UNITED NATIONS
\nThe United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution on Friday calling for the appointment of a special envoy for Afghanistan to increase engagement with the country and its Taliban leaders.
\nIt followed an independent assessment report issued in November which called for greater engagement with Afghanistan following the return to power of the Taliban in August 2021.
\nThe resolution calls on the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to name a special envoy to promote the independent report\u2019s recommendations, particularly regarding gender and human rights.
\nThe resolution was adopted after 13 members of the Security Council voted in favor, while Russia and China abstained.
\n\u201cThe UAE and Japan firmly believe the independent assessment serves as the best basis for discussions going forward,\u201d said Japan\u2019s UN ambassador Yamazaki Kazuyuki ahead of the vote.
\n\u201cThe resolution highlights the need to increase international engagement in a more coherent, coordinated and structured manner, as the independent assessment states.\u201d
\nThe United Arab Emirates and Japan have responsibility for raising the situation in Afghanistan at the Security Council as so-called \u201cpen-holders\u201d for the issue.
\nThe Taliban government is not officially recognized by any country or world body and the United Nations refers to the administration as the \u201cTaliban de facto authorities\u201d.
\nOfficials initially promised a softer version of the strict Islamic rule that characterized their first stint in power from 1996 to 2001, but restrictions have gradually been reintroduced \u2013 particularly affecting women.
\nTeenage girls have been banned from attending most secondary schools and women from universities, prompting global outrage and protests in some Afghan cities.
\nIn November 2022 women were prohibited from entering parks, funfairs, gyms and public baths.
\n\u201cThe United States strongly supports this resolution\u2019s call for a UN Special Envoy for Afghanistan. A Special Envoy will be well positioned to coordinate international engagement on Afghanistan, including with relevant Afghan political actors and stakeholders,\u201d said the United States\u2019 representative following the adoption of the resolution.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
UNITED NATIONS The United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution on Friday calling for the appointment of a special envoy for Afghanistan to increase engagement with the country and its Taliban leaders. It followed an independent assessment report issued in November which called for greater engagement with Afghanistan following the return to power of the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":207010,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[85],"class_list":{"0":"post-377819","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world","8":"tag-united-nations"},"yoast_head":"\n