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EU Envoy Says Taliban Missed Chance to Attend Geneva Donor Conference
European Union’s (EU) special envoy for Afghanistan said Tuesday the Taliban has lost the opportunity to attend the upcoming Geneva Conference because of the increased levels of violence across the country.
“The extreme high level of violence, I don’t see it is a good option to have the Taliban represented at the conference, but I think all of us reached out to them and made sure it could have been a possibility… it could have been a good opportunity to represent themselves to the world but don’t see it happening now,” said Andreas Von Brandt EU ambassador to Afghanistan.
The EU envoy said that the EU will continue to support Afghanistan but there could be a reduction in aid due to the Coronavirus pandemic, and the fight against corruption in the Afghan government.
“It is also extremely important to fight corruption to create overall awareness for the problems but also to investigate when it comes to specific cases of fraud and I have made it very clear at the EU’s anti-corruption conference at the Palace which was also televised,” said Von Brandt.
The Geneva conference is scheduled to take place at the end of this month and will see the Afghan government report back on achievements regarding the fight against corruption.
Donor countries will also pledge the amounts they are prepared to donate to Afghanistan for 2021 through to 2024.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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