United Nations S/RES/2405 (2018)

Security Council Distr.: General

8 March 2018

Resolution 2405 (2018)

Adopted by the Security Council at its 8199th meeting, on
8 March 2018

The Security Council,

Recalling its previous resolutions on Afghanistan, in particular its resolution
2344 (2017) extending through 17 March 2018 the mandate of the United Nations
Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA),
Stressing the important role that the United Nations will continue to play in
promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan,
Recalling its recent visit to Kabul from 13–15 January as an affirmation of the
international community’s continued and steadfast support for a peaceful, secure,
stable and prosperous Afghanistan,
Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial
integrity and national unity of Afghanistan, as well as its continued support for the
Government and people of Afghanistan as they rebuild their country and strengthen
democratic institutions,
Stressing the central importance of a comprehensive and inclusive Afghan -led
and Afghan-owned political process to support reconciliation for all those who are
prepared to reconcile as laid forth in the Kabul Conference Communiqué and further
elaborated in the Bonn Conference Conclusions, aimed at creating a peaceful and
prosperous future for all the people of Afghanistan and welcoming efforts to advance
the peace process, including via the High Peace Council,
Emphasizing the vital role of the Kabul Process and welcoming the strategic
consensus between the Government of Afghanistan and the international community
on the Self-Reliance through Mutual Accountability Framework (SMAF),
Welcoming the start of the fourth year of the National Unity Government and
emphasizing the importance of all parties in Afghanistan working within its
framework in order to achieve a peaceful and prosperous future for all the people of
Afghanistan,
Recalling the announcement by the Independent Election Commission of
Afghanistan that parliamentary and district council elections will take place in 2018,
emphasizing the importance of accelerated progress on electoral reform in
Afghanistan and towards the holding of credible and inclusive parliamentary and
district council elections in 2018 and presidential elections in 2019, and stressing the

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need for continued support of UNAMA in this regard, at the request of the Afghan
authorities,
Stressing the importance of a comprehensive approach to address the security,
economic, governance and development challenges in Afghanistan, which are of an
interconnected nature, and recognizing that there is no purely military solution to
ensure the stability of Afghanistan,
Reiterating the importance of advancing regional, interregional and
international cooperation, in support of building a community of shared future for
mankind, to promote long-term peace, security, prosperity, sustainable development
and human rights in Afghanistan, and welcoming joint efforts to enhance dialogue
and collaboration and to advance shared goals of economic development across the
region,
Recognizing in this regard the positive impact and ongoing importance of
international commitments made at the NATO Warsaw Summit in 2016, and as
reiterated in 2017, and the Brussels Conference on Afghanistan in 2016, and
welcoming the announcement of the US Strategy for Afghanistan on 21 August 2017
and the European Union Strategy on Afghanistan, adopted on 16 October 2017 as
important developments in the context of continued international support for security,
development and stability in Afghanistan,
Welcoming the contribution of the International Contact Group (ICG) to the
United Nations efforts in coordinating and broadening international support for
Afghanistan,
Taking note of the Seventh Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on
Afghanistan in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan on November 14–15 2017 and the Heart of
Asia-Istanbul Process Ministerial Meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan on 1 December 2017,
Underlining the importance of operationally capable, professional, inclusive
and sustainable Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) for meeting
Afghanistan’s security needs, stressing the commitment of the international
community to support their further development, and commending the resiliency,
progress and exceptional courage displayed by ANDSF as well as their leading role
in securing their country and fighting against international terrorism, a nd welcoming
in this regard ongoing commitments to enhance the effectiveness and accountability
of Afghan national security institutions,
Expressing its deep concern about the continuous high level of violence in
Afghanistan, especially the number of civilian casualties, condemning in the strongest
terms all terrorist activity and all violent attacks, reiterating that attacks deliberately
targeting civilians are prohibited under international humanitarian law and may
amount to war crimes, and calling for compliance with international humanitarian law
and international human rights law, as applicable,
Recognizing the continuously alarming threats posed by the Taliban, including
the Haqqani Network, as well as by Al-Qaida, ISIL (Da’esh) affiliates and other
terrorist groups, violent and extremist groups and illegal armed groups, as well as the
challenges related to the efforts to address such threats, and expressing its serious
concern over the harmful consequences of violent and terrorist activities by all the
above-mentioned groups on the capacity of the Afghan Government to guarantee the
rule of law, to provide security and basic services to the Afghan people, and to ensure
the improvement and protection of their human rights and fundamental freedoms,
Expressing concern with the serious threat that anti-personnel mines, explosive
remnants of war and improvised explosive devices (IED) pose to the civilian

