The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) until 17 June 2027, as speakers warned that the systematic exclusion of women and girls from public life continues to undermine Afghanistan's prospects for peace, stability and recovery.
Unanimously adopting resolution 2822 (2026), (to be issued as document S/RES/2822(2026) ), the 15-member Council decided that UNAMA, under the leadership of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, will continue "to support the people of Afghanistan in a manner consistent with Afghan sovereignty, leadership and ownership".
By the text, the Council requested UNAMA to assist the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team and underscored the critical importance of UNAMA's continued presence, along with other United Nations agencies, funds and programmes. It called on Afghan stakeholders and international actors to coordinate with the Mission and ensure the safety, security and freedom of movement of United Nations and associated personnel.
Request for UNAMA Strategic Review
By other terms, the Council requested the Secretary-General to report to it every three months on the situation in Afghanistan and UNAMA's mandate implementation, including at the subnational level. The Council also requested the Secretary-General to conduct a strategic review of the Mission by 31 March 2027 to improve effectiveness, coherence and coordination, eliminate duplication and address obstacles to mandate delivery.
In the ensuing discussion, Council members pointed to UNAMA's sustained importance amid Afghanistan's humanitarian, political, security and human rights challenges. Several emphasized that the Mission's presence remains essential to avoid a vacuum and preserve international engagement.
China's representative, penholder of the resolution, said the Mission should focus both on the needs arising in Afghanistan and concerns of the international community. He called for facilitated humanitarian access, the return of central bank assets and the lifting of sanctions. "UNAMA should continue to engage with the Afghan Government to promote the rights of the Afghan people and ensure, in particular, the participation of women in public life," he added.
Bahrain's representative pointed to the Mission's "vital role" in following political, economic and humanitarian developments in the country.
Speakers Condemn of Reprisals against Women, Girls in Herat
The rights of women and girls were a central concern throughout the discussion. Colombia's representative, Council President for June, speaking in her national capacity, expressed deep regret over systematic restrictions affecting the exercise of fundamental rights of women and girls. "The work of UNAMA is critical for all Afghans," she insisted. Gender-based violence, a lack of access to education, and limits on women and girls' full, equal and safe participation in socioeconomic life restrict their ability to build an inclusive peace.
"Sustainable peace is impossible when women are denied their rights," Latvia's representative stressed, echoing condemnations of the arrests of women in Herat. Panama's representative said UNAMA's mandate must remain "firmly grounded" in the promotion and protection of human rights "specifically the rights of women and girls".
Denmark's representative expressed concern over reprisals, violations and abuses against women, girls, children, journalists, human rights defenders and health workers. Recent arrests and the use of lethal force against protesters in Herat, she said, are "a stark reminder of this reality". Greece's representative also welcomed the human rights provisions of the mandate, including those on preventing and eliminating all forms of violence, including sexual and gender-based violence. Women, peace and security provisions should be "mainstreamed throughout UNAMA's mandate", she insisted.
Pakistan Warns of Terror Threat as Russian Federation, United States Stake Out Positions on UNAMA's Strategic Review
Terrorism also featured prominently in today's discussion, with Pakistan's representative describing it as "one of the most serious challenges". Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Majeed Brigade, ISIL-K, Al-Qaida and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) all operate with impunity inside Afghanistan.
Many of these groups commit cross-border terrorist attacks against Pakistani civilians and law enforcement, he stressed, and target both critical infrastructure and public places. UNAMA must promote Afghanistan's compliance with its international obligations on counter-terrorism, human rights and inclusive governance. He also called for fair, balanced and evidence-based reporting, emphasizing that "the mere mention of events and developments without context does not serve a useful purpose."
Council members also addressed the strategic review of UNAMA as requested in the resolution, while differing on its purpose and scope. "A streamlined, fit-for-purpose UNAMA mandate is essential," the United States' representative insisted, noting that the Council must identify duplicative or unrealistic tasks to ensure the Mission produces results commensurate with Member States' investment. She underscored the need for a new Special Representative and UN Special Envoy to lead the Doha political process.
The Russian Federation's representative, meanwhile, said the strategic review must be based on a "sober and objective analysis of the situation", one conducted with Afghan authorities and focused on the needs of the Afghan people. She warned against using the review to turn UNAMA into an oversight structure that serves Western interests.
Some speakers called for international support to address the country's compounding humanitarian, socioeconomic and climate-related crises. Liberia's representative, speaking also for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Somalia, expressed support for UNAMA's "indispensable" role as "the principal platform for international engagement with Afghanistan". Noting that Afghans continue to endure severe climate-related shocks, displacement, human rights violations and security challenges, he called for "sustained international support and adequate humanitarian funding", as well as measures that enable all Afghans to contribute fully to their country's future.
Afghans Deserve Dignity, Opportunity, Hope
Speaking to those needs, Afghanistan's representative said that on 6 and 7 June, the Taliban's "so-called morality police" arbitrarily detained dozens of women and girls in Herat because of their "appearance and dress". Peaceful protests followed. Taliban forces responded with live fire, resulting in the death of a woman and a child. Since then, the Taliban have stepped up the interrogation, detention and imprisonment of social activists across the province. Additionally, recent bans on smartphones across Government institutions - alongside broader controls on information and communication - aim to suppress dissent, conceal abuses and further isolate the Afghan people.
These events reflect a pattern of "systematic discrimination, repression and exclusion that has - for nearly five years - sought to erase women and girls from public life", he said. He welcomed the call for the reversal of policies that are "inconsistent" with Afghanistan's international human rights obligations, Islamic values and Afghanistan's traditions. "Sustainable peace and stability cannot be achieved through exclusion," he argued.
Council unity in support of a strong UNAMA mandate sends an important message: "The people of Afghanistan deserve protection, dignity, accountability and a future defined by rights, opportunity and hope, rather than fear and repression."
