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Putin says West should provide aid to Afghanistan
Russian President Vladimir Putin in his annual press conference on Thursday said that Afghanistan needs economic assistance, which, first of all, should be provided by the US and NATO that have been in this country for the past two decades, Tass news reported.
“Now, it is necessary to provide assistance to the Afghan people. And this should be done, first of all, by those countries, which have caused such enormous damage to the Afghan economy and society. Those who have been there for 20 years, destroyed the economy, need to provide assistance first,” Putin said quoted by Tass.
Putin said that Russia will do everything for Afghanistan that “depends on us.”
Putin stated: “First of all, Afghanistan’s funds need to be unfrozen by foreign banks, primarily US ones, in order to provide humanitarian aid to the Afghan people to the full extent, otherwise [the country] is likely to face famine and other severe consequences which will affect the neighboring states.”
His comments comes a day after the UN Security Council adopted the resolution authorizing the allocation of money from frozen financial assets to provide humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. All 15 Security Council members upheld this document. This refers to the funds belonging to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) as well as to the IEA representatives. The resolution remains valid for one year, while in December 2022, the UN Security Council will consider its possible extension.
The United States formally exempted on Wednesday U.S. and U.N. officials doing permitted business with the IEA from U.S. sanctions to try to maintain the flow of aid to Afghanistan as it sinks deeper into a humanitarian crisis, Reuters reported.
The Treasury on Wednesday issued three general licenses aimed at easing humanitarian aid flows into Afghanistan.
According to Reuters, two of the licenses allow U.S. officials and those of certain international organizations, such as the United Nations, to engage in transactions involving the IEA or Haqqani Network for official business.
A third license gives non-governmental organizations (NGOs) protection from U.S. sanctions on the IEA and the Haqqani Network for work on certain activities, including humanitarian projects.
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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