Peace plan endorsed. (PeaceWatch: Afghanistan).

The Security Council on 14 November endorsed a United Nations plan for a political solution to the situation in Afghanistan. It unanimously adopted a resolution reaffirming that the United Nations should play a "central role" in supporting the attempts of the Afghan people to establish a new transitional administration and government. It also voiced its full support for the efforts of the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi, who was appointed on 3 October, in leading such negotiations.

The Council stressed that the new Afghan institutions should be "broad-based, multi-ethnic and fully representative of all the Afghan people" and committed to peace with Afghanistan's neighbours. They should also respect human rights, honour the country's international obligations, including cooperating with the global fight against terrorism and illicit drug trafficking within and from Afghanistan, and facilitate the urgent delivery of humanitarian assistance and the orderly return of refugees and others forced from their homes.

The Council called on all Afghan forces to refrain from "acts of reprisal, adhere strictly to their obligations under human rights and international humanitarian law", and to ensure the safety and security of United Nations and humanitarian personnel. It called on the international community to support such an Afghan administration and government, and provide urgent humanitarian assistance, as well as long-term help, for the social and economic reconstruction of the country.

Reacting to the Council's action, the Secretary-General said that the United Nations had a formal basis for moving forward. "We are beginning to send our staff back into Afghanistan to continue their humanitarian and other work and to provide whatever service and assistance that we can provide", he said. On 19 November, he named the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Mark Malloch Brown, to lead the early recovery effort in Afghanistan, under the overall coordination of Mr. Brahimi. Mr. Malloch Brown will coordinate the effort with other UN agencies, including the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and also liaise with other partners such as the World Bank, the Asia Development Bank, the European Commission and other donors, as well as international non-governmental organizations and civil society.

On 16 November, the WFP said it had succeeded in reaching a monthly food aid target of 52,000 metric tonnes, enough supplies to feed the 6 million hungry Afghans devastated by war and drought. "We're winning the struggle to deliver food into Afghanistan", WFP Executive Director Catherine Bertini said. With winter setting in, WFP has also begun special snow removal operations to keep mountainous roads open from Tajikistan to the Panjsheer Valley, as well as routes from Kyrgyzstan into Badakhshan province.