The Afghanistan Crisis and the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2593 

Chung Eunsook

(chunges@sejong.org) 

Director of the Department of Security Strategy Studies,

The Sejong Institute

Various countries around the world are in shock around the 20^th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States. On August 15^th, the Taliban reoccupied Kabul—after 20 years. The incumbent president, who had won two consecutive Afghan democratic elections in 2014 and 2019, fled abroad. On August 26^th, while forces were still withdrawing, 13 U.S. soldiers and 170 Afghan citizens were killed in a suicide bombing near an international airport in Kabul by the Islamic State Khorasan—a terrorist group notorious for brutal terrorist attacks in Iraq and Syria during 2013-2015. August 30^th marked the final withdrawal of the U.S. troops. Allied forces seem to have withdrawn as well. Few Afghans who have worked with the Afghan government, the military, or international organizations, could escape, but not all could.

The Taliban, a pro-Pakistan militant group, emerged in 1994 after Soviet forces, which have invaded Afghanistan since 1979, withdrew after the Mujahidin rebels in 1989, and left the nation in a state of anarchy. Since 1996, the Taliban has ruled Afghanistan for five years by strictly following Sharia law, which includes whipping, execution, and discrimination against women. The Taliban was ousted in late 2001 through military operations by the U.S., U.S. allies, and anti-Taliban forces in Afghanistan for having protected Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden, the head of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington on September 11, 2001 (took the lives of 3,000 citizens). In fact, the United Nations Security Council had adopted the UN Security Council Resolution 1267 (1999) three years prior to the September 11 attacks to freeze major funds for the Taliban, which had provided shelter for Bin Laden, a terrorist  bomb suspect of U.S. embassy in Kenya and Nairobi.

Afghanistan is landlocked, surrounded by six countries (Pakistan 2670km, Tajikistan 1357km, Iran 921km, Turkmenistan 804km, Uzbekistan 144km, and China 91km), and is three times the size of the Korean Peninsula. Of 38 million population of multiple ethnic groups, most of them are Pashtun and Sunni Muslims. Rather paradoxically, the U.S. and the NATO have tried to stabilize Afghanistan's new government under the name of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF (2001-2014)) and Resolute Support Mission (RSM (2015-2014)) for the last 20 years since the Taliban withdrew. Furthermore, the European Union, the World Bank, and other major international organizations have pursued social changes by promoting human rights and humanitarianism, and supporting economic reconstruction with the new Afghan government.
Although the risk of terrorism did not completely disappear, Afghans could vote multiple times, and more women could go to school and work. Since the return of the Taliban in August, the Taliban leaders have expressed their tolerance, yet there are only frequent reports of them tracking down and executing Afghan military veterans and foreigners.

The United Nations Security Council, which has responsibility and authority for international peace and security, issued a press statement on August 16^th, calling for “an immediate cessation of all hostilities and the establishment, through inclusive negotiations, of a new Government that is united, inclusive and representative” and adopted Resolution 2593 in accordance with Article 25 of the UN charter on August 30^th. To put together, there are two elements: firstly, it urges administrative governance to be quickly managed; secondly, there is a message that contains international concerns to the Taliban. Under Article 25 of the UN charter, the member of the United Nations must carry out the decisions of the Security Council.

Firstly, the urgent message of governance to the Taliban relates to Kabul airport attack on 26 August and humanitarian supplies. (i) it indicated that the international community links the Kabul airport attack with the IS-K and aims to closely monitor the Taliban. It asked for the international community’s cooperation to prevent further sacrifices. (ii) the message called for the safe and orderly departure of Afghans and foreigners—to uphold the Taliban’s promise made on August 27^th of allowing Afghans to leave Afghanistan by land or air at any time. (iii) The Security Council called on the international community to support Afghans and Afghan refugees and the Taliban to ensure that all humanitarian aid via the UN, UN Special Organization, UN Partners and all other humanitarian organizations can be accessed to Afghans in a comprehensive, safe, and uninterrupted manner.

Secondly, the message conveyed a fundamental and normative level of anti-terrorism, respect for human rights, and inclusive political negotiations. (i) It demanded Afghan territory not be used as a source of attack or threat, haven to hide or train terrorists, or a source of funds for terrorist activities. It reminded the Security Council Resolution 1267 (1999) and thus the importance of individuals and organizations fighting terrorism in Afghanistan. (ii) it reaffirmed the importance of respect for human rights, especially of women, children, and ethnic minorities. (iii) it encouraged women to seek a political solution through inclusive negotiations based on compliance with the rule of law over the past 20 years.

Many international human rights groups and experts believe that the Security Council should utilize the threat or actually impose sanctions as a leverage against the Taliban’s terrorism and human rights policies. They were expecting the Resolution 2593 to include details of the above-mentioned concerns. For a resolution to pass, 9 of 15 Security Council members must agree to the draft without any veto from the five permanent members. Therefore, the contents and nuance of the draft may change. Thirteen countries voted in favor of the draft resolution, and two countries abstained from the vote. The two countries are China and Russia—permanent members of the Security Council. Perhaps, it is fortunate that they did not cast vetoes.  Even if the resolution modifies, it must at least convey what the international community expects from Taliban 2.0. As global anti-terrorism and movement for human rights are simultaneously challenged by Afghanistan in 2021, there should be no room for the Taliban to use the geopolitical and strategic competition as a breakaway from global anti-terrorism and human rights governance.

In conclusion, South Korea, which has resumed its diplomatic relations with Afghanistan and provided regional reconstruction and humanitarian aid by sending Dongui Medical Unit (2002-07) and Provincial Reconstruction Team (2010-14) and has sought an international cooperation to strengthen Afghanistan’s military and police capabilities and economic and social development since 2011, must aid the resolution be implemented by the Taliban for political, economic, and social stability and peaceful coexistence of Afghans.​

※ This is an unofficial translation by Jisoo Kim jk1577@georgetown.edu​ of the original paper which was written in Korean. All references should be made to the original paper. 

※ This article is written based on the author’s personal opinions and does not reflect the views of the Sejong Institute.