The United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution on Friday calling for the appointment of a special envoy for Afghanistan to increase engagement with the country and leaders of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA).

This followed an independent assessment report issued in November which called for greater engagement with Afghanistan following the return to power of the IEA in August 2021.

The resolution calls on the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to name a special envoy to promote the independent report’s recommendations, particularly regarding gender and human rights, AFP reported.

The resolution was adopted after 13 members of the Security Council voted in favor, while Russia and China abstained.

“The UAE and Japan firmly believe the independent assessment serves as the best basis for discussions going forward,” said Japan’s UN ambassador Yamazaki Kazuyuki ahead of the vote.

“The resolution highlights the need to increase international engagement in a more coherent, coordinated and structured manner, as the independent assessment states.”

The United Arab Emirates and Japan have responsibility for raising the situation in Afghanistan at the Security Council as so-called “pen-holders” for the issue.

“The United States strongly supports this resolution’s call for a UN Special Envoy for Afghanistan. A Special Envoy will be well positioned to coordinate international engagement on Afghanistan, including with relevant Afghan political actors and stakeholders,” said the United States’ representative following the adoption of the resolution.

China said that the follow-up by the Council to the independent assessment should be taken in full communication with the Afghan authorities, respecting their opinions, with the decision to be made after extensive consultations with various stakeholders

“A forcible appointment of a Special Envoy in disregard of the views of the country concerned may not only lead to the Special Envoy unable to discharge their functions at all, but also heighten the antagonism and confrontation between the international community and the Afghan authorities, which completely runs counter to the signal sent by the independent assessment to step up constructive engagement with the Afghan authorities,” said Geng Shuang, China’s envoy at UN.

Russia also called for the UN Secretary-General to consult with the IEA over the appointment of a special envoy.

“We would like to make it clear that we will not support the Secretary-General’s decision unless it has the approval of the de facto authorities,” said Anna Evstigneeva, Deputy Permanent Representative of Russia at the UN.

“We are convinced that the Afghan issue can move from an impasse only if there is consistent and patient dialogue with the de facto authorities and if certain Western donors abandon their usual rhetoric and stop manipulating with humanitarian aid,” she added.