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population, and noting the need to enhance coordination and information -sharing,
both between Member States and with the private sector,
Expressing serious concern at the presence and growth of ISIL (Da’esh)
affiliates activity in Afghanistan, posing serious threats to the security of Afghanistan
and the countries of the region, including in Central Asia, and affirming its support to
the efforts by the ANDSF to combat them as well as assistance by Afghanistan ’s
international partners in this regard,
Reaffirming that all parties to armed conflict must take all feasible steps to
ensure the protection of civilians, especially women, children and displaced persons,
including from sexual and gender-based violence, and that perpetrators of such
violence must be held accountable,
Noting the ongoing work of the Committee established pursuant to Security
Council resolution 1988 (2011) and the continuation of the cooperation of the Afghan
Government, the High Peace Council and UNAMA with the Committee, including its
Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, and expressing its concern over
the increasing cooperation of the Taliban with other organizations involved in
criminal activities,
Expressing its deep concern about the continued high level of civilian casualties,
as noted in the February 2018 UNAMA report on Protection of Civilians in armed
conflict, and condemning the suicide attacks, often in civilian-populated areas, and
the targeted and deliberate killings, in particular of women and girls, including high -
level women officials and those promoting women’s rights, as well as journalists,
Expressing its deep concern about the significant increase in the cultivation,
production, trade and trafficking of illicit drugs in Afghanistan, as reflected in the
Afghanistan Opium Survey published by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
(UNODC) on 15 November 2017, encouraging the government of Afghanistan
supported by the international community and regional partners to intensify efforts to
address drug production and trafficking in a balanced and integrated approach, in
accordance with the principle of common and shared responsibility in addressing the
drug problem of Afghanistan, and recognizing the important role played by UNODC
in this regard,
Reaffirming that gender equality and women’s and girl’s empowerment,
education, human rights, and full participation and engagement in all levels of
decision-making are critical to efforts to maintain peace and security in Afghanistan,
urging the full implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), and emphasizing the need
for protection for women’s rights activists,
Expressing serious concern over the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, and
supporting the Afghan Government’s essential role in the provision of humanitarian
assistance to its citizens in coordination with efficient and effective delivery by
United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, consistent with a One UN approach,
1. Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General of 27 February 2018
(S/2018/165);
2. Expresses its appreciation for the United Nations’ long-term commitment,
including throughout the Transformation Decade, to support the Government and the
people of Afghanistan and reiterates its full support to the work of UNAMA and the
Special Representative of the Secretary-General, and stresses the need to ensure
continued adequate resourcing for UNAMA to fulfil its mandate;
3. Welcomes the findings of the strategic review of the mandated tasks,
priorities and related resources of the United Nations Assistance Mission in
Afghanistan, and calls for the implementation of the recommendations of the

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Secretary-General, including with a view to aligning the mission’s substantive

