UNGA session opened sans IEA representation last week

KABUL (Pajhwok): Last week, some countries expressed concerns over women’s rights violations in Afghanistan, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) said women’s rights were well protected, Russia, China, Iran and Pakistan stressed there was no alternative to talks with IEA but the USA linked the IEA government legitimacy with the implementation of pledges.

Major last week’s developments:

• UNGA participants should project their views on Afghanistan after looking at ground realities: IEA
• Some countries have expressed concerns over women’s rights violations in Afghanistan
• Human rights are protected in Afghanistan and no one is discriminated: Qatar
• Uzbekistan’s foreign minister objected to unfair world views about Afghanistan
• There is no alternative to negotiations with Afghan officials: Moscow, China, Iran and Pakistan
• Removal of sanctions linked to the implementation of pledges: Washington to IEA
• Over five billion of investment interest in Afghanistan had been shown: IEA Economic Affairs Office
• EU, Qatar and the Netherland  committed $255 to Afghanistan

 

Casualties:

Last week, six people were killed and 99 others were injured in traffic accidents, floods, drowning and a mine collapse in Maidan Wardak, Ghazni, Laghman, Parwan, Ghazni and Herat, Pajhwok has not received any other casualties report apart from these incidents.

The previous week, A driver was killed in firing from across the Durand Line in southeastern Khost province, two children were killed in an explosion caused by a leftover mortar shell in central Maidan Wardak province.

One person was stabbed to death in a dispute in Badakhshan. According to reports, unknown people shot and killed a person in Kandahar, a widowed woman shot her brother in Uruzgan, and a 39-year-old man was found dead in Bamyan.

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Before the regime change, hundreds of people, including civilians, security forces and insurgents, would get killed and maimed every week.

79^th UNGA Meeting:

The representatives of over 190 countries participate in the UN General Assembly (UNGA) meeting but the representative of the IEA has not been invited to the gathering at a time when the multinational platform discusses Afghanistan, Palestine, Iran, Russia, Ukraine, Sudan and some other countries.

 

Officials of the IEA hoped that delegates at the UNGA would take position about Afghanistan while looking at the ground realities.

Suhail Shaheen, head of the IEA political office in Doha, wrote on X: “Despite the support of the people and rule over the entire country, none of our delegations has been invited to the UNGA. Such a strategy does not solve any problem, but creates more distance.”

Ahmad Zia Takal, deputy spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), said that participants of the UNGA would make positive decisions based on the ground realities of Afghanistan.

IEA Spokesperson Zabihulllah Mujahid has said the Afghans need good interaction with the world and the UN should fulfill its responsibility in this regard.

He said it was a necessity and the world and countries should have a good interaction with the Islamic Emirate. “This interaction can solve some of the existing issues.”

Some UNGA participants’ views:

Qatar Minister of State for International Cooperation Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater said: “The basic rights and freedoms of women, girls and all Afghans should be respected, their rights should be protected and implemented, the way these rights are protected and practiced everywhere.”

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong claimed that imposing restrictions on women in Afghanistan is hindering the development of the country and harming the future of Afghanistan.

The UN secretary general also said that women and girls rights had been violated in Afghanistan.

US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield expressed similar views and stressed that the international community should make more efforts for the protection of Afghan women rights.

According to reports Canada, Australia, Germany and the Netherland have decided to complain to the International Court of Justice against the IEA for gross violation of gender discrimination.

“Afghanistan is responsible under international law for its ongoing gross and systematic violation of numerous obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), to which Afghanistan is a State Party,” a statement from the Foreign Ministry of Germany said.

IEA Deputy Spokesperson Mullah Hamdullah Fitrat on his X handle wrote that accusing the IEA of human rights violations and gender discrimination by some countries and organisations is absurd, human rights were protected in Afghanistan and no one is discriminated.

He wrote: “Regrettably, there is an orchestrated effort to disseminate misinformation about Afghanistan, using the testimonies of a few individuals, particularly escaped women, to portray a false narrative.”

Uzbekistan Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov has accused the international community for its negligence regarding Afghanistan and said Afghanistan was an inseparable part of Central Asia and Tashkant had an active policy towards Afghanistan.

Also, on the sidelines of the 79th General Session of the United Nations, the representatives of Moscow, China, Iran and Pakistan had a meeting and the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that these countries have come to the conclusion that there is no alternative to dialogue with the current Afghan officials.

The source said: “All sides deliberated their approaches to the solution of Afghanistan and emphasized that there is no other alternative to mutual respectful dialogue and joint relations with the current Afghan officials.”

Removal of sanctions linked to implementation of pledges: Washington to IEA

Last week, State Department Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, said: “The Taliban demand international legitimacy and the removal of sanctions imposed on them; But all this is related to the fact that they should at least fulfill their promises. Afghanistan cannot run its economy without the presence of women in various fields. We have given the rights of women and girls to interact with the Taliban, and we are asking for the freedom of American citizens.”

Pakistan claim, IEA reaction:

According to reports Pakistan Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif during the 79 UNGA meeting claimed that militant groups had been present in Afghanistan and launched attack on the neighbouring countries.

In response, the IEA Deputy Spokesperson Mullah Hamdullah Fitrat said: “We support and welcome all the positive policies of the neighboring countries. Afghanistan is not a danger or a threat to anyone.”

Interest in investment:

The acting prime minister office for economic affairs last week said that different local and foreign companies have shown interest to invest over $5 billion in different sectors.

The investment sectors are infrastructure, electricity, telecommunications, transport, agriculture, industry, mining, health, small-medium enterprises, urban development and e-governance.

Continuation of aid:

Last week, the Netherlands announced 15 million Euros to the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund, Qatar pledged $75 million to support Afghan women in education and health, and the European Commission announced a new aid package of €146 million.

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