UN did not cooperate in IEA recognition, says Hanafi

KABUL (Pajhwok): Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs Maulvi Abdul Salam Hanafi says the United Nations has not fully cooperated in removing the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) from its blacklist, gaining international recognition and giving the permanent representation.

Hanafi met UN Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammad and the delegation accompanying her on Wednesday, his office tweeted.

He said: “The UN did not cooperate with us in omitting “Islamic Emirate” from the black list, recognizing the IEA and handing over the permanent representation of Afghanistan in the world’s body.”

He said due to several decades of war in Afghanistan millions of Afghans became refugees and about five million turned to drugs including one million women and children.

Hanafi said many Afghans needed international aid due to the prolonged wars, poverty and droughts in the country.

According to him, after the arrival of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, the overall security situation has improved, corruption eliminated and drug cultivation and smuggling has been prevented.

He said the international aid should not be tied to politics as it affected women as well and any issue in this regard should be resolved through understanding and talks. He said they respected women’s rights given to them in Islam.

Amina Mohammad said women’s work and activity was required in many fields so issues in this regard should be resolved through dialogue.

She added: “In addition to increasing aid to Afghanistan, we want this country to become an active member of the world community and the future of Afghanistan depends on the education and training of the next generation.”

Sima Bahous, UN-women executive director, said that the aid to Afghanistan was related to the activities and work opportunities of Afghan women and they should be allowed to work in the light of Afghan values and culture.

sa/ma