Still, British Ambassador Barbara Woodward called it “an important step towards a unified international response”.
The vote came just before the US withdrew its last troops from Afghanistan, ending America’s longest war, and four days after a suicide attack on the Kabul airport gate, at least 169 Afghans and 13 US soldiers were killed. The bombing was attributed to a member of the IS group.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday the resolution would propose a United Nations-controlled “security zone” in Kabul for humanitarian operations. Ultimately, however, the resolution demanded that “all parties grant full, safe and unhindered access” to aid groups.
UN diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations, said the resolution included some compromises but highlighted important points related to authorizing aid and travel.
The council “expects the Taliban to keep their promises to allow Afghans and foreigners to leave the country safely,” the resolution said.
The Taliban have stated that once they take control of Kabul airport after the US leaves, they will allow normal travel, and the US and about 100 other nations said in a statement on Sunday that the militants had assured people with travel documents continue to be able to leave.
The Russian ambassador Wassily Nebenzia complained that the resolution was not specific enough about terrorist threats, did not address the “brain drain” effect of the evacuation of Afghans and the economic and humanitarian consequences of it. Washington frozen the Afghan government’s US accounts after the Taliban takeover earlier this month.
“We see this as an attempt to shift the blame for the failure and collapse of the 20-year presence of the United States and its allies in the region on the Taliban and all countries in the region that are struggling with it.” of it, ”said Nebenzia.
China criticized the US for civilian casualties in a drone strike that American officials said hit a vehicle carrying multiple Islamic State suicide bombers.
Although the Council decision is intended as a declaration of international expectations, it does not contain any provisions for their implementation. The UN has long imposed sanctions on various Taliban figures and groups.
Woodward called the resolution a “first reaction”, noting that the council has the ability to lift or extend sanctions.
Meanwhile, the UN child arm said Monday that it was working to reunite dozens of children and parents who were separated during the massive, hasty airlift leading up to the US withdrawal.
UNICEF returned seven children to their parents in Kabul on Saturday and traced the parents of around 70 other children to other countries, said Herve De Lys, UNICEF representative in Afghanistan.
Due to conflict, drought and other problems, around 10 million children in Afghanistan now need humanitarian aid, De Lys said.
Comments are closed.