The meeting will start at 5 p.m. on Monday evening and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will brief the members of the council on the situation in Afghanistan. 

"Estonia is closely monitoring the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan and considers an extraordinary session of the UN Security Council necessary to discuss the issue and find solutions to the situation," Minister of Foreign Affairs Eva-Maria Liimets (Center) said in a statement on Sunday.

"The events in Afghanistan are very worrying, and we must support the civilian population there, work to end the violence and human rights abuses, and unequivocally condemn the takeover. The Security Council must discuss ways of resolving the situation peacefully and reaching an agreement on the sustainable sharing of power between the parties to the conflict, the Afghan people."

follows with deep concern situation in Afghanistan. We'll raise this ASAP at UN Security Council to discuss possibilities to stop escalation. Immediate solution needed to protect civil population, esp. women&girls, and to preserve basic standards of human rights&governance.

— Eva-Maria Liimets (@eliimets) August 15, 2021

Estonia and Norway have raised the topic to the UNSC as they have been so-called "penholders" for Afghanistan since January and take the lead on discussions about the country.

On Sunday, the Taliban claimed victory in Afghanistan after taking over the capital Kabul, bringing to a swift end almost 20 years of a US-led coalition's presence in the country, the BBC reported. Estonia took part in the allied NATO mission for almost 18 years.

Kallas: NATO to discuss Afghanistan on Monday

Prime Minister Kaja Kallas (Reform) said that NATO will discuss Afghanistan on Monday.

Writing (link in Estonian) on social media on Sunday night, she said: "Within NATO, we will discuss the situation on Monday, and hopefully the UN Security Council will convene on this topic in the near future under the leadership of Estonia. It is important that we do not leave behind those who have helped us in Afghanistan. To do this, the EU and NATO member states must work together, and it is our moral duty. Discussions are underway with the Allies and with the Government of the Republic in the new week."

Disturbing news from #Afghanistan. All international focus has to be on stopping violence and human rights abuse. It is clear that we cannot leave behind those who have helped us in Afghanistan. Next week we'll have discussions with Allies and within Estonian government.

— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) August 15, 2021

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