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United Nations ready to mediate the Afghan peace process
The United Nations has announced that it was ready to participate in the mediation of the Afghan peace process.
Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General stated in his daily briefing on Friday that the UN stands “ready to uh to assist the parties as requested our role must and will always be in support of the Afghan people must be agreeable to the parties in the conflict,”
The UN official’s comments come after the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said in a letter to the Afghan leaders that a meeting facilitated by the UN will be hosted in Turkey to discuss the Afghan peace process.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, meanwhile, said Friday that Turkey is ready to host an Afghan peace conference in Istanbul in April.
Stéphane Dujarric stated: “The secretary-general and others have been in touch with the Americans, the Russians, and the Qataris and the Turks and many other parties.”
“There is a positive momentum from the international community in terms of coordination and moving forward on helping the afghan parties find peace for the sake of the people of Afghanistan,” Dujarric said.
“We are continuing our discussions and we will do whatever we can to support and do what is requested of us within the framework I have already spoken about,” Dujarric added.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a phone conversation with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday to discuss Afghanistan.
“On Afghanistan, Secretary Blinken thanked Secretary-General Guterres for his commitment to helping advance talks on a just and durable political settlement and permanent and comprehensive ceasefire,” US State Department said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Russia has also planned to hold a conference on the Afghan peace process in Moscow on March 18.
Russian Special for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov said last week that Russia had invited the United States, China, Pakistan, representatives of the Afghan government and the Taliban group (outlawed in Russia), as well as Afghan political figures, to Moscow for consultations on a peaceful settlement in Afghanistan.
Kabulove stated that all participants have confirmed to attend the peace summit.
Russian FM Sergey Lavrov regarding the conference stated: “We are genuinely interested in bringing an end to the Afghan tragedy as soon as possible.”
“We are not competing with Qatar or any other country in this regard. We have not adopted a stance that could become a bone of contention. As you are aware, before the Doha process, there was the Istanbul process and the Moscow format, and no one ever thought of reproaching our Qatari friends for stealing the show,” Lavrov said.
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has emphasized the continuation of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, stating that the ongoing provision of such aid plays an important role in ensuring regional security.
Speaking at the international conference “Peace and Trust” in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, Tokayev described addressing complex humanitarian challenges and the reconstruction of Afghanistan as a necessity.
“To ensure regional security, we consider it essential to continue providing assistance to Afghanistan, including by strengthening international efforts to address complex humanitarian issues and the reconstruction of this country. Kazakhstan remains committed to supporting the people of Afghanistan through humanitarian aid, educational projects, trade development, and food security initiatives,” he said.
Meanwhile, experts believe that sustainable improvement of the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan requires broad cooperation from the international community and support for the country’s economic development.
“Investment can be defined as one of the fundamental drivers of the economic cycle, and whenever Afghan traders do not take their money out of the country and instead invest domestically, it naturally leads to greater growth and dynamism in Afghanistan’s economy,” said Abdul Zahoor Modabber, an economic analyst.
As the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan continues, reports by international relief organizations indicate that millions of citizens of the country are in urgent need of food, health, and livelihood assistance.
The reduction in funding for aid organizations, the impacts of climate change, and the return of migrants have increased concerns about a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the country.
The Islamic Emirate has announced that it will not participate in the upcoming meeting of special envoys of regional countries on Afghanistan, scheduled to be held in Tehran, despite having received an invitation.
In a statement, Zia Ahmad Takal, Head of Information and Public Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the Islamic Emirate has maintained continuous and active engagement with all regional countries through various organizations, regional formats, and bilateral mechanisms, achieving notable progress in promoting mutual understanding and regional cooperation.
The statement added that Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs believes regional cooperation should be advanced by strengthening existing mechanisms and formats within the region.
Tehran is set to host the meeting next week, with special envoys from Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, China, and Russia expected to attend.
Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani, Minister of Interior of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, said during a visit to Khost province on Friday that any government which rules through fear cannot be considered a true government.
“A government is one that is loved by its people, one that serves them with respect and compassion, and from whose behavior people learn ethics and sincerity,” he said.
Haqqani also stressed that Afghans who opposed the Islamic Emirate in the past should be tolerated and treated in a way that helps eliminate hostility and animosity, paving the way for national cohesion.
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