UN: Security Council extends mandate of UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan

W/S UN Security Council (UNSC) meeting, UN headquarters, New York City
W/S Delegates voting *MULTIPLE SHOTS AT SOURCE*
M/S US Permanent Representative to UN Kelly Craft
SOT, Kelly Craft, US Permanent Representative to UN: "This mandate renewal empowers the mission to support elections, facilitate peace and reconciliation efforts and promote good governance and human rights. However, I should note that the reason we cannot empower the mission with a stronger substantive mandate today, is a member's insistence on language that highlights national political priorities rather than ways in which we can most effectively assist the people and government of Afghanistan."
M/S Chinese Permanent Representative to UN Zhang Jun alongside other delegates *CUTAWAY*
SOT, Zhang Jun, Chinese Permanent Representative to UN (Mandarin): "To our regret, a few countries refused to keep the text of consensus previously agreed and refuse to accommodate concerns of the parties. And the draft also failed to address a possible security vacuum in Afghanistan. All this led to serious division among the parties."
M/S Delegates *CUTAWAY*
SOT, Adela Raz, Afghan Permanent Representative to UN: "This signifies the Council's support for Afghanistan at a time when the people of Afghanistan are entering a new and a crucially important phase of their long-standing effort to achieve peace and prosperity. On September 28, our people will vote in the upcoming presidential election, and yet again prove their everlasting commitment to consolidate democracy as a key imperative for a stable and prosperous Afghanistan."
M/S Delegate
W/S Delegates
SCRIPT
The UN Security Council unanimously adopted the resolution 2489, extending the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) until September 17, 2020, during a meeting in New York City on Tuesday.
The Council tasked the UNAMA with supporting the organisation of Afghan elections, including the country's presidential elections on September 28, and providing "outreach and good offices to support the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process."
Following the vote, Afghan Permanent Representative to the UN Adela Raz noted her country's "everlasting commitment to consolidate democracy," as it approaches the September elections. She stressed that the renewal of the mandate "signifies the Council's support for Afghanistan at a time when the people of Afghanistan are entering a new and a crucially important phase of their long-standing effort to achieve peace and prosperity."
US Ambassador to the UN Kelly Craft said that the mandate renewal "empowers the mission to support elections, facilitate peace and reconciliation efforts and promote good governance and human rights."
Commenting on the "serious division among the parties," Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jun said that the draft "failed to address a possible security vacuum in Afghanistan," with some countries refusing "to accommodate concerns of the parties."
Source: UNIFEED-UNTV