functions in support of peace efforts with the Secretary-General's emphasis on
integrating conflict prevention, conflict resolution and peacebuilding into the three
pillars of the work of the United Nations within Afghanistan, including in support of
an intra Afghan dialogue leading to a stable and inclusive political environment;
4. Decides to extend until 17 March 2019 the mandate of UNAMA, as
defined in its resolutions 1662 (2006), 1746 (2007), 1806 (2008), 1868 (2009), 1917
(2010), 1974 (2011), 2041 (2012), 2096 (2013), 2145 (2014), 2210 (2015), 2274
(2016), 2344 (2017) and paragraphs 6 and 7 below;
5. Recognizes that the renewed mandate of UNAMA is in support of
Afghanistan’s full assumption of leadership and ownership in the security,
governance and development areas, consistent with the Transformation Decade
(2015–2024) and with the understandings reached between Afghanistan and the
international community in the international conferences in Kabul (2010), London
(2010 and 2014), Bonn (2011), Tokyo (2012) and Brussels (2016), and the NATO
Summits held in Lisbon (2010), Chicago (2012), Wales (2014), Warsaw (2016) and
Brussels (2017);
6. Decides further that UNAMA and the Special Representative of the
Secretary-General, within their mandate and in a manner consistent with Afghan
sovereignty, leadership and ownership, will continue to lead and coordinate the
international civilian efforts, in full cooperation with the Govern ment of Afghanistan
and in accordance with the London, Kabul, Tokyo and Brussels Conferences
Communiqués and the Bonn Conference Conclusions, with a particular focus on the
priorities laid out below:
(a) provide outreach as well as good offices to support, if requested by and in
close consultation with the government of Afghanistan, the Afghan -led and Afghan-
owned peace process, including through support to the High Peace Council and its
activities and proposing and supporting confidence-building measures also in close
consultation with the government of Afghanistan within the framework of the Afghan
Constitution and with full respect for the implementation of measures and application
of the procedures introduced by the Security Council in its resolutions 1267 (1999),
1988 (2011), 1989 (2011) and 2082 (2012), 2083 (2012) and 2255 (2015) as well as
other relevant resolutions of the Council;
(b) support, at the request of the Afghan authorities, the organization of future
Afghan elections, including the parliamentary and district council elections as
foreseen for 2018 and the presidential elections in 2019, as well as to strengthen, in
support of the Government of Afghanistan’s efforts, including electoral reform
efforts, the sustainability, integrity and inclusiveness of the electoral process, as
agreed at the London, Kabul, Bonn, Tokyo and Brussels Conferences and the Chicago
Summit; and provide capacity-building and technical assistance to the Afghan
institutions involved in this process in close consultation and coordination with the
government of Afghanistan;
(c) promote, as co-chair of the Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board
(JCMB), more coherent support by the international community to the Afghan
Government’s development and governance priorities, including through supporting
the ongoing development and sequencing of the Government ’s reform agenda,
mobilization of resources, coordination of international donors and organizations as
facilitator and co-convener of development policy fora, including in developing and
monitoring frameworks of mutual accountability, promoting coherent information
sharing and analysis, design and delivery of development assistance in a manner
consistent with Afghan sovereignty, leadership and ownership, and direction of the
contributions of United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, based on the “One

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UN” approach, in particular for counter-narcotics, reconstruction and development

activities; at the same time, coordinate also in a manner consistent with the Afghan
leadership, ownership and sovereignty, international partners for follow -up, in
particular through information sharing, prioritize efforts to increase the proportion of
development aid delivered through the Afghan Government, in line with the
commitments made at the Kabul and Tokyo Conferences, and support efforts to
increase the mutual accountability and transparency, and the effectiveness of aid use
in line with the commitments made at the Kabul, Tokyo and Bru ssels Conferences,
including cost-effectiveness in this regard;
(d) support regional cooperation, with a view to assisting Afghanistan utilize
its role at the heart of Asia to promote regional cooperation, and to work towards a
stable and prosperous Afghanistan, building on the achievements made;
(e) continue, with the support of the Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights, to cooperate with and strengthen the capacity of
the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC), to cooperate also
with the Afghan Government and relevant international and local non -governmental
organizations to monitor the situation of civilians, to coordinate efforts to ensure their
protection, to monitor places of detention, to promote accounta bility, and to assist in
the full implementation of the fundamental freedoms and human rights provisions of
the Afghan Constitution and international treaties to which Afghanistan is a State
party, in particular those regarding the full enjoyment by women of their human
rights, including the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination
Against Women (CEDAW);
(f) closely coordinate and cooperate, where relevant, with the non-combat
Resolute Support Mission agreed upon between NATO and Afgha nistan, as well as
with the NATO Senior Civilian Representative;
7. Calls on UNAMA and the Special Representative to further increase
efforts to achieve greater coherence, coordination and efficiency among relevant
United Nations Agencies, Funds and Programmes in Afghanistan based on a “One
UN” approach in close cooperation with the Government of Afghanistan with a view
to maximizing their collective effectiveness in full alignment with the Government of
Afghanistan’s reform agenda, and continue to lead, in a manner fully consistent with
the Afghan leadership, ownership and sovereignty, international civilian efforts aimed
at reinforcing the role of Afghan institutions to perform their responsibilities, with an
increased focus on capacity building in key areas identified by the Afghan
Government, with a view, in all UN programmes and activities, to move towards a
national implementation model with a clear action-oriented strategy for mutually
agreed condition-based transition to Afghan leadership and ownership including
making greater use of country systems, in the following priority areas:
(a) support through an appropriate UNAMA presence, to be determined in full
consultation and cooperation with the Government of Afghanistan, and in support of
the Afghan Government’s efforts, implementation of the Kabul Process throughout
the country, including through enhanced cooperation with the United Nations Office
on Drugs and Crime, in line with the Government’s policies;
(b) support the efforts of the Afghan Government in fulfilling its commitments
as stated at the London, Kabul, Bonn and Tokyo Conferences, to improve governance
and the rule of law including transitional justice, budget execution and the fight
against corruption, throughout the country in accordance with the Kabul Process and
the Self-Reliance through Mutual Accountability Framework (SMAF), with a view to
helping bring the benefits of peace and the delivery of services in a timely and
sustainable manner;

