UNITED NATIONS - There is “no better way forward” other than a unity government in Afghanistan, UN envoy Jan Kubis told the UN Security Council on Thursday.

Kubis, who is the head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), told the 15-nation UN body from Kabul, the Afghan capital, in his final briefing in that capacity.

“There is quite simply no better way forward other than a government of national unity led by an elected President, as certified by the Independent Election Commission,” he said. “I continue to emphasize that in a government of national unity there will be no losers -- only partners.”

The UN  envoy told Security Council members via video conference that the current political deadlock is deepening a crisis which has already taken a heavy political,  security and economic toll in the country with “real risks for the future.”

The main phase of the UN-supervised audit of the June 14 presidential run-off election was completed on Sept. 4 and the announcement of updated results is expected shortly.

During meetings and telephone conversations with Afghanistan’s two presidential candidates, Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, top UN officials, including UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon and UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman, underscored the world body’s call for a successful conclusion to the country’s election process.

Afghanistan’s presidential election was held on April 5. Since none of the eight contenders succeeded to secure more than 50 percent of the votes, the two front-runners went for a run-off on June 14.

Abdullah, who bagged the most votes in the first round and turned out second in the run-off, had accused the election commission of committing fraud in favor of Ahmadzai and demanded a vote audit.

Kubis told the Security Council Thursday “if there is not agreement by the time of the certification of results, new dynamics will be set in play with the potential to trigger further uncertainty, even the risk of conflict.”

“The time remaining is now short -- and by this I mean one or two days,” he said.

In his briefing, the UN envoy also gave an update on the serious and growing challenges faced by Afghanistan.

He noted a tactical shift in the insurgency that has seen attempts to exert control over territory across Afghanistan, and that civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict.

In the first eight months of this year, civilian casualties rose by 15 percent compared with the same period last year with more than 2,300 killed and over 4,500 injured, the envoy said.

Kubis said the Thursday briefing will be his last as the special representative of the secretary-general in Afghanistan, where he has served since January 2012.

Going forward, he said, “the United Nations will continue to have an important role both in Afghanistan and the region.” (Xinhua)