Co-authored by Omar Samad (Amb.), Dr. Ahmad Wais WARDAK, and Dr. Mujib Abid

The United Nations Security Council convened last week to assess the quarterly Afghanistan report presented by the out-going Special Representative of the Secretary General, Rosa Otunbayeva, and other Council members. They did not, however, expect to hear that Afghanistan’s precarious trajectory faces a “perfect storm” of crises—humanitarian shortages, entrenched human rights violations, and regional tension, among other challenges. While the wars in Gaza and Ukraine loom large over global discussions, Afghanistan, increasingly, feels out of sight. Nonetheless, four years after the Taliban’s return to power, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) remains a vital, yet stressed out lifeline for a country grappling with internal challenges, isolation and sanctions.

UNAMA’s overall mandate is about overseeing the humanitarian effort, the promotion of human rights, peace and inclusive governance in the country. Through its integrated model, the mission coordinates humanitarian and development aid with a host of agencies while aiming to foster political inclusion in an environment where the regime is lacking resolve. The mission has to navigate treacherous waters to work with the ever-suspicious de facto Emirate authorities in Kabul.

The mission has operated in the crossfire of great power politics and complex regional agendas. And yet, its raison d’être remains critical. Restrictions on basic human and women’s rights, including access to education and work, dwindling donor confidence amid economic sanctions, and – despite claims to the contrary by the authorities – the persistent threat of terrorist and criminal groups seeking space and narco revenues, are some of the issues UNAMA must address. In this analysis, we draw from the mission’s recent experiences to dissect these challenges and look at the path ahead. We do caution though that expecting any one entity, including the UN, to be the ultimate fixer or problem-solver is unrealistic, unless it can use a collaborative approach based on consultations and consensus.

For the past three years, since Otunbayeva (known to Afghans as Rosa) assumed her role as Special Representative (ending this month), UNAMA has navigated a landscape where humanitarian and other mandate imperatives clash with the de facto........

© Global Village Space