Afghanistan

[…] Roza Otunbayeva, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), detailed the Organization’s “Comprehensive Approach” in that country, which “does not seek to normalize the status quo, but rather ensure that multiple key issues of concern — in particular upholding the country’s international obligations — remain at the core of engagement efforts”, she said.

Zero women in national or local decision-making bodies. Zero girls projected to be in secondary education following a December 2024 ban. These numbers are part of the index released Tuesday by gender equality agency UN Women, which is the most comprehensive study on gender inequality in Afghanistan since the Taliban resumed de facto control in 2021.

Pakistan has become the fourth country to appoint an ambassador to Kabul, after China, UAE and Uzbekistan.

The US Department of Homeland Security on May 12 announced an end to temporary protections for some Afghans living in the United States citing improved security and economic conditions in Afghanistan. … According to the nonprofit AfghanEvac, some 11,000 Afghans are currently covered by TPS [temporary protected status] in the United States.

Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers have followed through on decrees aimed at erasing women from public life in the country and restricting their freedom of movement, the UN mission to the country (UNAMA) said in its latest human rights report published on Thursday covering the first quarter of 2025.

Several UN aid agencies warned that Afghanistan’s escalating humanitarian crisis is being compounded by the mass return of its nationals from neighbouring countries, including Pakistan and Iran. The agencies also warned that the situation is further complicated by the struggling economy as well as restrictions on women’s rights.

Russia has suspended its ban on the Taliban, which it had designated for more than two decades as a terrorist organisation, in a move that paves the way for Moscow to normalise ties with the leadership of Afghanistan. 

The Security Council on Monday extended the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for another year, as UN agencies reported sharp declines in resources for lifesaving aid.

The top UN envoy for Afghanistan on Monday underscored the need for realistic engagement with the country as humanitarian and human rights crises deepen amid growing international isolation.

The conflict erupted on the first working day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan when food imports from Pakistan usually peak in Afghanistan. The fighting stranded about 5,000 trucks filled with essential goods on both sides of the border in harsh winter conditions.