NEW YORK – The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) witnessed a rareclash between China and US over Afghanistan.
UNSC has extended the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission forAfghanistan (UNAMA) only for six months, not as regular 12 months.
UNAMA’s mandate was not approved for 12 months due to political tensionsbetween the United States and China who are the permanentmembers of the UNSC.
Based on the approved resolution, UNAMA’s mission will end on 17 September2019.
Afghanistan’s permanent representative at the UN Adela Raz said Afghanistanis currently in a critical juncture and that support of the UNSC would helpthe country move forward.
“Afghanistan stands at a critical juncture,” she emphasized.
Raz went on to say that the Afghan government is committed to having atransparent electoral process and also it is working toward an Afghan-ownedand Afghan-lead peace process.
Read Top Stories
Raz said Afghanistan expects the UNSC to continue its support to Kabul andhelp government move forward.
“We expect the Security Council to remain firmly engaged in ourstabilization efforts in the way forward,” she stressed.
The UNSC resolution says that China wanted the Belt and Road initiative tobe pointed to in the UNSC resolution on UNAMA’s mission extension inAfghanistan, but it did not happen as the US sees ambiguities about theproject and says that China is following political goals behind theinitiative.
The problem, thus, caused the UN mission to be extended only for sixmonths.
