Article 3Mandate

In order to fulfil the mandate, the EUSR shall, in close cooperation with Member States' representatives in Afghanistan:

(a)

promote the views of the Union on the political process and developments in Afghanistan;

(b)

maintain close contact with, and support the development of, relevant Afghan institutions, in particular the Government and the Parliament as well as the local authorities. Contact should also be maintained with other Afghan political groups and other relevant actors in Afghanistan, in particular relevant civil society actors;

(c)

maintain close contact with relevant international and regional stakeholders in Afghanistan, notably the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the UN and the Senior Civilian Representative of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and other key partners and organisations;

(d)

advise on the progress achieved in meeting the objectives of the EU-Afghanistan Joint Declaration, of the EU Strategy in Afghanistan 2014-16, the EU-Afghan Cooperation Agreement on Partnership and Development and of the of the Bonn, Chicago and Tokyo Conference Communiqués, in particular in the following areas:

civilian capacity building, notably at sub-national level,

good governance and the establishment of institutions necessary for the existence of the rule of law, in particular an independent judiciary,

electoral reforms,

security sector reforms, including the strengthening of judicial institutions, the national army and the police force, and in particular, the development of the civilian police service;

promotion of growth, namely through agriculture and rural development,

respect for Afghanistan's international human rights obligations, including respect for the rights of persons belonging to minorities and the rights of women and children,

respect of democratic principles and the rule of law,

fostering participation of women in public administration, civil society and, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1325, the peace process,

respect for Afghanistan's international obligations, including cooperation in international efforts to combat terrorism, illicit drug trafficking, trafficking in human beings and proliferation of arms and weapons of mass destruction and related materials,

facilitation of humanitarian assistance and the orderly return of refugees and internally displaced persons, and

enhancing the effectiveness of Union presence and activities in Afghanistan and contributing to the formulation of the regular implementation reports on the EU Strategy in Afghanistan 2014-16, as requested by the Council;

(e)

actively participate in local coordination fora, such as the Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board, while keeping non-participating Member States fully informed of decisions taken at those levels;

(f)

advise on the participation and the positions of the Union in international conferences with regard to Afghanistan;

(g)

take an active role in promoting regional cooperation through relevant initiatives including the Istanbul Process and the Regional Economic Conference on Afghanistan (RECCA);

(h)

contribute to the implementation of the Union's human rights policy and the EU Guidelines on Human Rights, in particular with regard to women and children in conflict-affected areas, especially by monitoring and addressing developments in this regard;

(i)

provide, as appropriate, support to an inclusive and Afghan-led peace process leading to a political settlement consistent with the ”red lines” agreed at the Bonn Conference.