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Fletcher: Donor countries must not abandon Afghanistan
Tom Fletcher, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, has urged donor countries not to abandon Afghanistan amid the difficult circumstances it is facing.
In an exclusive interview with Ariana News, Fletcher stated that humanitarian needs in Afghanistan remain high and stressed that the voices of Afghan women and girls will not go unheard on the UN stage, and their challenges will not be ignored.
“As you mentioned, the humanitarian needs in Afghanistan are very significant. More than 20 million people in Afghanistan currently require humanitarian assistance. I wanted to spend nearly a week in Afghanistan to visit Kandahar, Kunduz, and here in Kabul, speak with local communities, and understand how they perceive their extensive humanitarian needs. I also met with our outstanding aid teams working in the field. They tell me that the scale of the needs is as large as ever, because in addition to decades of war, poverty, and inequality, the climate crisis has now added to these problems—especially affecting the most vulnerable,” said Fletcher.
He added that the U.S. aid cuts have impacted their operations in Afghanistan.
Fletcher stated: “My message to donor countries and the international community is very simple: do not retreat. Do not abandon Afghanistan and leave it to face these enormous needs alone. We must be here. We must remain here sustainably, engage in dialogue with local communities, be as effective as possible, and deliver aid with the generosity required by this moment.”
He further noted that Afghanistan has taken steps toward progress and has achieved the necessary economic development to stand independently without international reliance.
“As humanitarian aid workers, our future goal should be to be no longer needed here, because Afghanistan has found its own way, has taken its path toward development, and has achieved the economic progress necessary to stand independently without international support. Our ideal should be that one day Afghanistan does not need us and we can leave,” he added.
Tom Fletcher also emphasized that, within the framework of the United Nations and with whatever budget they can secure, they will remain in Afghanistan and continue to serve as effectively as possible.
During Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to New Delhi, India and Russia issued a joint statement highlighting their close coordination on Afghanistan. Both sides appreciated the ongoing dialogue between their respective Security Councils and underscored the significance of the Moscow Format meetings in promoting regional stability.
The leaders welcomed counter-terrorism efforts targeting international terrorist groups, including ISIS, ISKP, and their affiliates, expressing confidence in a comprehensive and effective approach to combating terrorism in Afghanistan. They also stressed the urgent need to ensure uninterrupted humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people.
India and Russia have maintained close ties on regional security, particularly concerning developments in Afghanistan following the Islamic Emirate’s return to power in 2021. The Moscow Format, a diplomatic platform including Afghanistan’s neighbors, has played a key role in facilitating dialogue on peace, stability, and counter-terrorism in the region.
Five civilians were killed and five others wounded in firing by Pakistani troops on Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province late on Friday, sources told Ariana News.
The attack comes two days after a new round of peace talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan reportedly ended without a breakthrough, though both sides agreed to continue their fragile ceasefire.
The recent talks in Saudi Arabia were the latest in a series of meetings hosted by Qatar, Turkey and Saudi Arabia aimed at easing tensions after deadly clashes near the Durand Line in October. Dozens were killed in the clashes in October.
Islamabad claims that Afghanistan-based militants carried out the recent attacks in Pakistan. Kabul denies the allegations, saying it cannot be held responsible for security inside Pakistan.
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Islamic Emirate, said Afghan forces had responded to the recent Pakistani attacks.
Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Hussain Andrabi says both Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Sadyr Japarov, the President of Kyrgyzstan, who visited Islamabad on Thursday, expressed their mutual commitment to a peaceful, stable Afghanistan with a sustainable future for the Afghan people.
Speaking in a press conference on Friday, Andrabi stated that both sides agreed that the Islamic Emirate must fulfill its obligations toward the international community and take concrete steps against terrorist groups to address Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns.
This comes while the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has repeatedly emphasized that no terrorist groups operate from Afghan territory and that it will not allow anyone to use Afghan soil against any country.
The Islamic Emirate has also stated that Pakistan’s security concerns are an internal issue of that country, and Pakistan itself must take measures to prevent any security incidents.
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