"INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE FORCE - ISAF"

The Ambassador of Ghana, Harold Adlai Agyeman, said, “there's a general support” in the Security Council for the continuation of the Black Sea grain initiative and added that “all of us are concerned that we have the initiative ongoing in a way that helps to stabilize the food market.” UNIFEED

A UN spokesperson said that Afghan authorities and both presidential candidates have asked the United Nations to take the role of coordinating international supervision of the audit of the 14 June Presidential run-off. The auditing process was resumed in the capital Kabul after a week-long break during Eid al-Fitr celebrations. UNIFEED-UNTV / UNAMA

The first ever female Force Commander in the United Nations 65 year’s long peacekeeping history was announced today, by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. He announced the appointment of Major General Kristin Lund of Norway as the Force Commander of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).  UNIFEED - UNTV

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan, Jan Kubiš, told the Security Council today (19 September) that despite improvements in the country “a campaign of bloodshed by anti-Government elements” has targeted Afghans civilians and police, including female officers. UNTV

The United Nations (UN) Security Council today (19 March) extended the mandate of the UN mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for another year, after Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other speakers urged for continued UN support to the Afghan government as it assumes full responsibility in most areas by 2014, including elections. UNTV

As the Security Council debated Afghanistan today, the UN envoy to the country said that while it is moving forward in the transition to greater ownership and responsibility for its affairs, Afghanistan still faces a number of challenges. UNTV

Pakistani Ambassador Abdullah Hussain Haroon told the UN Security Council that his country's "restraint" in reacting to the recent killing and beheading of 17 Pakistani soldiers in a cross-border raid from Afghanistan "should not be taken for granted". The Taliban today released a video purporting to show the heads of the victims. UNTV

Ján Kubis, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan and Head of the UN Assistance Mission (UNAMA), on Afghanistan

As the General Assembly debate comes to a close today, Russia's Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov told delegates that while supporting the aspirations of Arab peoples and condemning the use of violence against civilians, "the actions by outside forces must be based on full respect for international law." UNTV

The number of civilians killed in conflict in Afghanistan rose by 15 per cent in the first half of this year, the UN mission in the country said today releasing figures that showed 1,462 non-combatants died, with insurgents responsible for 80 per cent of the killings. UNAMA