Chair of Security Council 1988 (Taliban) Committee, ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee Briefs Committees on Recent Visit to Kabul, Afghanistan

On 22 November 2016, the Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1988 (2011) and the Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning ISIL (Da’esh), Al-Qaida and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities, H.E. Ambassador Gerard van Bohemen (New Zealand), briefed members of both Committees in joint informal consultations on his recent visit to Kabul, Afghanistan from 11 to 13 November 2016.

The trip represented the first visit of a 1267 Committee Chair to Afghanistan in over ten years, and the first visit of a stand-alone 1988 Sanctions Committee Chair to Afghanistan.  The Chair was accompanied by a representative of the incoming Chair (Kazakhstan), delegates from the Committee and representatives of the Analytical Sanctions and Support Monitoring Team and Department of Political Affairs.  The visit was facilitated by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

The delegation met with Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, and other Afghan interlocutors.  The delegation also met with the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and Head of UNAMA, Tadamichi Yamamoto.  The Chair participated in a meeting of the Informal Joint Working Group on the 1988 sanctions regime in Kabul on 13 November.

The visit served to highlight the threat posed by the Taliban, Al-Qaida, and ISIL (Da’esh) in Afghanistan, as well as the importance of the work of both Committees in depriving these groups and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities of the means to operate and conduct attacks.  The Chair also highlighted the utility of the 1988 (Taliban) sanctions regime as a tool for the Government of Afghanistan to utilize to support peace and reconciliation.  

Members of the Committees welcomed the Chair’s visit and high level of engagement by the Government of Afghanistan on the sanctions regimes.  Members of the Committees further welcomed undertakings by the Government of Afghanistan to enhance engagement with the Committees to support the effectiveness of the sanctions measures.  Members of the Committees welcomed close coordination by the Government of Afghanistan on peace and reconciliation.