Statement by H.E. Sanita Pavļuta-Deslandes, Permanent Representative of Latvia to the UN, at the UNSC Meeting on the Adoption of the UNAMA mandate renewal resolution
New York, 16 March 2026
Thank you, Mr President.
We thank the penholder, China, for their dedicated and constructive approach to ensuring that this important mandate continues and we welcome its unanimous adoption.
Let me also take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to the staff of UNAMA. Their dedication and hard work are invaluable and should not be taken for granted.
Latvia fully supports the renewal of UNAMA’s mandate and voted in favour of its extension for three months, although our strong preference was to extend the existing mandate for one year.
The current human rights mandate of UNAMA is comprehensive and robust. We especially value the role of UNAMA in defending women’s and girls' rights and engagement with Afghan women’s organizations.
UNAMA’s work in monitoring and reporting on human rights violations, including on violations and abuses against children, is crucial at a time when women and girls have lost almost all of their basic rights and freedoms since the Taliban took control. Judicially sanctioned corporal punishment, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, torture, attacks on the media and civil society, and discrimination of ethnic and religious minorities are only some of the widespread abuses carried out under Taliban rule.
UNAMA is also uniquely positioned as the main UN actor providing outreach and political good offices on the ground and facilitating dialogue between all relevant Afghan political actors and stakeholders. Its role in coordinating and facilitating humanitarian assistance is essential, as is the promotion of responsible governance and the rule of law.
Latvia has no doubt - a continued strong UN field presence in Afghanistan is vital.
The coming three months will allow the Council to thoroughly reassess the mandate of the Mission but let us be absolutely clear: we remain committed to ensuring that UNAMA has a strong, credible, and robust mandate.
I thank you.