In a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, the economic and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan was also discussed by representatives of the member states.
Roza Otunbayeva, the head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), presented a report on Afghanistan’s humanitarian and economic conditions at the Security Council session.
She stated that in 2025, 23 million people in Afghanistan will require humanitarian aid, but such assistance is rapidly declining.
Referring to the poverty crisis in Afghanistan, Otunbayeva added that the aid provided in 2024 has been effective, but another significant challenge remains, including Afghanistan’s reintegration into the international system, which is considered a fundamental necessity for the country.
“The Afghan economy grew around 2.7 percent in 2024. Investments, especially in infrastructure, supported by regional countries, are taking place. But in the short and medium term, current levels of growth cannot compensate for the drop in foreign aid and the growing population. In the longer term, the de facto authorities’ positive vision of economic self-sufficiency cannot reach its full potential unless ongoing obstacles to its reintegration into the international system are resolved,” stated Roza Otunbayeva.
The representatives of China and Russia also welcomed the UN’s efforts to aid Afghanistan and called for the release of Afghanistan’s frozen assets.
” At the same time, contrary to the gloomy forecasts of our Western colleagues, Afghanistan has survived. In the conditions of unprecedented unilateral sanctions and a humanitarian crisis, the country, accustomed to living for years on international support, has not slipped into another civil war and has not fallen apart. However, it is obvious that, given the full scale of the problems and threats that have accumulated over the years of war, its people need our sustainable assistance and support more than ever. At the same time, it is gratifying that the Afghans are looking for an independent path of development and restoration of economic potential based on regional cooperation,” stated Vasily Nebenzya, the permanent representative of Russia to the United Nations.
“It is necessary that all parties continue bilateral, multilateral, and regional cooperation in support of Afghanistan’s economic recovery, including rebuilding its banking system and provide more resources for its development. The overseas assets of the Afghan central bank are the valuable wealth belonging to the Afghan people. The United States should unconditionally unfreeze and return all of them to Afghanistan,” stated Fu Cong, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations.
Munir Akram, Pakistan’s permanent representative at the UN, also emphasized that implementing regional projects would benefit the concerned countries and called for resolving various issues, including halting the construction of security outposts along the border.
“The implementation of the shovel-ready connectivity projects – such as TAPI gas pipeline, CASA-1000 electricity grid and the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Railway – could expand trade relations and commercial linkages and contribute significantly to economic growth and job creation within Afghanistan and the region,” stated Munir Akram.
This is the first UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan’s situation with the participation of global representatives in 2025. The council is expected to hold three more quarterly meetings on Afghanistan by the end of this year.