UN delays Afghanistan special representative appointment at Doha meeting

The UN Security Council, in Resolution 2721 (2023), urged the UN Secretary-General to appoint a Special Representative for Afghanistan. However, the agenda for the third Doha meeting has excluded discussions on appointing this representative.

In a recent press briefing, Rosemary DiCarlo, overseeing the third Doha meeting, mentioned that pursuing the Security Council’s directive on appointing a Special Representative for Afghanistan is currently on hold.

The appointment of a Special Representative for Afghanistan was proposed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and was approved by a majority vote of 15 permanent and non-permanent members of the Security Council in late December last year.

The resolution mandated the UN Secretary-General to appoint a representative with expertise in human rights and gender issues to support Afghanistan’s reintegration into the international community and uphold human rights standards in the country.

The UN included this directive in the agenda for the Doha series to allow country representatives on Afghanistan matters to negotiate the appointment of a Special Representative for Afghanistan. However, in a recent press briefing, the UN Deputy Secretary-General stated that discussions on this matter have been suspended.

According to him, the process of appointing a Special Representative for Afghanistan is “ongoing,” and Antonio Guterres is actively seeking a suitable candidate for the role.

Expectations were high that the appointment of a Special Representative for Afghanistan would be a key topic at the third Doha meeting, but the agenda for the session, scheduled for late June and early July, has been reduced to financial, banking, and drug control issues.

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