The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution Thursday demanding that the Taliban “swiftly reverse” all restrictions that violate the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan.
In early April, the Taliban banned Afghan women from working in UN offices nationwide.
The world body warned that the ban could paralyse desperately needed aid deliveries and could lead to the UN leaving the country.
The resolution which was drafted by the UAE and Japan was co-sponsored by 92 states including 28 member states of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation.
It urged all UN member nations to use their influence to promote “an urgent reversal” of the Taliban’s policies and practices towards women and girls and said the ban “undermines human rights and humanitarian principles”.
Lana Nusseibeh, the UAE's ambassador to the UN, told council members: “The world will not sit by silently as women in Afghanistan are erased from society.”
By adopting this resolution, stressed Ms Nusseibeh, the council is sending an unequivocal message of condemnation and a clear call for the swift reversal, not only of this latest ban, but of others restricting the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan.
She said the restrictions “put the very presence of the UN in Afghanistan in jeopardy”.
Deputy US ambassador to the UN Robert Wood praised Muslim-majority countries for speaking out against the “Taliban’s rationale” to ban women from “universities; to keep secondary schools closed to girls; and to prevent Afghan women from working with NGOs, the UN and in nearly every sector of the economy”.
“And now the Security Council has condemned the Taliban,” he said.
Even though Russia voted in favour of the resolution, ambassador Vasily Nebenzya shared his disappointment that “a more ambitious approach and texts were blocked by western colleagues”.
He also called for the return of the $7 billion Afghan central bank assets frozen by the US following the Taliban takeover “without any preconditions”.
Late last year, the US said it had created an Afghan Fund with Swiss banks to distribute half of that sum as aid for Kabul.
No aid has yet been disbursed from the fund, pending assurances from the Taliban that the central bank is independent from the group.
On Monday, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres will be hosting a two-day international meeting in Qatar for envoys to Afghanistan to try to find a “durable way forward” for the war-torn country.
Ms Nusseibeh told reporters the resolution sends a “clear signal going into that meeting of the position of the international community, of international law and of the Security Council on the essential role of women and girls and the role they play in every society, including in Afghanistan”.
She said this is the first time “that has come up in a UN Security Council resolution”.
The resolution stressed the urgent need to address “the dire economic and humanitarian situation” in the country and reiterated that women are essential to the delivery of humanitarian aid.
It also reaffirmed the UN's support for “a peaceful, stable, prosperous and inclusive Afghanistan” and for an “inclusive Afghan-led and Afghan-owned determination of the country’s political future and development path”.
Joyce Bukuru, senior advocate at Amnesty International, said in a statement that the resolution “must be accompanied by maximum international pressure that sends a clear message to the Taliban that the rights of women and girls are not up for negotiation — they are universal and inalienable”.
On Friday, the Taliban said the decision to ban Afghan women from working for the UN was an “internal social matter”.
“We remain committed to ensuring all rights of Afghan women while emphasising that diversity must be respected and not politicised,” the Taliban's foreign ministry said in a statement.
The Taliban regained power over Afghanistan in August 2021 after the western-backed government collapsed, following the withdrawal of US and allied forces.
The Year Earth Changed
Directed by:Tom Beard
Narrated by: Sir David Attenborough
Stars: 4
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Women’s World T20, Asia Qualifier
UAE results
Beat China by 16 runs
Lost to Thailand by 10 wickets
Beat Nepal by five runs
Beat Hong Kong by eight wickets
Beat Malaysia by 34 runs
Standings (P, W, l, NR, points)
1. Thailand 5 4 0 1 9
2. UAE 5 4 1 0 8
3. Nepal 5 2 1 2 6
4. Hong Kong 5 2 2 1 5
5. Malaysia 5 1 4 0 2
6. China 5 0 5 0 0
Final
Thailand v UAE, Monday, 7am
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJames%20Gunn%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Chris%20Pratt%2C%20Zoe%20Saldana%2C%20Dave%20Bautista%2C%20Vin%20Diesel%2C%20Bradley%20Cooper%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
