United Nations Security Council Resolution 1536

UN Security Council ; Resolution 1536
	Afghanistan
Date	26 March 2004
Meeting no.	4,937
Code	S/RES/1536 (Document)
Subject	The situation in Afghanistan
Voting summary	15 voted for; None voted against; None abstained
Result	Adopted
Security Council composition
Permanent members	China ; France ; Russia ; United Kingdom ; United States ;
Non-permanent members	Algeria ; Angola ; Benin ; Brazil ; Chile ; Germany ; Pakistan ; Philippines ; Romania ; Spain ;

Last updated April 01, 2019

United Nations Security Council resolution 1536, adopted unanimously on 26 March 2004, after reaffirming all resolutions on the situation in Afghanistan, particularly Resolution 1471 (2003), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for an additional period of twelve months until 26 March 2005.^[1]

A United Nations Security Council resolution is a UN resolution adopted by the fifteen members of the Security Council; the UN body charged with "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security".

Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in South-Central Asia. Afghanistan is bordered by Pakistan in the south and east; Iran in the west; Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan in the north; and in the far northeast, China. Its territory covers 652,000 square kilometers (252,000 sq mi) and much of it is covered by the Hindu Kush mountain range, which experiences very cold winters. The north consists of fertile plains, while the south-west consists of deserts where temperatures can get very hot in summers. Kabul serves as the capital and its largest city.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1471, adopted unanimously on 28 March 2003, after reaffirming all resolutions on the situation in Afghanistan, the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for an additional period of twelve months until 28 March 2004.

Resolution

Observations

The Security Council reaffirmed its commitment to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence and unity of Afghanistan and welcomed the constitution adopted by the Loya Jirga on 4 January 2004. It also endorsed the agreement of the "Kabul Declaration on Good Neighbourly Relations" and stressed the central role of the United Nations in assisting the Afghan people in rebuilding their country. The legitimacy of the Afghan Transitional Administration and endorsement of the Bonn Agreement was reaffirmed, including a planned international conference pledging long-term commitment to Afghanistan.

Sovereignty is the full right and power of a governing body over itself, without any interference from outside sources or bodies. In political theory, sovereignty is a substantive term designating supreme authority over some polity.

Territorial integrity is the principle under international law that prohibits states from the use of force against the "territorial integrity or political independence" of another state. It is enshrined in Article 2(4) of the UN Charter and has been recognized as customary international law. Conversely it states that imposition by force of a border change is an act of aggression. It is a political term, for example when applied to a nation-state like Iraq, which has borders which were imposed at the end of WWI.

The Constitution of Afghanistan is the supreme law of the state of Afghanistan, which serves as the legal framework between the Afghan government and the Afghan citizens. Although Afghanistan was made a state in 1747 by Ahmad Shah Durrani, the earliest Afghan constitution was written during the reign of Emir Abdur Rahman Khan in the 1890s followed by the 1923 version. The 1964 Constitution of Afghanistan transformed Afghanistan into a modern democracy.

Additionally, the preamble of the resolution stressed the importance of extending government authority throughout the country, as well as security sector reform and a comprehensive demobilisation, disarmament and rehabilitation (DDR) programme.^[2]

Demobilization or demobilisation is the process of standing down a nation's armed forces from combat-ready status. This may be as a result of victory in war, or because a crisis has been peacefully resolved and military force will not be necessary. The opposite of demobilization is mobilization. Forceful demobilization of a defeated enemy is called demilitarization.

Disarmament is the act of reducing, limiting, or abolishing weapons. Disarmament generally refers to a country's military or specific type of weaponry. Disarmament is often taken to mean total elimination of weapons of mass destruction, such as nuclear arms. General and Complete Disarmament was defined by the United Nations General Assembly as the elimination of all WMD, coupled with the “balanced reduction of armed forces and conventional armaments, based on the principle of undiminished security of the parties with a view to promoting or enhancing stability at a lower military level, taking into account the need of all States to protect their security.”

Acts

The Security Council stressed the need for the provision of adequate security and donor support for the holding of elections. The Afghan authorities were urged to put in place a representative electoral process, including that of women and refugees. In this regard, the acceleration of voter registration was called for.

This article gives information on elections in Afghanistan.

A refugee, generally speaking, is a displaced person who has been forced to cross national boundaries and who cannot return home safely. Such a person may be called an asylum seeker until granted refugee status by the contracting state or the UNHCR if they formally make a claim for asylum. The lead international agency coordinating refugee protection is the United Nations Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The United Nations have a second Office for refugees, the UNRWA, which is solely responsible for supporting the large majority of Palestinian refugees.