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(c) coordinate and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance, including

in support of the Afghan Government and in accordance with humanitarian principles,
with a view to reinforcing the Government’s capacity, including by providing
effective support to national and local authorities in assisting and protecting internally
displaced persons and to creating conditions conducive to the voluntary, safe,
dignified and sustainable return of refugees from neighbouring and other countries
and internally displaced persons, with a particular focus on development solutions in
areas of high returns;
8. Calls upon all Afghan and international parties to coordinate with
UNAMA in the implementation of its mandate and in efforts to promote the security
and freedom of movement of United Nations and associated personnel throughout the
country;
9. Stresses the critical importance of a continued and appropriate presence of
UNAMA and other United Nations Agencies, Funds and Programmes in the
provinces, based on a “One UN” approach and in close consultation and coordination
with and in support of the priorities of the Afghan Government, in response to needs
and with a view to security and including the objective of overall United Nations
effectiveness;
10. Welcomes the continuing efforts of the Afghan Government to advance the
peace process, including by the High Peace Council and the provincial peace
committees, and the implementation of the Afghanistan Peace and Reintegration
Programme, to promote an inclusive, Afghan-led and Afghan-owned dialogue on
reconciliation and political participation, including the effective and meaningful
participation of women and women’s rights groups, as laid forth in the Kabul
Conference Communiqué on dialogue for all those who as part of an outcome of such
a process renounce violence, have no links to international terrorist organizations,
respect the Constitution and are willing to join in building a peaceful Afghanistan,
and as further elaborated in the principles and outcomes of the Bonn Conference
Conclusions, and encourages the Government of Afghanistan to make use of
UNAMA’s good offices to support this process as appropriate, in full respect of the
implementation of measures and procedures introduced by the relevant Security
Council resolutions;
11. Stresses the role of UNAMA in supporting, if requested by and in close
consultation with the Government of Afghanistan, an inclusive Afghan -led and
Afghan-owned peace process, while continuing to assess, including in collaboration
with the AIHRC, the impact of the aforementioned peace process, with reference to
the relevant parameters set out in the Kabul Conference Communique ’ and the Bonn
Conference Conclusions, and encourages the international community to assist the
efforts of the Government of Afghanistan in this regard;
12. Calls on all regional and international partners of Afghanistan to continue
efforts to support peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan, through the Kabul Process
for Peace and Security, initiated on 6 June 2017 in Kabul under the leadership of the
Government of Afghanistan, working toward holding early, direct talks between the
Government of Afghanistan and authorized representatives of Taliban groups, and
welcomes ongoing international efforts to advance peace and stability in Afghanistan;
13. Welcomes the adoption of the Strategic Plan for Peace and Reconciliation
presented by the High Peace Council of Afghanistan, calls for its effective
implementation, emphasizes that the peace agreement signed between the
Government of Afghanistan and the High Peace Council with Hezb-e-Islami (HIG)
of 29 September 2016 is an important development in the Government ’s overall peace
efforts and calls for its effective implementation;

