China’s envoy to UN calls for sanctions against IEA to be lifted

Zhang Jun, China’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, has said the United States and the West should lift sanctions against the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) as soon as possible.

He has also called for Afghanistan to join regional economic and trade cooperation bodies.

Zhang stressed the need for dialogue and interaction with Kabul. He also raised the issue of funding shortfalls for Afghanistan and said the UN’s budget plan for the humanitarian crisis was $3.2 billion but only 9% of this had so far been funded.

On the issue of sanctions, he said: “In order to promote dialogue and interaction, it is necessary for the sanctions committee of the Security Council to create a package of exemption arrangements for the international trips of officials of the caretaker government of Afghanistan. Sanctions imposed on officials of the Islamic Emirate by the UN Security Council should be adjusted or canceled in a timely manner according to the development of the situation.”

He also asked for the immediate release of Afghanistan’s frozen foreign reserves by the US.