What is the UNSC 1267 Resolution

The UNSC unanimously adopted Resolution 1267 on October 15, 1999. In the adopted resolution, the Council declared Osama bin Laden and Comrades as terrorists. It established a sanctions regime to cover Al-Qaida, Osama bin Laden, and the Taliban wherever they may be found.

UNSC Resolution 1267

The first two Resolutions, 1267 and 1333 (2000)of the security council, were passed on October 15, 1999, and December 19, 2000. They were greeted warmly by the Afghan envoy, who was not a representative of the Taliban administration, which had taken 80 percent of his nation. 

Only Malaysia raised misgivings about their efficacy and expressed worry about the humanitarian effects, prompting it to abstain from the second resolution. Despite voting in favor of the second resolution, the United Kingdom secretly opposed it due to the existing grave humanitarian situation and the fear of a reaction against UN assistance agencies providing help in the nation.

The first resolution followed the sanctions system implemented by the United States by executive order on July 5, 1999, when intelligence authorities discovered bin Laden-controlled money flowing through institutions.

The UN charter, chapter VII, puts obligations on member nations and Afghanistan.

The first included:

• The Taliban must not allow terrorist training to take place on its territory.
• Osama bin Laden must be handed over to the competent authorities by the Taliban.
• All governments must reject all Taliban-operated aircraft flying permits.
• All governments must stop any financial resources that might help the Taliban.
• All nations must report on the steps they have taken within 30 days.

The December 2000 decision reinforced the system and set new requirements, including the Taliban’s need to eradicate all illegal opium poppy growing.

• All governments must prohibit the supply of any military equipment to Taliban-controlled areas.
• All nations must prohibit the supply of acetic anhydride (a chemical used in the manufacture of heroin) to Taliban-controlled areas in Afghanistan.
• All nations must impose restrictions on the admission and transit of high-ranking Taliban officials via their borders.
• Ariana Afghan Airlines’ offices must be closed down.

Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee

The UNSC adopted Resolution 1988 (2011) and 1989 (2011) on June 17, 2011. The Security Council resolved to divide the list of people and businesses subject to the sanctions in half these resolutions. The Committee was named the Al Qaida and Taliban Sanctions Committee and was tasked with overseeing the execution of sanctions against persons and companies linked with Al-Qaida. 

By Resolution 1988 (2011), a Special Committee, namely Al Qaida and Taliban Sanctions Committee, was created to monitor the performance of actions against persons and companies affiliated with the Taliban that pose a danger to Afghanistan’s peace, stability, and security.

The UNSC adopted Resolution 2253 (2015) on December 17, 2015. With this resolution, the Security Council agreed to broaden the listing criteria to include persons and entities allied with the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The resolution further requests that the Monitoring Team give findings on the worldwide danger presented by the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Qaida, and affiliated persons, organizations, enterprises, and institutions. 

15 members have to be on the same page and are urged to (a) appoint national focal points on problems relating to the implementation of the measures indicated in the resolution and (b) report to the Al Qaida and Taliban Sanctions Committee on barriers to implementing measures described in the resolution; additionally, calls on all States to provide an updated report to the Al Qaida and Taliban Sanctions Committee no later than 120 days after the resolution’s adoption.

The Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2610 (2021) on December 17, 2021.

The Security Council renewed the freeze and seizure of its properties, travel restriction, and arms embargo, impacting all people and entities on the ISIL (Da’esh) & Al-Qaida Sanctions List with the resolution’s passage.

The resolution extended the Monitoring Team and the Office of the Ombudsperson’s mandates for 30 months to June 2024.

Post-Taliban Resolutions

In October 2001, the US invaded Afghanistan following a series of ultimatums to the Taliban to deliver over Osama bin Laden, whom the US said was responsible for the September 11, 2001 attacks. In Resolution 1388, the Security Council removed sanctions against Ariana Afghan Airlines on January 15, 2002, because the Taliban no longer operated it. Under Resolution 1452, the Security Council altered the enforcement system on December 20, 2002, so that individual nations may manage their exemptions to financial penalties.

The Security Council reestablished the Monitoring Group the following month with Resolution 1455, reminding all nations to enforce the sanctions and provide reports.

On January 20, 2003, the Security Council called a high-level ministerial conference to examine terrorism. Resolution 1456 was simply the ministers’ adoption of a declaration urging the Counter-Terrorism Committee to step up its efforts.

To tighten the regime, the Security Council issued Resolution 1526 (2004) on January 30, 2004, demanding that all nations immediately freeze any economic resources that may directly or indirectly benefit anyone on the list. All governments must prevent anyone on the list from entering or transiting through their borders.

All countries that have not previously done so were required to submit their reports by March 31. The Security Council adopted Resolution 1617 (2005) on July 29, 2005, to standardize adding people to the Consolidated List. On August 8, 2006, the Security Council issued Resolution 1699 (2006), praising Interpol’s involvement in enforcing sanctions and urging the Secretary-General to collaborate further.

Conclusion

These resolutions stopped the Taliban and Al Qaida from spreading terrorism and having world peace. UNSC started it by implementing the Resolutions of 1267 and kept improvising on them in the future to stop the terrorism spread by these organizations completely.