (S/2020/185 and attached as Annex A to this resolution) and the Agreement for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan between the United States of America and the Taliban (Agreement) (S/2020/184 and attached as Annex B to this resolution);

2. Recognizes and encourages the sustained support of the United Nations and international and regional partners and their significant and ongoing contributions to the cause of peace, including the willingness of multiple countries to facilitate or convene intra-Afghan negotiations in order to achieve a political settlement and a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire;

3. Welcomes the intention of all Afghan parties to pursue the successful negotiation of an inclusive political settlement and a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire, taking into account the Joint Declaration and Agreement; emphasises the importance of the effective and meaningful participation of women, youth, and minorities, and affirms that any political settlement must protect the rights of all Afghans, including women, youth and minorities, and respect the strong desire of Afghans to achieve durable peace and prosperity, and must respond to the strong desire of Afghans to sustain and build on the economic, social, political and development gains achieved since 2001, including adherence to the rule of law, respect for Afghanistan’s international obligations, and improving inclusive and accountable governance;

4. Urges the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to advance the peace process, including by participating in intra-Afghan negotiations through a diverse and inclusive negotiating team composed of Afghan political and civil society leaders, including women;

5. Calls on the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Taliban to pursue in good faith additional confidence building measures to create conditions conducive to a swift beginning and the success of intra-Afghan negotiations and a durable peace, including additional reductions in violence to significantly reduce civilian casualties, especially children, and allow for increased international support for Afghanistan prior to agreement on a permanent an d comprehensive ceasefire, as well as release of prisoners;

6. Calls upon all States to provide their full support to promoting the successful negotiation of a comprehensive and sustainable peace agreement which ends the war for the benefit of all Afghans and that contributes to regional stability and global security;

7. Expresses its readiness upon the commencement of the intra-Afghan negotiations to consider the start of the of review of the status of designations of individuals, groups, undertakings and entities on the List established and maintained pursuant to resolution 1988 (2011), in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions, in order to support the peace process, and urges all States to conduct without any delay national reviews, mindful that Taliban action, or the lack thereof, to further reduce violence, make sustained efforts to advance intra-Afghan negotiations, and otherwise cease to engage in or support activities that threaten the peace, stability and security of Afghanistan, will affect the review;

8. Welcomes work underway by the international community to prepare for the delivery of humanitarian assistance and development assistance throughout Afghanistan with the aim of addressing humanitarian needs, promoting reconciliation, and extending the benefits of peace, further welcomes the efforts of regional cooperation for regional development, and stresses the importance of international and regional economic cooperation for the reconstruction of Afghanistan;

9. Requests the Secretary General to include in his reports on Afghanistan, as requested in paragraph 9 of resolution 2489 (2019), developments related to the efforts set out in this resolution;

10. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

Adopted by the Security Council at its 8742nd meeting, on 10 March 2020.