United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addressing the press yesterday in Doha. Pic: Amr Diab
Doha: United Nations (UN) Secretary-General H E Antonio Guterres yesterday reinforced the UN’s commitment to the Afghan people and chided the Taliban authorities for curbing women and girls’ rights.
The UN chief disclosed this during a press conference after a two-day meeting in Doha with leading powers and special envoys to discuss the growing uncertainty in Afghanistan.
Qatar has been a stout supporter of mediation and dialogue in solving disputes. Its hosting of this meeting further showcases the country’s support for the Afghan people to live a decent, peaceful life that preserves the rights of minorities, especially women.
According to reports, representatives of around 20 countries participated in the closed-door conference to coordinate with major players on issues facing Afghanistan.
Guterres said the vast majority of UN personnel providing vital assistance on the ground are Afghan nationals, including many women aid workers. He called the ban on Afghan women working for the UN and international NGOs unacceptable as it “puts lives in jeopardy”.
“Let me be crystal clear, we will never be silent in the face of unprecedented systemic attacks on women and girls’ rights. We will always speak out when millions of women and girls are being silenced and erased from sight,” Guterres said.
Since the Taliban took over in September 2021 after US troops withdrawal, they have imposed strict conditions on women in the country that include barring them from attending university and closing girls’ high schools.
“The United Nations will not waver in our commitment to support the people of Afghanistan. We are determined to seek the necessary conditions to keep delivering. Humanitarian aid is a fragile lifeline for millions of Afghans,” he stressed. He, however, left the doors open for a meeting with the Taliban but said the moment is not yet right.
The UN chief said it is difficult to overestimate the gravity of the Afghan situation, dubbing it the “largest humanitarian crisis” today, with 97% of Afghans living in poverty while funding dries up.
“To serve the population, 28 million will need humanitarian assistance this year to survive, and six million Afghan children, women and men are one step away from famine-like conditions. Our humanitarian response plan, seeking $4.6bn, has received a mere $294m, 6.4% of the total funding required,” Guterres told reporters.
Meanwhile, the UN chief said participants at the meeting came together to develop a common international approach and not to recognise the de facto Taliban authorities.
He, however, stated that despite that, the consensus agreement is that it was in everyone’s interest, but mostly the Afghans, to work together.
He disclosed that participants agreed on the need for a strategy of engagement that allows for the stabilisation of Afghanistan but also allows for addressing important concerns.
On the other hand, Guterres said the international community is worried about the stability of Afghanistan relating to the persistent presence of terrorist organisations, lack of inclusivity and human rights, including those of women and girls, severely undermined by recent Taliban decisions and the spread of drug trafficking with all its dramatic consequences, which he termed “a risk for the country, the region and further afield.”
The UN chief said disengagement is not an option to achieve UN objectives, with many participants calling for engagement to be more effective and based on lessons from the past. According to him, the UN is ready to convene a new similar meeting.
The Special Coordinator for the Assessment, Ambassador Feridun Sinirlioglu, has begun working on the independent assessment mandated by Security Council Resolution 2679 which calls for forward-looking recommendations for an integrated and coherent approach by the international community to the current challenges facing Afghanistan.
