United Nations

SC/7435
27 June 2002

Security Council Commends Afghan People on Successful Conduct of Emergency Loya Jirga

Noting "Large Participation of Women" in 11-19 June Meeting, Council Welcomes Representation of All Ethnic, Religious Communities in Process

NEW YORK, 26 June (UN Headquarters) -- Noting with particular satisfaction the large participation of women, as well as the representation of all ethnic and religious communities, in the Emergency Loya Jirga in Afghanistan from 11 to 19 June, the Security Council this afternoon commended the Afghan people on the success of that meeting and encouraged them to continue to exercise their inalienable right to determine freely their own political future.

Unanimously adopting resolution 1419 (2002), the Council called on all Afghan groups to cooperate fully with the New Transitional Authority to complete the process according to the Bonn Agreement and to implement the decisions of the Emergency Loya Jirga.

By the terms of the text, the Council called upon all Member States to support the Transitional Authority and to provide long-term assistance for the current expenses of the Transitional Administration, as well as the social and economic reconstruction and rehabilitation of Afghanistan as a whole. It also called upon donor countries that pledged financial aid at last January's Tokyo conference (International Conference on Reconstruction Assistance to Afghanistan) to fulfil their commitments promptly.

The Council further called for significantly greater and more rapid international assistance to the vast numbers of Afghan refugees and internally displaced persons to facilitate their orderly return and effective integration into society, and called upon all Afghan groups to support full and unimpeded access by the humanitarian organizations to people in need and to ensure the safety and security of humanitarian workers.

The Council urged the Transitional Authority to build on efforts of the Interim Administration to eradicate the annual poppy crop and to promote the welfare and interests of Afghan women and children and provide education to boys and girls.

The meeting started at 1:40 p.m. and was adjourned at 1:43 p.m.

Resolution

The full text of resolution 1419 (2002) reads, as follows:

"The Security Council,

"Reaffirming its previous resolutions on Afghanistan, in particular its resolution 1383 (2001) of 6 December 2001,

"Reaffirming also its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity of Afghanistan,

"Reaffirming also its strong commitment to help the people of Afghanistan to bring to an end the tragic conflicts in Afghanistan and promote lasting peace, stability, and respect for human rights,

"Reaffirming also its strong support for international efforts to root out terrorism, in keeping with the Charter of the United Nations, and reaffirming also its resolutions 1368 (2001) of 12 September 2001 and 1373 (2001) of 28 September 2001,

"Reiterating its endorsement of the Agreement on Provisional Arrangements in Afghanistan Pending the Re-establishment of Permanent Government Institutions, signed in Bonn on 5 December 2001 (S/2001/1154) (the Bonn Agreement), and welcoming initial steps for its implementation, including the establishment of the Human Rights and Judicial Commissions,

"1. Welcomes the successful and peaceful holding, from 11 June to 19 June, of the Emergency Loya Jirga opened by former King Mohammed Zaher, the "Father of the Nation", and notes with particular satisfaction the large participation of women, as well as the representation of all ethnic and religious communities;

"2. Commends the Afghan people for the success of the Emergency Loya Jirga and encourages them to continue to exercise their inalienable right to determine freely their own political future;

"3. Welcomes the election, by the Emergency Loya Jirga, of the Head of State, President Hamid Karzai, and the establishment of the Transitional Authority;

"4. Reiterates its strong support for the Transitional Authority in the full implementation of the Bonn Agreement, including the establishment of a Constitutional Commission, and in strengthening the central government, building a national army and police force, implementing demobilization/ reintegration activities and improving the security situation throughout Afghanistan, combating illicit drug trafficking, ensuring respect for human rights, implementing judicial sector reform, establishing the basis for a sound economy and reconstructing productive capacity and infrastructure;

"5. Calls on all Afghan groups, in this regard, to cooperate fully with the Transitional Authority in order to complete the process according to the Bonn Agreement and to implement the decisions of the Emergency Loya Jirga;

"6. Urges the Transitional Authority to build on efforts of the Interim Administration to eradicate the annual poppy crop;

"7. Urges also the Transitional Authority to build further on efforts of the Interim Administration to promote the welfare and interests of Afghan women and children and to provide education to boys and girls;

"8. Commends the role of the United Nations system in support of efforts by the Afghans, reiterates its strong support for the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Lakhdar Brahimi, and the staff of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), and reaffirms its endorsement of the full authority of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, in accordance with its relevant resolutions, over the planning and conduct of all United Nations activities in Afghanistan;

"9. Commends also the contribution of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in providing a secure environment for the Emergency Loya Jirga;

"10. Stresses once again the importance of continued international support to complete the process according to the Bonn Agreement, calls upon donor countries that pledged financial aid at the Tokyo conference to fulfil their commitments promptly and calls upon all Member States to support the Transitional Authority and to provide long-term assistance, as well as current budget support, for the current expenses of the Transitional Authority, and for the social and economic reconstruction and rehabilitation of Afghanistan as a whole;

"11. Calls for significantly greater and more rapid international assistance to the vast number of Afghan refugees and internally displaced persons to facilitate their orderly return and effective reintegration into society in order to contribute to the stability of the entire country;

"12. Calls upon all Afghan groups to support full and unimpeded access by humanitarian organizations to people in need and to ensure the safety and security of humanitarian workers;

"13. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter."

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