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International community should address challenges in Afghanistan: US Envoy
The US special envoy for Afghanistan, Thomas West, said he met this weekend with Afghan Future Thought Forum members in Doha on Friday as well as heads of mission of key allies and partners.
In a series of tweets, West called on the international community to address the ongoing problems of the country and said that “every Afghan participant at the forum voiced support for dialogue and opposition to armed conflict as a solution to the country’s challenges.”
He said: “I heard both condemnation and support for Taliban conduct and different recommendations for how the international community should address challenges. Every Afghan participant spoke out in favor of dialogue and against using violence to resolve the country’s problems,” West said.
Afghan men and women from a variety of backgrounds, including economists, human rights activists, former ministers, elders, and IEA members, attended the Forum.
In a statement, the Afghanistan Future Thought Forum (AFTF), which bills itself as an independent, non-partisan organization with “Taliban participants,” claimed to have examined the main opportunities and difficulties the Afghan people face and to have offered a solution to both the IEA and the international community, local media reported.
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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