Voter registration is the requirement that a person otherwise eligible to vote register on an electoral roll before they will be entitled or permitted to vote. Such enrollment may be automatic or may require application being made by the eligible voter. The rules governing registration vary between jurisdictions. Some jurisdictions have "election day registration" and others do not require registration, or may require production of evidence of entitlement to vote at time of voting. In some jurisdictions registration by those of voting age is compulsory, while in most it is optional. In jurisdictions where registration is voluntary, an effort may be made to encourage persons otherwise eligible to vote to register, in what is called as a voter registration drive.

The resolution welcomed progress made since the establishment of a DDR programme in October 2003 and contribution of the International Observer Group. Meanwhile, efforts to combat the illegal drug trade by the Afghan authorities was welcomed by the Council, while at the same time it was stressed that such efforts could not be separated from the creation of a strong economy and secure environment through increased efforts of the international community along the trafficking routes.

The illegal drug trade or drug trafficking is a global black market dedicated to the cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of drugs that are subject to drug prohibition laws. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs through the use of drug prohibition laws.

The economy of Afghanistan has had significant improvement in the last decade due to the infusion of billions of dollars in international assistance and remittances from Afghan expatriates. The assistance that came from expatriates and outside investors saw this increase when there was more political reliability after the fall of the Taliban regime. The nation's GDP stands at about $70 billion with an exchange rate of $20 billion (2017), and the GDP per capita is about $2,000. It imports over $6 billion worth of goods but exports nearly $1 billion only, mainly gold, opium, fruits and nuts.

The international community is a phrase used in geopolitics and international relations to refer to a broad group of people and governments of the world. It does not refer literally to all nations or states in the world. The term is typically used to imply the existence of a common point of view towards such matters as specific issues of human rights. Activists, politicians and commentators often use the term in calling for action to be taken; e.g., action against what is in their opinion political repression in a target country.

Welcoming the appointment of Jean Arnault as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan, the Council requested UNAMA, in conjunction with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, to assist the Afghan Human Rights Commission. The Afghan parties were further urged to ensure the freedom of movement and safety of UNAMA personnel.

Jean Arnault completed at the end of December 2018 his assignment as Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Colombia and Head of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia, established by the Security Council in July 2017 to verify the reintegration of former combatants from the FARC-EP and the security guarantees for communities in the conflict areas. From May 2016 until September 2017 he was Head of the UN Mission in Colombia mandated to verify the implementation of the Agreement on the Definitive and Bilateral Ceasefire and Cessation of Hostilities and Laying down of Arms signed by the Government of Colombia and the "Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia-Ejército del Pueblo" (FARC-EP) on 24 June 2016.

A Special Representative of the Secretary-General is a highly respected expert who has been appointed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations to represent her/him in meetings with heads of state on critical human rights issues. The representatives can carry out country visits to investigate allegations of human rights violations or act as negotiators on behalf of the United Nations.

Freedom of movement, mobility rights, or the right to travel is a human rights concept encompassing the right of individuals to travel from place to place within the territory of a country, and to leave the country and return to it. The right includes not only visiting places, but changing the place where the individual resides or works.

The Council praised progress made by the International Security Assistance Force in expanding its presence beyond the capital Kabul and in implementing its mandate contained in resolutions 1444 (2002) and 1510 (2003). Furthermore, the development of the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police was welcomed by Council members. Finally, the Secretary-General Kofi Annan was directed to report regularly on the situation in Afghanistan and the future role of UNAMA.

Related Research Articles

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) is a political UN mission established at the request of the Government of Afghanistan to assist it and the people of Afghanistan in laying the foundations for sustainable peace and development. UNAMA was established on 28 March 2002 by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1401. Its original mandate was to support the Bonn Agreement. Reviewed annually, this mandate has been altered over time to reflect the needs of the country and was extended for another year on 8 March 2018 by Resolution 2405 (2018).

