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No recognition of IEA until women’s rights and constitution issues are addressed: UN envoy
“We are trying to establish a process and preserve an important mechanism of consultation. We must be realistic about how much each meeting in this process can deliver, especially at this early stage where confidence and trust are insufficient,” she said.
The United Nations envoy for Afghanistan, Roza Otunbayeva, said on Friday Afghans broadly agree that it is important for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) to attend the upcoming Doha format meeting, but that there should also be no recognition of IEA until the issues of women’s rights, girls’ education, and an acceptable constitution were broadly addressed.
Addressing the Security Council in New York, Otunbayeva said that Afghans expect that the restrictions on women’s rights will be forcefully addressed in the upcoming meeting, but noted that expectations cannot realistically be met in a single meeting.
“We are trying to establish a process and preserve an important mechanism of consultation. We must be realistic about how much each meeting in this process can deliver, especially at this early stage where confidence and trust are insufficient,” she said.
The envoy said that engagement has led to some flexibility by IEA. “It has at the very least led to greater understanding and trust-building on all sides,” she said.
US deputy envoy Robert Wood said that the international community must insist on reversing IEA restrictions on women and girls.
“We must ensure that women and civil society participants have a voice in Doha at the UN-hosted meeting of Special Envoys coming up in a few weeks. Their concerns must be highlighted in all deliberations on Afghanistan’s future,” he said.
The envoy noted that the UN has an important role to play in Afghanistan’s re-integration into the international system.
UK Political Counsellor Fergus Eckersley also called for the IEA to reverse all policies restricting human rights and fundamental freedoms in Afghanistan.
Noting that the 2024 Afghanistan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan is only 20 percent funded, he urged the international community to increase their support. He said that the UK is on track to deliver over $190 million in aid this year.
The Islamic Emirate has repeatedly emphasized that it is committed to ensuring the Shariah rights of women and girls, and that countries should not interfere in this matter.
The third Doha meeting on Afghanistan is scheduled to be held on June 30. The Islamic Emirate, which did not attend the previous meetings, has announced that it will participate in the upcoming meeting.
Zakir Jalali, Director of the Third Political Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, said on Friday that the discussions of the third Doha meeting on Afghanistan will focus on private sector, financial, banking, counter-narcotics and alternative livelihood issues.
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Ariana Afghan Airlines has ranked seventh among 45 airlines in Central Asia in Skytrax’s 2026 rankings.
Company officials say Ariana Afghan ranked eighth on the list in 2025, but moved up one place this year following improvements in service quality and the expansion of its operations.
According to the officials, in 2026 the airline met criteria including service quality, flight safety, professional cabin crew, and experience in the aviation sector, placing it among the top 10 airlines in Central Asia.
Skytrax is an international organization that evaluates and ranks the quality of services in the aviation industry and airlines, assessing and ranking carriers annually based on specific criteria.
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Silk Road highway in Wakhan corridor now reaches the China border
The road is expected to be officially opened for use in the near future, potentially improving connectivity through the remote Wakhan Corridor.
The construction of the Silk Road Highway in Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor has been fully completed after five years of work, officials in Badakhshan province said.
Amanullah Chehra, head of Rural Rehabilitation and Development in Badakhshan, said the 121.13-kilometre road begins in the Barghil area and stretches to Bzai Gonbad near the Chinese border.
According to officials, the road is between 7 and 10 metres wide and includes three major bridges, each measuring approximately 20 to 22 metres in length. Numerous smaller drainage structures have also been built along the route to facilitate the flow of water.
The road is expected to be officially opened for use in the near future, potentially improving connectivity through the remote Wakhan Corridor.
Afghanistan’s Minister of Refugees and Repatriation, Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, met on Wednesday with Bruno Lemarquis, UNAMA’s Deputy Head for Humanitarian Affairs, to discuss the situation of Afghan returnees and humanitarian assistance.
The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation said Lemarquis briefed the minister on assessments conducted by UN agencies during visits to several provinces to identify the needs of returnee families.
Lemarquis said joint cooperation between UN agencies and the Islamic Emirate is needed to support and resettle returnees. He added that UN agencies are currently assisting thousands of families and called for the expansion of humanitarian assistance.
He also said the international community should pay greater attention to the needs of Afghans, adding that UNAMA is ready to cooperate in addressing challenges facing returnees.
Abdul Kabir welcomed UNAMA’s support and thanked the United Nations for its assistance to Afghans. He said various government institutions have been tasked with addressing returnees’ needs.
The minister also called on aid organizations to continue supporting returnee families, saying a program to resettle thousands of internally displaced families is also underway.
Kabir further said the necessary facilities have been provided for UN agencies to operate and that the Islamic Emirate welcomes UNAMA’s humanitarian cooperation.
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