In the recent meeting of the United Nations Security Council, some countries, along with Roza Otunbayeva, the head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), emphasized the importance of supporting Afghanistan.
In this session, Roza Otunbayeva highlighted the significance of providing humanitarian aid to those in need in Afghanistan.
She stated: We have sought to help create the necessary space for millions of women, men, girls, and boys to receive life-saving humanitarian and basic human needs assistance. With the the generosity of donors, the UN in Afghanistan has been able to provide assistance to 15.3 million people this year.”
Tom Fletcher, the Deputy Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, also said in this meeting: “Although it now rarely makes headlines, Afghanistan remains in the grip of a staggering humanitarian crisis,” said Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.
He highlighted that half the population requires assistance, “making Afghanistan the second largest humanitarian crisis in the world, after only Sudan.”
China’s special representative at the meeting stressed the unconditional release of Afghanistan’s frozen assets by the United States.
Fu Cong said: “Humanitarian relief concerns the vital interests of all Afghan people and must not be used as a bargaining chip for political pressure. We call on traditional donors to increase financial investments. In particular, we call on the United States to unconditionally unfreeze and fully return overseas assets that belong to the Afghan people”
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Economy also emphasized that efforts to release Afghanistan’s frozen assets are ongoing.
Abdul Latif Nazari, the Deputy Minister for Technical Affairs at the Ministry of Economy, said: “Some problems exist due to sanctions, banking restrictions, and the freezing of Afghanistan’s assets. Our effort is to have the assets of the Afghan people released as soon as possible so they can be used for the economic growth and development of the country.”
Kazakhstan’s special representative at the meeting said that his country will continue its economic cooperation with Afghanistan.
He emphasized that infrastructure and connectivity projects to link Afghanistan with international trade, transport, logistics, and energy systems are essential for the country’s recovery and for creating jobs for ordinary Afghan citizens.