US Embassy Chargé d’affaires Karen Decker has said during the third UN meeting on Afghanistan envoys reiterated demands for human rights, women rights and an effective counterterrorism strategy.
Addressing roundtable with Afghan media representative on July 22, she said that UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peace building Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo welcomed the independent assessment on Afghanistan and called for structured and coordinated process.
Dicarlo welcomed and acknowledged the progress in implementing the poppy ban and increasing regional trade noting, however, there were still massive needs in the country after 11 billion dollars in foreign assistance.
Envoys warned the Taliban that Afghanistan’s economy would not improve if Afghan women continued to be denied the right to education and work.
They also pointed out that the lack of a regular trade framework was a problem for Afghanistan’s economy, the lack of transparency around public spending, inclusivity, was a problem for the economy, it was so easy lifting sanctions, functioning needed to meet international standards and Afghanistan has several problems in the economic space to fix
The US Embassy Chargé d’affaires said the Taliban gave a very detail presentation on everything they had done to eliminate the cultivation of poppy, treat addiction and prepare alternative livelihood in particular need to begin without delay, they urged envoys not to impose further demands on counternarcotic efforts.
Envoys acknowledged much of the work done in counternarcotic campaign and urged Taliban to put women at the centre of their approaches particularly when it comes to the treatment of addiction and seeking alternative livelihood. Taliban urged to engage with civil society on counternarcotic efforts as there were a lot of expertise for cooperation and support.
Envoys conveyed to the Taliban that stability without inclusion is not a long term, sustainable and efforts to build bridges was welcomed by the civil society representatives, she added.
Decker said that all envoys emphasized the need for human rights of all Afghans particularly the need for Afghanistan to get women back to work and girls back to schools was powerful
Taliban position that Afghanistan is today what the people want and this narrative could only the people of Afghanistan change, adding that the Taliban during the meeting pressed for pragmatic results.
Everyone agreed for more dialogue with civil society and real understanding to work on specific things.
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