Translated with AI
On March 9, 2026, in Tajikistan, Georgette Gagnon, Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and Head of UNAMA, addressed the UN Security Council, warning of growing threats to regional and global security amid Afghanistan's continued isolation.
According to Gagnon, the country is on the brink of a new wave of instability due to a combination of external conflicts, economic pressure, and the de facto authorities' policies, which are alienating Afghanistan from the international community. She reiterated the goal enshrined in UN Security Council Resolution 2721: to create conditions for peace in the country and Afghanistan's full integration into the international community.
Gagnon noted that the conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan has resulted in severe human and economic losses. The closure of the Pakistani border and instability on trade routes through Iran have led to rising prices for basic goods, increasing pressure on the country's fragile economy. The Deputy Chief of Mission emphasized that Afghanistan's isolation is blocking progress in security, economic development, human rights, and humanitarian aid, and warned that the country could once again become a source of instability in the region and the world.
Despite the overall crisis, Georgette Gagnon noted individual achievements. These include maintaining the ban on opium poppy cultivation, which has led to a 20% reduction in the cultivated area in 2025 compared to the previous year. Furthermore, since September 2023, Afghanistan has welcomed 5.5 million returning refugees without signs of social collapse.
However, the UN Deputy Chief of Mission stressed that these achievements do not compensate for the damage caused by the ban on education for girls beyond grade six and restrictions on women in the humanitarian sector, including a ban on the recruitment of local female UN staff, which violates international norms and the UN Charter.
The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan remains critical: 17.5 million people require assistance in 2026, but the funding plan has been fulfilled only 10%. Dwindling resources, climate shocks, and the mass return of refugees are increasing pressure on families and triggering a new wave of migration.
Gagnon also expressed concern that Afghanistan is not demonstrating a willingness to fulfill its counter-terrorism commitments, raising concerns in neighboring countries about extremist groups linked to the de facto authorities.
She called on the Security Council to remain united and help Afghanistan by creating incentives for the country's reintegration into the international community.
"The UN mission in Afghanistan remains fully committed to the goal of creating conditions in which the country can live in peace with itself and its neighbors," Gagnon concluded.