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1746, adopted unanimously on March 23, 2007, after reaffirming all resolutions on the situation in Afghanistan, including resolutions 1659 (2006) and 1662 (2006), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for an additional period of twelve months, until March 23, 2008.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1917 United Nations Security Council resolution

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1917, adopted unanimously on March 22, 2010, after recalling its previous resolutions on Afghanistan, in particular resolutions 1868 (2009), 1662 (2006) and 1659 (2006), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) until March 23, 2011 and realigned its mandate to assist with government-led recovery efforts.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1386, adopted unanimously on 20 December 2001, after reaffirming all resolutions on the situation in Afghanistan, particularly resolutions 1378 (2001) and 1383 (2001), the Council authorised the establishment of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to assist the Afghan Interim Authority in the maintenance of security in Kabul and surrounding areas. It was the final Security Council resolution adopted in 2001.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1401 United Nations Security Council resolution

United Nations Security Council resolution 1401, adopted unanimously on 28 March 2002, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in Afghanistan, including resolutions 1378 (2001), 1383 (2001) and 1386 (2001), the Council endorsed the establishment of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). It would replace the longstanding United Nations Special Mission to Afghanistan.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1453, adopted unanimously on 24 December 2002, after reaffirming all resolutions on the situation in Afghanistan, the Council endorsed the "Kabul Declaration on Good-Neighbourly Relations" signed by the Afghan government and six neighbouring countries on 22 December 2002.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1466 United Nations Security Council resolution

United Nations Security Council resolution 1466, adopted unanimously on 14 March 2003, after reaffirming all resolutions on the situation between Eritrea and Ethiopia, particularly Resolution 1434 (2002), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) until 15 September 2003.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1510 United Nations Security Council resolution

United Nations Security Council resolution 1510, adopted unanimously on 13 October 2003, after reaffirming all resolutions on the situation in Afghanistan, particularly resolutions 1386 (2001), 1413 (2002) and 1444 (2002), and resolutions 1368 (2001) and 1373 (2001) on terrorism, the Council extended the authorisation of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) for a period of one year and expanded its operations outside the capital Kabul to other areas.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1514, adopted unanimously on 13 November 2003, after reaffirming Resolution 1479 (2003) on the situation in Côte d'Ivoire and resolutions 1464 (2003) and 1498 (2003), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Côte d'Ivoire (MINUCI) until 4 February 2004.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1528 United Nations Security Council resolution

United Nations Security Council resolution 1528, adopted unanimously on 27 February 2004, after recalling resolutions 1464 (2003), 1479 (2003), 1498 (2003), 1514 (2003) and 1527 (2004) on the situation in Côte d'Ivoire, the Council established the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) for an initial period of twelve months.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1943, adopted unanimously on October 13, 2010, after reaffirming all resolutions on the situation in Afghanistan and terrorism, including resolutions 1267 (1999), 1368 (2001), 1373 (2001), 1386 (2001), 1510 (2003), 1822 (2008), 1833 (2008), 1890 (2009), 1904 (2009) and 1917 (2010), the Council extended the authorisation of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) operating in the country for a period of one year.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1589, adopted unanimously on 24 March 2005, after reaffirming all resolutions on the situation in Afghanistan, particularly Resolution 1536 (2004), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for an additional period of twelve months until 24 March 2006.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1623, adopted unanimously on 13 September 2005, after reaffirming all resolutions on the situation in Afghanistan, particularly resolutions 1386 (2001), 1413 (2002), 1444 (2002), 1510 (2003) and 1563 (2004), and resolutions 1368 (2001) and 1373 (2001) on terrorism, the Council extended the authorisation of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) until mid-October 2006.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1974, adopted unanimously on March 22, 2011, after recalling previous resolutions on Afghanistan, in particular 1917 (2010), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for a period of one year until March 23, 2012.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1979 United Nations Security Council resolution

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1979, adopted unanimously on April 27, 2011, after reaffirming all previous resolutions on the Western Sahara including 1754 (2007), 1783 (2007), 1813 (2008), 1871 (2009) and 1920 (2010), the Council discussed prospects for a settlement of the dispute and extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) until April 30, 2012.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1662, adopted unanimously on March 23, 2006, after reaffirming all resolutions on the situation in Afghanistan, including resolutions 1589 (2005) and 1659 (2006), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for an additional period of twelve months.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1666, adopted unanimously on March 31, 2006, after reaffirming all resolutions on Abkhazia and Georgia, particularly Resolution 1615 (2005), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) until October 15, 2006.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1868 was unanimously adopted on 23 March 2009.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1806 was unanimously adopted on 20 March 2008.

References

↑ "Security Council extends Afghanistan mission for 12 months". United Nations. 26 March 2004.
↑ "UN mission to remain in Afghanistan another year, Security Council decides". United Nations News Centre.

External links

Text of the Resolution at undocs.org

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[un-1] "Security Council extends Afghanistan mission for 12 months". United Nations. 26 March 2004.

[2] "UN mission to remain in Afghanistan another year, Security Council decides". United Nations News Centre.