UNITED NATIONS, 26 March 2005 — The UN Security Council pressed world governments on Thursday to do more to improve security in Afghanistan ahead of parliamentary and provincial elections set for September. The international community should also provide more aid to boost efforts to end the Afghan economy’s reliance on illegal narcotics, the council said in unanimously adopting a resolution extending the mandate of the UN assistance mission in the central Asian nation for an additional year.
The UN Council voted unanimously to extend the UN mission in Afghanistan for one year. The resolution charged the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan with urgently establishing a framework for the holding of free and fair elections with the “broadest possible participation.”
UN member nations could provide more troops to an international force in Afghanistan as well as equipment and financial aid to help the government conduct free and fair elections following a successful presidential ballot last year.
The cultivation of poppies, used to make opium and heroin, dominates Afghanistan’s economy, accounting for 60 percent of its gross domestic product and 87 percent of the world’s supply. Among other challenges facing Afghanistan, the council resolution said, were continuing terrorist threats, a need to disarm former militias and other illegal armed groups and reintegrate them into civilian life, development of institutions and acceleration of justice reforms.