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14. Underscores the importance of a sustainable democratic development in

Afghanistan based on inclusive, transparent and credible elections, welcomes in that
regard the forthcoming organization of parliamentary and district council elections in
2018 and presidential elections in 2019 in line with the relevant international
conferences and the commitment of the Government of Afghanistan to deliver further
improvements to the electoral process and emphasizes the importance of accelerated
progress in this regard, and requests that, upon the request of the Government of
Afghanistan, UNAMA provides assistance to the relevant Afghan institutions to
support the integrity and inclusiveness of the electoral process, including measures to
enable the full and safe participation of women, both as voters and candidates;
15. Welcomes the new Afghanistan National Peace and Development
Framework (ANPDF) setting out the strategic policy priorities of Afghanistan
towards achieving Self-Reliance and the presentation of 5 new national priority
programs, on a citizens’ charter, women’s economic empowerment, urban
development, comprehensive agriculture and national infrastructure, to improve the
conditions for advancing sustainable development and stability, and welcomes the
international community’s long-term support for Afghanistan on the basis of mutual
accountability as stated in the SMAF, and underlines the crucial importance of
continued and sequenced implementation of the reform agenda, national priority
programs and the development and governance goals as agreed in the SMAF;
16. Calls on international donors and organizations and the Afghan
Government to adhere to their commitments made at the Kabul, Bonn, Tokyo,
London, and Brussels Conferences;
17. Calls on the United Nations, as well as the broader international
community, to continue to support the Government of Afghanistan’s reform agenda;
18. Reaffirms the central role played by the JCMB, in a manner consistent with
Afghan leadership, ownership and sovereignty, in facilitating the coordination and
monitoring of the implementation of the Government of Afghanistan’s reform agenda,
and calls upon all relevant actors to enhance their cooperation with the JCMB in this
regard;
19. Reiterates the importance of increasing, in a comprehensive framework,
the functionality, professionalism and accountability of the Afghan security sector in
line with resolution 1325 (2000) and its successor resolutions on Women, Peace and
Security, including 2242 (2015), through appropriate vetting procedures, women’s
equal and effective participation and full involvement in all stages of the security
sector reform process, and training, including on women’s and children’s rights and
their protection, in support of the implementation of Afghanistan ’s 1325 National
Action Plan, and stresses the importance of the commitment by the Government of
Afghanistan and the international community to ensure a capable, professional and
sustainable Afghan National Defence and Security Force (ANDSF);
20. Welcomes in this context the continued progress in the development of the
Afghan National Army and its improved ability to plan and undertake operations, and
encourages sustained training efforts and assistance, including through the
contribution of trainers, resources, advisory teams, advice in developing a sustainable
defence planning process, and assistance in defence reform initiatives;
21. Welcomes the ongoing efforts of the Afghan authorities to enhance the
capabilities of the Afghan National Police, calls for further efforts towards that goal,
including the commitment by the Ministry of Interior and the Afghan National Police
to develop an effective strategy for coordinating increased recruitment, retention,
training and capacity development for women in the Afghan National Police, fully
implement Afghanistan’s 1325 National Action Plan, and further the implementation

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of their gender integration strategy, stresses the importance of international assistance

