It is time for the world and Afghanistan to get closer, Muttaqi tells new UN envoy

It is time for the international community and Afghanistan to get closer, and to understand each other’s conditions, priorities and demands, Amir Khan Muttaqi, foreign minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), said in a meeting with the United Nations’ new envoy on Saturday.

During the meeting, Muttaqi expressed hope that that UNAMA will reflect Afghanistan’s realities to the world, as he said some media outlets portray a negative image of Afghanistan, according to a foreign ministry statement.

Referring to the issue of education, Muttaqi said that hundreds of thousands of boys and girls are in schools.

He also said that the government has taken major steps to counter cultivation and trafficking of drugs.

For her part, UN envoy, Roza Otunbayeva, said that UNAMA works as a bridge between IEA and the world, and that it will deliver its messages on how to rebuild Afghanistan, according to the foreign ministry statement.

She also assured their help over Afghan frozen assets.

The envoy said that there are also critical issues on which both parties need to work together.