UNSC led by India calls for safe passage of Afghans and all foreign nationals

The United Nations Security Council has adopted a resolution that expects the Taliban to allow Afghans and foreigners to safely leave the country.

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla was chairing the 15-member Council’s meeting in New York.

The resolution was put forward by the US, the UK, France. It was adopted with the support of 13 members with Russia and China abstaining and no one voting against the resolution.

The resolution calls on the Taliban to deliver on their commitments that Afghans will be able to travel and may leave Afghanistan anytime they want, including through the Kabul airport, with no one preventing them from traveling.
The resolution demands that Afghan territory at no cost be used to threaten or attack any other country or to shelter or train terrorists, or to plan or to finance terrorist acts.

The text calls for the Taliban to allow for full, safe, and unhindered access for the United Nations and other agencies to provide humanitarian assistance.

It also reaffirms the importance of upholding human rights, including of children, women and minorities and encourages all parties to seek an inclusive, negotiated political settlement with the full, equal and meaningful representation of women.

Mr. Shringla said, the resolution also highlights the importance of women’s rights, minorities’ rights, particularly Sikhs and Hindu minorities in Afghanistan. It has indicated a need for safe passage of people and to take necessary steps in its engagement with Afghanistan, he added.

India is President of the UN Security Council for the month of August.