through financial support and provision of trainers and mentors, and notes the
importance of a sufficient and capable police force for Afghanistan’s long-term
security;
22. Reiterates its concern about the security situation in Afghanistan, in
particular the ongoing region based violence and attacks by the Taliban, including the
Haqqani Network, as well as by Al-Qaida, ISIL (Da’esh) affiliates and other terrorist
groups, violent and extremist groups, illegal armed groups, criminals, and foreign
terrorist fighters, and calls upon all States in this regard to strengthen their
international and regional security cooperation to enhance information-sharing,
border control, law enforcement and criminal justice to better counter the threat
posed, including from returning foreign terrorist fighters;
23. Condemns in the strongest terms all attacks, including improvised
explosive device attacks, suicide attacks, assassinations and abductions, targeting
civilians and Afghan and international forces and their deleterious effect on the
stabilization, reconstruction and development efforts in Afghanis tan, and condemns
further the use by the Taliban, including the Haqqani Network as well as Al -Qaida,
ISIL (Da’esh) affiliates, and by other terrorist groups, violent and extremist groups,
and illegal armed groups of civilians as human shields, and underlin es the need to
hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of such acts accountable and
bring them to justice, and urges all states, in accordance with their obligations under
international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with
the Government of Afghanistan and all other relevant authorities in this regard;
24. Strongly condemns the continued flow of weapons, including small arms
and light weapons (SALW), military equipment and IED components to the Taliban,
including the Haqqani network, as well as by Al-Qaida, ISIL (Da’esh) affiliates and
other terrorist groups, violent and extremist groups, illegal armed groups and
criminals, and encourages Member States to share information, establish partnerships
and develop national strategies and capabilities to counter IEDs;
25. Further condemns in the strongest terms all acts of violence against
diplomatic and consular officials and other representatives of the international
community in Afghanistan;
26. Strongly condemns the continued attacks against humanitarian and
development workers, and urges all parties to the conflict to comply fully with
international humanitarian law, and to cooperate fully with the United Nations and
other humanitarian agencies and organizations and to ensure the safe, rapid, and
unhindered access of humanitarian personnel, as well as the delivery of supplies and
equipment, in order to allow such personnel to efficiently perform their task of
assisting affected civilian populations, including refugees and internally displaced
persons;
27. Reiterates that all parties to armed conflict must comply fully with the
obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law to
ensure the respect and protection of humanitarian personnel and medical personnel,
their means of transport and equipment, as well as hospitals and other medical
facilities;
28. Reiterates its support for the Government of Afghanistan, and in particular
to the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF), in securing their
country and in their fight against terrorism, including in relation to the nexus with
transnational organized crime, and against violent extremism as and when conducive
to terrorism, and calls upon the Afghan Government, with the assistance of the
international community, to continue to address the threat to the security and stability

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of Afghanistan posed by the Taliban, including the Haqqani Network, as well as by

Al Qaida, ISIL (Da’esh) affiliates and other terrorist groups, violent and extremist
groups, illegal armed groups, criminals and those involved in the production,
trafficking or trade of illicit drugs;
29. Stresses that effective inter- and intra-agency cooperation by law
enforcement and security agencies is a critical element of an effective counter -
terrorism strategy, and encourages Afghanistan to further strengthen coordination,
both among national law enforcement bodies and with counterparts in other States,
recognizes the ongoing efforts by Afghanistan in creating a comprehensive and
integrated national strategy to counter terrorism and violent extremism as and when
conducive to terrorism, and encourages Afghanistan, with the support of the
international community, to further develop such a strategy as well as effective
mechanisms for its implementation that include attention to the conditions conducive
to terrorism in accordance with obligations of Afghanistan under international law,
and recalls the recommendations and related technical assistance needs identified in
the Report on the focused visit of the Counter-Terrorism Committee to Afghanistan;
30. Encourages the engagement of relevant local communities and
non-governmental actors and the participation and leadership of women and women ’s
organizations in developing strategies to counter terrorism and violent extremism as
and when conducive to terrorism, including through countering incitement to commit
terrorist acts, creating counter narratives and other appropriate interventions, and
building their capacity to do so effectively;
31. Stresses the importance of relevant national strategies for the prosecution,
rehabilitation and reintegration of foreign terrorist fighters;
32. Welcomes the achievements to date in the implementation of the Mine
Action Programme of Afghanistan, notably the ratification of Protocol V on Exp losive
Remnants of War to the 1980 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, and
encourages the Government of Afghanistan, with the support of the United Nations
and all the relevant actors, to adopt an action plan for its effective implementation
and to continue its efforts towards the removal and destruction of anti -personnel
landmines, anti-tank landmines and explosive remnants of war and to provide
assistance for the care, rehabilitation, and economic and social reintegration of
victims;
33. Notes concern over the continued high levels of child casualties and
recruitment and use of children in Afghanistan, in particular by terrorist and extremist
groups, commends the Government of Afghanistan for introducing legislation
banning the recruitment and use of children in its armed forces and for establishing
local child protection units, and welcomes the progress made on the implementation
of the action plan for the prevention of underage recruitment, stresses the need for
protection of schools and hospitals, reiterates its strong condemnation of all violations
and abuses committed against children in situations of armed conflict, and calls for
those responsible to be brought to justice, and in this context, requests UNAMA to
continue to support efforts to strengthen the protection of children affected by armed
conflict, including engagement with the Afghan Government to fully implement the
Action Plan and Road Map, and actions to promote accountability and address other
violations and abuses, including sexual violence against children, and requests the
Secretary-General to continue to give priority to the child protection activities and
capacity of UNAMA and to include in his future reports the matter of children and
armed conflict in the country in line with the relevant Security Council resolutions;
34. Calls upon States to strengthen their efforts as well as international and
regional cooperation to counter the threat to the international community posed by
the production, trafficking, and consumption of illicit drugs originating in

