Afghanistan Peace CampaignPeaceRep
How the United Nations Can Turn Afghanistan’s Seat Into a Path Forward
Author: Aref Dostyar
This paper examines Afghanistan’s seat at the United Nations, which reflects the country’s broader political reality of uncertainty and inertia. Four years after the collapse of the Islamic Republic, the question of who should represent Afghanistan at the UN remains in limbo. The Taliban claim the seat, the remnants of the former government hold it without voting rights, and the UN defers decision. This paper proposes to the UN Secretary-General, the UN General Assembly, and Afghanistan’s movements, to treat the status of the seat as an opportunity for constructive diplomacy, analysing different possible scenarios and arguing in favour of a joint nomination as the most strategic option for Afghanistan.
This publication is part of a series highlighting the work and analysis of the Afghanistan Research Network (ARN), a project convened by LSE / PeaceRep, and the Civic Engagement Project (CEP). The network brings together over 20 Afghan researchers (and several non-Afghans) with diverse expertise and backgrounds investigating a range of issues. This project aims to support Afghan researchers who were recently forced to leave Afghanistan; to ensure expert and analytical provision; inform contextually-appropriate international policies and practices on Afghanistan; and to deepen understanding of evolving political, security, and economic dynamics.