UN Secretary-General’s spokesman Stefan Djuarik, in response to a question about the future of the United Nations mission, acknowledged that the withdrawal would “obviously have an impact on the whole country”.
“We will continue to assess the situation, but our work in Afghanistan will continue,” Dujarik added, noting that the UN would adapt to the situation on the ground.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) is a small political operation involving some 1,200 personnel, mostly Afghan citizens, and no peacekeepers.
Together with some UN agencies, the United Nations staff in Afghanistan reaches about 4,000 people, about 75% of whom are Afghans.
There are two UN ambassadors in Afghanistan, Deborre Laen, a Canadian leader of UNAMA, and Jean Arno, a French diplomat who was tasked with supporting the search for a political solution to the conflict in March.
U.S. President Joe Biden reportedly announced the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan by 9/11 on Wednesday.
The withdrawal of American soldiers will begin on May 1.
Only 2,500 troops remain in the US contingent in Afghanistan, compared to more than 100,000 at one time.
Several thousand more American military personnel are in the 9,600-strong NATO mission in Afghanistan.
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