06 December 2001

UN Security Council Resolution on Afghan Interim Authority

United Nations -- The Security Council December 6 endorsed the agreement made by the Afghan parties for an interim authority to govern the country for the next six months.

The resolution, which was adopted by a vote of 15 to 0, endorses the agreement on provisional arrangements for Afghanistan and calls on the Afghan groups to fully implement the pact.

It also gives the council's support to UN special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi to work with the provisional administration as spelled out in an annex to the agreement and declares the council's willingness to take further actions to support the agreement. While not specifically named in the resolution, the requests include helping the new Afghan authorities establish and train new security and armed forces and providing a multinational force to maintain security for Kabul and its surrounding areas until the new Afghan forces are functioning.

Following is the text of the UN resolution:

The Security Council,

Reaffirming its previous resolutions on Afghanistan, in particular its resolution 1378 (2001) of 14 November 2001,

Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity of Afghanistan,

Stressing the inalienable right of the Afghan people themselves freely to determine their own political future,

Determined to help the people of Afghanistan to bring to an end the tragic conflicts in Afghanistan and promote national reconciliation, lasting peace, stability and respect for human rights, as well as to cooperate with the international community to put an end to the use of Afghanistan as a base for terrorism,

Welcoming the letter of 5 December 2001 from the Secretary-General informing the Council of the signature in Bonn on 5 December 2001 of the Agreement on provisional arrangements in Afghanistan pending the re-establishment of permanent government institutions (S/2001/1154).

Noting that the provisional arrangements are intended as a first step towards the establishment of a broad-based, gender sensitive, multi-ethnic and fully representative government,

• Endorses the Agreement on provisional arrangements in Afghanistan pending the re-establishment of permanent government institutions as reported in the Secretary-General's letter of 5 December 2001;

• Calls on all Afghan groups to implement this Agreement in full, in particular through full cooperation with the Interim Authority which is due to take office on 22 December 2001;

• Reaffirms its full support to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and endorses the missions entrusted to him in annex 2 of the above-mentioned Agreement;

• Declares its willingness to take further action, on the basis of a report by the Secretary-General, to support the Interim institutions established by the above-mentioned Agreement and, in due course, to support the implementation of the Agreement and its annexes;

• Calls on all Afghan groups to support full and unimpeded access by humanitarian organizations to people in need and to ensure the safety and security of humanitarian workers;

• Calls on all bilateral and multilateral donors, in coordination with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, United Nations Agencies and all Afghan groups, to reaffirm, strengthen and implement their commitment to assist with the rehabilitation, recovery and reconstruction of Afghanistan, in coordination with the Interim Authority and as long as the Afghan groups fulfill their commitments;

• Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.