(Recasts, adds U.S., British ambassadors from paragraph 9)

By Louis Charbonneau

UNITED NATIONS, March 20 (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council agreed on Thursday to give the United Nations a greater role in Afghanistan, where NATO-led forces are struggling to overcome a surprisingly fierce Taliban insurgency.

All 15 council members voted in favor of a resolution extending for another year the mandate for the U.N. mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). It also called for what U.N. officials describe as a "sharpened" role for the United Nations' envoy.

The resolution referred to the council's "concern about the security situation in Afghanistan, in particular the increased violent and terrorist activities by the Taliban, al Qaeda, illegally armed groups, criminals and ... the narcotics trade."

Earlier this month, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appointed Norwegian diplomat Kai Eide to take over from Germany's Tom Koenigs as the top U.N. envoy to Afghanistan.

Western diplomats on the council said Eide would have to assume more responsibility than Koenigs did in coordinating international civilian and military activities and will have to cooperate more effectively with the Afghan government.

Last week, several top U.N. officials described the Taliban insurgency as surprisingly resilient and ruthless and recommended expanding U.N. activities across Afghanistan and increasing coordination between the international community, aid agencies, the Afghan government and NATO-led ISAF forces.

The resolution calls for "more coherent support by the international community to the Afghan government," an expanded U.N. presence in Afghanistan, and asks UNAMA to "strengthen the cooperation with ISAF at all levels."

ISAF peacekeepers were sent to Afghanistan after a U.S.-led invasion in October 2001 to topple the Taliban government in response to the attacks of Sept. 11.

ELIMINATING CONFUSION

U.S. Ambassador to the Uniped Nations Zalmay Khalilzad said Eide's top priority would be to establish a "trusting, collaborative relationship" with Afghan President Hamid Karzai so they can agree on how to use civilian and military aid.

In an article published in the Thursday edition of the New York Times, Khalilzad said there has been a lack of coordination among international donors in Afghanistan, which has meant that aid for reconstruction often failed to arrive in areas cleared of insurgents by peacekeepers.

This, he said, was creating a confusing situation for the Afghan government, which has had to "comply with the varying procurement and accounting rules of dozens of foreign agencies, many of which are not consistent with Afghan law."

"There is only one way to end the confusion: the United Nations must take on the primary coordination role, and donors must show a willingness to be coordinated," Khalilzad wrote.

He said the new resolution addressed these problems, above all by giving Eide a clear mandate to coordinate both civilian and military assistance.

Western diplomats have said Eide was chosen after Karzai rejected British politician Paddy Ashdown over fears he might be seeking too much authority. British Ambassador John Sawers said Eide was an excellent choice.

"I think he will bring to the task the talents that are required to give more effective leadership to the international civilian effort on the ground in Afghanistan and to spread it throughout the country," Sawers told reporters.

He said Eide would also support Afghan "reconciliation efforts" with Taliban fighters aimed at convincing them to lay down their arms and accept Karzai's government. (Editing by Eric Beech)

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