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Afghanistan which significantly contribute to the financial resources of the Taliban

and its associates and could also benefit Al-Qaida, ISIL (Da’esh) affiliates and other
terrorist groups, and to act in accordance with the principle of common and shared
responsibility in addressing the drug problem of Afghanistan, including through
cooperation against the trafficking in illicit drugs and precursor chemicals, also
underlining the importance of border management cooperation, emp hasizes the need
for enhanced regional and international support of Afghanistan's National Drug
Action Plan (NDAP), and welcomes the continued efforts of the UNODC in
empowering the Afghan Ministry of Counter Narcotics in its implementation, and
appreciates the work of the Paris Pact initiative, its “Paris-Moscow” process and its
partners, including the EU, NATO, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE), the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), as well as the work of the Central Asian
Regional Information and Coordination Centre for combating the illicit trafficking of
narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors (CARICC), and
encourages the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1988 (2011) and the
Committee established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253
(2015) to continue to pay attention to the linkages between the proceeds of organized
crime, inter alia, the illicit production and trafficking of drugs and their chemical
precursors and the financing, respectively, of the Taliban, including the Haqqani
Network, and of ISIL (also known as Da’esh), Al-Qaida, and associated individuals,
groups, undertakings and entities;
35. Reiterates the importance of accelerating the establishment of a fair and
transparent justice system, eliminating impunity and strengthening the rule of law
throughout the country, stresses the importance of further progress in the
reconstruction and reform of the prison sector in Afghanistan, in order to improve the
respect for the rule of law and human rights therein, emphasizes the importance of
ensuring access for relevant organizations, as applicable, to all prisons and places of
detention in Afghanistan, welcomes the National Plan on the Elimination of Torture
as well as the revised Penal Code and efforts of the Government of Afghanistan at
taking steps to ensure consistency with Afghanistan’s international obligations and
commitments, emphasizes the need for full implementation of such efforts, calls upon
the Government of Afghanistan to fulfil its expressed commitment to ratify the
Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture, and calls for full respect for
relevant international law including humanitarian law and human rights law;
36. Recognizes the anti-corruption commitments by the Government of
Afghanistan and welcomes in this regard the establishment of the High Council on
Rule of Law, Governance, Justice and Anti-Corruption, the Anti-Corruption Justice
Center and National Procurement Commission, and the adoption of the national
anti-corruption strategy on 28 September, and calls for its effective implementation,
encourages all Afghan institutions, including the executive and legislative branches,
to tackle corruption and to ensure good governance, welcomes progress in this regard,
and stresses the need for further national efforts to implement plans for addressing
corruption as well as international efforts to provide technical assistance in this ar ea;
37. Calls for full respect for and protection of all human rights and
fundamental freedoms, in accordance with international law, including international
humanitarian law, throughout Afghanistan, and notes with concern the continued
restrictions on freedom of media, including attacks against journalists by terrorist as
well as extremist and criminal groups, as well as ongoing reports of threats against
human rights defenders, the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission,
religious figures as well as investigators, judges and prosecutors;
38. Calls for enhanced efforts to secure the rights of women and girls and to
ensure that women and girls are protected from violence and abuse, including from

