WASHINGTON – The United Nations Security Council on Thursday extended themandate of its mission in Afghanistan by another year and supported Kabul’sfull assumption of leadership and ownership of its security, governance anddevelopment.

In a unanimous resolution, the Security Council welcomed the findings of astrategic review of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan orUNAMA’s mandated tasks, priorities and related resources, and called forimplementation of the Secretary‑General’s recommendations in that regard.

Extending its full support to the Afghan‑led and Afghan‑owned peaceprocess, the Council called on regional and international partners tosupport the Kabul Process for peace and security cooperation initiated inJune 2017, working towards early and direct talks between the governmentand authorized representatives of Taliban groups.

It reiterated concern over attacks by the Taliban, the Haqqani network,Al‑Qaida and affiliates of Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant(ISIL/Da’esh), and called on all states to strengthen their securitycooperation.

In her address to the Security Council Habibi Sarabi, Deputy Chairperson ofAfghanistan’s High Peace Council, said there were two indicators that thelives of Afghan women had changed over the last 17 years: the tirelessefforts of women themselves, and the country’s Constitution, which enabledwomen to become engaged in political and social issues.

The Taliban would be recognized as a political party so long as it obeyedthe rule of law and respected women’s rights.

Mariam Safi, Executive Director of the Organization for Policy Research andDevelopment Studies, on the other hand cautioned that the hope of abrighter future was beginning to fade.

Safe zones had become battlefields, and for the first time, young singlewomen comprised a significant number of refugees, she said.