UN mission to remain in Afghanistan another year, Security Council decides

Renewing the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) by another 12 months, the Security Council today stressed the importance of extending central authority across the whole country and disarming, demobilizing and reintegrating all armed factions.

By unanimous agreement, the Council adopted a resolution continuing the work of UNAMA, which has been in place since March 2002, until at least this time next year.

The Council acted in response to a recommendation by Secretary-General Kofi Annan, whose latest report on Afghanistan calls for the extension in order to consolidate gains achieved so far.

By today's resolution, the Council also resolved to encourage Afghan authorities to make sure the national presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for later this year are as inclusive and representative of the country's demographics as possible.

Next week in Berlin, representatives of the international community will meet over two days to discuss how to help Afghanistan in its reconstruction following years of war, instability and the defeat of the Taliban regime in late 2001.