Guterres calls for more dialogue and guarantees for women in Afghanistan

At the conclusion of a two-day meeting focused on greater commitment by the Asian nation, the UN Secretary-General stressed that the international community wants peace for the country and relations with its neighbours.

The meeting was held behind closed doors with the aim of providing greater support to the Afghans, but the de facto authorities refused to attend despite the invitation.

The group presented a series of conditions for its participation that the United Nations President found unacceptable.

“First of all, they denied us the right to speak with other representatives of Afghan society and demanded treatment, which I would say would be very similar to recognition,” he revealed.

The Secretary-General considered it necessary for the Taliban to be able to assume the international obligations and obligations of a sovereign state towards the international community, its neighbors and the rights of the population.

The meeting achieved consensus on the path to peace on the one hand, while on the other hand it emphasized the stalemate on key issues.

“Afghanistan still has a government that is not internationally recognized and, in many respects, is not integrated into global institutions and the economy,” the diplomat warned.

She added that this coincides with the prevailing international perception of the deterioration of human rights, especially women and girls.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations considered it necessary to overcome the stagnation and develop a joint road map that simultaneously addresses international concerns and the concerns of the de facto authorities.

At the same time, he highlighted the proposals contained in the independent review conducted by Feridun Sinirlioglu, the UN Independent Representative in the country with a Security Council mandate from 2023.

Among the key areas of concern, the UN Secretary-General included the need for Afghanistan not to become a hotbed of terrorist activity, and further inclusion and progress towards a truly inclusive state.

Omani Riyal/ebr