Afghan

UN still seeking release of abducted election workers in Afghanistan

29 October 2004
The United Nations continues to be in touch with authorities in Afghanistan as it seeks to obtain the immediate and unconditional release of three foreign election workers abducted yesterday, a UN spokesman said Friday.

Three UN electoral workers abducted in Afghanistan

28 October 2004
Three international staff contracted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to work on Afghanistan's first-ever presidential elections earlier this month have been abducted by a group of armed men from a UN vehicle in the country's capital, a UN spokesman said today.
President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan

Latest figures from UN-Afghan body show Karzai set to win presidential race

25 October 2004
Afghanistan's interim President Hamid Karzai holds an insurmountable lead over his rivals with almost all of the votes now counted from the country's historic election on 9 October, the United Nations-Afghan body charged with supervising the poll process announced today.

Afghanistan lagging behind in human rights treatment, UN expert finds

25 October 2004
While Afghanistan has made great progress since the fall of the Taliban regime in late 2001, "gross violations of fundamental human rights" continue, from extrajudicial executions to inhuman detention to the frequent abuse or assault of women and girls, a United Nations expert says in his latest report to the General Assembly.

Most complaints on Afghan elections concerned voter-marking ink, UN says

20 October 2004
Most of the 285 formal complaints about Afghanistan's election concern ink used to mark voters, the UN mission in the country said today.

Five in Afghanistan killed when blast destroys vehicle, UN says

19 October 2004
An explosion destroyed a vehicle in the southern province of Paktia, killing five people, according to a spokesman for the joint United Nations-Afghan body overseeing elections in Afghanistan.

UN-Afghan electoral authority isolates some ballots as counting of votes begins

14 October 2004
The counting of votes in Afghanistan's historic presidential election began today after officials from the joint United Nations-Afghan electoral authority agreed to isolate some ballot boxes for further investigation of alleged polling irregularities.

Hailing Afghans' patience, civic maturity, Annan says poll probe will bring gains

12 October 2004
Congratulating Afghans on "their patience, resilience and civic maturity" during the presidential election process that culminated in Saturday's vote, Secretary-General Kofi Annan today said the inquiry into reported polling irregularities will ensure that the procedures are more reliable for local and parliamentary elections scheduled for next year.
Council President Amb. Jones Parry

Security Council urges Afghans to tackle key post-election challenges

12 October 2004
Welcoming Saturday's presidential election in Afghanistan, and congratulating the millions of voters for their "commitment to democracy," the Security Council today urged the Afghan Government to focus on the challenges of improving security, continuing the disarmament of ex-fighters, battling the illegal drug trade and preparing the country for parliamentary elections next April.
Kofi Annan

Annan urges lawful approach to Afghan poll dispute as experts named to probe

11 October 2004
Secretary-General Kofi Annan today hailed the Afghan people for their historic presidential election on Saturday and urged the candidates to lawfully resolve their dispute over polling irregularities, as the United Nations named two experts to serve on a panel which will probe the complaints.