UN envoy urges IEA to enhance dialogue with international community

UN envoy for Afghanistan Deborah Lyons urged the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) on Wednesday to demonstrate their commitment to “a pathway” towards future engagement with the international community.

Lyons told the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in Afghanistan that she hoped the IEA would demonstrate commitment to this so as to ensure critical donor funds are “not diverted or misused.”

She said that “by ‘pathway’ I mean a series of clear, mutually understood commitments, with human rights at the forefront, which would result in Afghanistan rejoining the community of nations by securing domestic legitimacy that aligns with Afghanistan’s modern history and the aspirations of its population, its multi-ethnic character, and its traditional Islamic identity.”

Lyons reported that the IEA has taken some steps to function more effectively as a government, including agreeing on a budget fully financed by their own revenue.

To demonstrate commitment to governing based on trust, the IEA must first initiate a wider dialogue towards national reconciliation, a process that must be entirely initiated and shaped by Afghans, she said, speaking virtually to the council from Kabul.

The promise to contain terrorist groups must also be followed with more meaningful actions, though Lyons suggested “a certain amount of realism” will be required here.

“Given the common interest in addressing this threat, if sufficient trust can be established this could be an area for potential cooperation between the international community and the de facto authorities,” she said. “A new conversation, a new dialogue on this is warranted.”