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sexual- and gender-based violence, and that perpetrators of such violence and abuse
are held accountable, and emphasizes the importance of ensuring equal protection
under the law, equality before the courts in accordance with international law, and
equal access to justice, including through measurable and action-oriented objectives
and the integration of gender expertise, knowledge and capacity;
39. Welcomes the commitment of the Government of Afghanistan to empower
women politically and economically, and reiterates in this regard the importance of
increasing the full and effective participation and leadership of women in decision -
making, including in peace talks and overall peacebuilding strategies at the national
and subnational level, and calls on the Government of Afghanistan to fully implement
and finance the 1325 National Action Plan, and encourages the Government of
Afghanistan to identify further opportunities to support participation of women in the
Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process, and requests the support of UNAMA
in this regard, and requests the Secretary General to continue to include in his reports
to the Security Council relevant information on the process of integration of women
into the political, economic and social life of Afghanistan and further calls upon
members of the international community to provide assistance as appropriate;
40. Reaffirms its support to the ongoing Afghan-led regional efforts within the
framework of the “Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process on Regional Security and
Cooperation for a Secure and Stable Afghanistan” and the Regional Economic
Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan (RECCA) Summits, and welcomes ongoing
efforts to build trust and cooperation, including by the Organization of Islamic
Cooperation, SCO, including its Afghanistan contact group which met in Moscow on
11 October 2017, CSTO, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
(SAARC), and Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia
(CICA), as well as through the Moscow dialogue consultations, the Quadrilateral
Coordination Group of Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and the United States of
America, the Trilateral Summit of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan, the Trilateral
Summit of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkey, the Trilateral Summit of Afghanistan,
Pakistan and the UK, the China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Foreign Minister’s Dialogue,
and the Quadrilateral Cooperation and Coordination Mechanism (QCCM) in Counter
Terrorism by Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and Tajikistan;
41. Welcomes and urges further efforts to strengthen the process of regional
economic cooperation, including measures to facilitate regional connectivity, trade
and transit, including through regional development initiatives such as the Silk Road
Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road (the Belt and Road)
Initiative, and regional development projects, such as the Turkmenistan -Afghanistan-
Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project, the Central Asia South Asia Electricity
Transmission and Trade Project (CASA-1000), the Chabahar port project, agreed
between Afghanistan, India and the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Lapis Lazuli Transit,
Trade and Transport Route agreement and the Turkmenistan-Aqina and Herat-Khawaf
railway segments, and bilateral transit trade agreements, expanded consular visa
cooperation and facilitation of business travel, to expand trade, increase foreign
investments and develop infrastructure, including infrastructural connectivity, energy
supply, transport and integrated border management, with a view to promoting
sustainable economic growth and the creation of jobs in Afghanistan and the region,
and in this regard urges all relevant stakeholders to ensure a secure environment,
integrate their development policies and strategies and promote the practical
connectivity cooperation for these development initiatives and trade agreements to be
fully implemented;
42. Recalls that regional security cooperation plays a key role in maintaining
stability in Afghanistan and the region, welcomes the progress achieved by
Afghanistan and regional partners in this regard, and calls for further efforts by

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Afghanistan and regional partners and organizations, to strengthen their partnership

and cooperation, including to enhance the capabilities of the Afghan security forces
and to enhance security in the region;
43. Expresses its concern over the continued high levels of internally
displaced persons in and refugees from Afghanistan, strongly encourages intensified
efforts by the Government of Afghanistan in ensuring the protection of all internally
displaced persons in line with the Afghanistan national policy on Internally Displaced
Persons and in making voluntary repatriation and reintegration of Afghan refugees in
safe and dignified conditions among its highest national priorities, strongly supports
the Government of Afghanistan’s efforts to create the necessary conditions for the
voluntary repatriation and sustainable reintegration of Afghan refugees in the country,
and calls for continued and enhanced international assistance in this regard;
44. Requests that the Secretary-General reports to the Council every three
months on developments in Afghanistan, and to include in his reports an evaluation
of progress made against the benchmarks for measuring and tracking progress in the
implementation of UNAMA’s mandate, including at the subnational level, and
priorities as set out in this resolution;
45. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

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