WASHINGTON

The UN Security Council on Thursday renewed the mandate of its mission in Afghanistan, which is now under Taliban control.

The one-year extension of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) received 14 votes from the 15-member body. Russia abstained.

"The resolution sends a clear message that this council stands firmly behind the UN's continued support to the Afghan people as they face unprecedented challenges and uncertainty," Norway's envoy to the UN, Mona Juul, said after it was adopted.

Norway introduced the resolution and Juul said the mandate is critical to not only respond to the immediate humanitarian and economic crisis in the war-torn nation but to support the Council's overarching goal of peace and stability in Afghanistan.

UNAMA is a UN Special Political Mission established to assist the state and the people of Afghanistan in laying the foundations for sustainable peace and development.

Barbara Woodward, the British envoy to the UN, said the adoption ensures UNAMA will continue to play a key role in coordinating the UN's response in the country.

She said there has been a reduction in civilian casualties under the Taliban but the new government needs to demonstrate that extremist groups are no longer able to flourish in the country.

"Let me be clear, the Taliban have a choice. The international community has made its expectations clear," she said. "We will base our approach on the actions the Taliban now take.”

“UNAMA will play a key role in supporting the rights of all Afghans, promoting an inclusive society in which women and girls participate fully," she added.

US Deputy Ambassador to the UN Jeffrey DeLaurentis hailed the resolution as "an important step," saying the Council has been tasked with facilitating dialogue among Afghan and international stakeholders.

"Afghanistan cannot prosper if half the population is denied access to education or is not permitted to work. The United States is closely watching the Taliban's actions to ensure it meets its commitments to respect the rights of women throughout the country," he said.

The Taliban retook power by force last August amid the withdrawal of foreign forces and the collapse of the internationally-recognized government. The interim administration, however, has yet to gain international recognition.

While international funding remains largely suspended, billions of dollars of the country's assets abroad, mostly in the US, are also frozen.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, half the population faces acute hunger, more than 9 million people have been displaced and millions of children are out of school.

*Michael Hernandez contributed to the story