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US special envoy says dialogue is key to finding solution to Afghanistan crisis
US special envoy for Afghanistan Thomas West said Thursday that political dialogue among Afghans is a central part of the solution to all challenges.
In a series of tweets West hailed UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ initiative to bring together special envoys earlier this week in Doha to discuss approaches to Afghanistan.
He said the UN has made it clear that the meeting was not about recognizing the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) government but that the focus was on identifying shared interests and “how we collectively advance them.”
He said the “shared interests” included terrorism, repression of women and girls, the devastating humanitarian crisis, and the flow of narcotics from the country, among others.
“Countries assigned different priorities to these interests, but among points of consensus: political dialogue among Afghans is a central part of solution to all challenges,” he said.
He noted that the UN in Afghanistan’s leadership had also participated and that they “continue their vital humanitarian work and engagement with Taliban (IEA).”
He added that the UN had “also received critical advice beforehand from diverse group of Afghan women living across country.”
The Doha meeting, which was held on Monday and Tuesday, brought together special envoys from over 20 countries and was hosted by Guterres.
Speaking at a press on Tuesday, the UN chief said the organization would remain in Afghanistan to deliver aid to millions of desperate Afghans despite the IEA’s restrictions on its female staff. But he warned funding is drying up.
Guterres also said concerns over Afghanistan’s stability were growing.
“Throughout the past decades, we stayed and we delivered, and we are determined to seek the necessary conditions to keep delivering. Humanitarian aid is a fragile lifeline for millions of Afghans. The United Nations will not waiver in our commitment to support the people of Afghanistan,” Guterres said.
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Former US officials urge halt to plan relocating Afghan refugees from Qatar to Congo
Hundreds of former U.S. officials are calling on Washington to cancel a reported plan to relocate Afghan refugees from Qatar to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In an open letter addressed to the U.S. State Department, more than 600 former civilian and military officials, along with around 100 organizations, urged the administration to stop the proposed transfer. The letter was sent to Marco Rubio.
The signatories argue that the Afghan nationals in question were brought to Qatar by the United States to complete legal immigration procedures after undergoing extensive security vetting. The letter states that while the individuals were cleared for resettlement in the United States, they are now being considered for relocation to Congo, a country for which they were never screened.
“Those individuals were vetted and approved for the United States, not for the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” the letter reads.
According to the report, more than 1,100 Afghan allies and their family members are currently being held at Camp As Sayliyah in Qatar under U.S. supervision. Around 800 of them have already completed all security checks and received authorization to travel to the United States. More than half are women and children, and many have remained in transit limbo for over 15 months.
The situation has drawn criticism from former officials and policy observers, who describe the proposed relocation as a betrayal of Afghan allies who supported U.S. missions and risked their lives during the war in Afghanistan. Critics also warn that the move could damage U.S. credibility with future partners.
Several members of the U.S. Congress had previously expressed opposition to the proposal, cautioning that it could significantly undermine trust in the United States among its allies.
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Ex-Pakistan envoy Durrani urges non-interference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs
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