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STORY: UN / AFGHANISTAN TALIBAN TAKEOVER
TRT: 02:48
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 14 AUGUST 2026, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE – NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, the United Nations headquarters
14 AUGUST 2026, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, ambassadors approaching the microphone at the stakeout area
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Christina Markus Lassen, Ambassador, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Denmark:
“Five years after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, we stand together as a broad cross regional group of United Nations member states in solidarity with the Afghan people. And we reaffirm our steadfast commitment to a future where all Afghans, without exception, can enjoy the fundamental rights, freedoms and dignity in peace and prosperity. Five years on, Afghanistan faces profound human rights, humanitarian, economic and security challenges, placing immense pressure on the Afghan people and creating risk for the stability and security of neighboring countries and the wider region. The Taliban's systematic repression of women and girls has become a defining feature of the current system. Afghanistan remains the only country in the world where girls are banned from secondary and higher education. The grave abuse of the right to education is also having far reaching consequences for Afghanistan's economic development and provision of essential public services.”
4. Med shot, camera operator
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Christina Markus Lassen, Ambassador, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Denmark:
“Through an ever-expanding web of discriminatory decrees that further entrench discrimination and weaken women's legal protections, the Taliban continues to strip women and girls of their rights, dignity and agency. The absence of inclusive governance continues to undermine prospects for lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan. Humanitarian needs remained acute, human rights abuses persist, and terrorist groups continue to threaten the Afghan people and regional and international security. We reaffirm the terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, constitutes one of the most serious threats to peace and security in Afghanistan, as well as in the world, and further reaffirm the demand that the territory of Afghanistan should not be used to threaten attack any country, to plan or finance terrorist acts, or to shelter and train terrorists. We call on the Taliban to take active measures to strengthen its efforts to combat terrorism, including those to individuals and groups, entities and undertakings designated by the Security Council.”
8. Wide shot, ambassadors leaving the stakeout area
“Afghanistan remains the only country in the world where girls are banned from secondary and higher education,” the Security Council President told reporters, marking five years since the Taliban takeover.
Speaking at the Security Council stakeout today (14 Aug) on behalf of a cross-regional group of member states, Denmark's Ambassador Christina Markus Lassen (whose country holds the Council presidency this month) said, “Five years after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, we stand together as a broad cross regional group of United Nations member states in solidarity with the Afghan people. And we reaffirm our steadfast commitment to a future where all Afghans, without exception, can enjoy the fundamental rights, freedoms and dignity in peace and prosperity.”
She stated, “Five years on, Afghanistan faces profound human rights, humanitarian, economic and security challenges, placing immense pressure on the Afghan people and creating risk for the stability and security of neighboring countries and the wider region.”
“The Taliban's systematic repression of women and girls has become a defining feature of the current system,” the Danish Ambassador continued, adding that “the grave abuse of the right to education is also having far reaching consequences for Afghanistan's economic development and provision of essential public services.”
According to Lassen, “Through an ever-expanding web of discriminatory decrees that further entrench discrimination and weaken women's legal protections, the Taliban continues to strip women and girls of their rights, dignity and agency.”
The Permanent Representative warned that “the absence of inclusive governance continues to undermine prospects for lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan,” noting, “Humanitarian needs remained acute, human rights abuses persist, and terrorist groups continue to threaten the Afghan people and regional and international security.”
On the terrorism threat, she declared, “We reaffirm the terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, constitutes one of the most serious threats to peace and security in Afghanistan, as well as in the world, and further reaffirm the demand that the territory of Afghanistan should not be used to threaten attack any country, to plan or finance terrorist acts, or to shelter and train terrorists.”
Lassen concluded, “We call on the Taliban to take active measures to strengthen its efforts to combat terrorism, including those to individuals and groups, entities and undertakings designated by the Security Council.”
