UNSC Resolution 1267

• Vaid's ICS, Lucknow
• 02, Sep 2021

Why in News?

• Recently, the UN Security Council, under India’s presidency, adopted a resolution demanding that the territory of Afghanistan should not be used to threaten any country or shelter terrorists.

US Troops Departure:

• The adoption of Resolution 2593 coincided with the departure of the last US troops from Afghanistan on 30 August, fulfilling Washington’s commitment that all its troops would exit Afghanistan by 31 August.

Proclamation of Taliban:

• In Kabul, the Taliban proclaimed “full independence” for Afghanistan after the last US soldiers left after a two decade long stay.

UN Resolution 2593:

• The UNSC resolution was put forward by the US, the UK, and France and adopted after 13 council members voted in favour, with permanent members Russia and China abstaining.

Demand in Resolution: 

• Resolution demands that Afghan territory not be used to threaten or attack any country or to shelter, train terrorists or plan or finance terrorist acts.

UNSC Resolution 1267:

It specifically mentions individuals and entities designated pursuant to UNSC Resolution 1267, i.e., Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), etc.

• The LeT and JeM are anti-India terrorist groups that are based in Pakistan.
• In the past, LeT and JeM camps have sprouted in Afghanistan when Kabul was in the control of the Taliban between 1996-2001.
• This is of direct importance to India.

Russia, China stand:

• In their statements explaining the split within the UNSC’s permanent members, Russia and China said they wanted all the groups, especially Islamic State (ISIL) and the Uighur East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) be named specifically in the document, and listed a number of objections to the drafting of the resolution.
• They accused the resolution’s sponsors the U.S., the U.K. and France of having rushed it through on a “tight schedule” while seeking to absolve the U.S. of responsibility, and distinguish between “their and our terrorists”.
• Russia has also cautioned against “freezing Afghan financial assets”, a clause that was not included in the document.

India’s Responsibility:

1988 Sanctions committee:

• India is expected to chair the 1988 Sanctions committee that looks at Taliban sanctions next and participate in the decision to extend the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), where it will also have to balance competing demands from the U.S., the U.K. and France bloc ranged against Russia and China.

Stranded Indians:

• focused on developments in Afghanistan, ensuring the evacuation of stranded Indians and also airlifting Afghan nationals, especially “religious minority groups” from Kabul.

Significance

• The resolution recognizes the importance of upholding human rights, especially of Afghan women, children and minorities as well as to inclusive negotiated settlement and humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.
• With this resolution, Afghanistan would have to earn international legitimacy and support.
• India highlighted its key role in the wording on Afghan territory not being used for terrorist actions in other countries.

Facts for Prelims:

E-Gopala App

• The web version of the e-GOPALA application developed by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) has been launched to aid dairy farmers.

About 

• e-GOPALA provides a platform to farmers in the country for managing livestock including buying and selling of disease-free germplasm in all forms (semen, embryos, etc), availability of quality breeding services (Artificial Insemination, veterinary first aid, vaccination, treatment etc) and guiding farmers for animal nutrition, treatment of animals using appropriate ayurvedic medicine/ethnoveterinary medicine.

Safe city index 2021

The fourth edition of the ‘Safe Cities Index 2021’ was released by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) in August 2021.

1. Important Facts: The index ranks 60 cities in 76 indicators covering 5 areas namely digital security, health security, infrastructure security, personal safety and environmental security.
2. The capital of Denmark ‘Copenhagen’ is the safest city in the world. Yangon (Myanmar) is placed last (60th).
3. The top cities in the index are- 1- Copenhagen, 2- Toronto, 3- Singapore, 4- Sydney, 5- Tokyo, 6- Amsterdam, 7- Wellington, 8- Hong Kong, 9- Melbourne, 10- Stockholm.
4. Two Indian cities are included in this index out of 60 cities. Delhi is at 48th position and Mumbai at 50th.