The Special Representatives and Special Envoys of the EU and Central Asia for Afghanistan, together with the EU Special Representative for Central Asia, adopted a joint statement at their fourth forum in Ashgabat, the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan reported.
The meeting provided an opportunity for an in-depth exchange of information on events and the economic situation in Afghanistan, as well as an opportunity to discuss further cooperation in helping the people of Afghanistan and intensifying cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
At the forum, the participants also exchanged views with the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan and the head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) Roza Otunbayeva and via video link with the director of the World Bank branch in Afghanistan Melinda Good, as well as the director of the World Bank branch in Kazakhstan Andrey Mikhnev.
Special Representatives and Envoys:
- Reaffirmed our strong commitment to the people of Afghanistan and to the transformation of Afghanistan into a stable, peaceful and prosperous country with long-term prospects for lasting peace.
- Recalled and reaffirmed the principles and expectations expressed in previous statements following discussions in this format in Tashkent, Almaty and Brussels, including with regard to human rights and the security situation.
- Emphasized the importance of establishing an inclusive and representative government and protecting the civil, political, socio-economic and cultural rights of all Afghans.
- Recalled the concern expressed in UN Security Council Resolution 2681 (2023) over the growing violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms and the dire economic and humanitarian situation, and recognized the efforts of the international community to continue to provide assistance to the people of Afghanistan in accordance with international law and generally accepted norms and principles, despite difficult circumstances.
- They called on the Taliban (banned in the Russian Federation) to lift all bans against Afghan girls and women that restrict their rights to education, work and participation in public life. These bans, in addition to serious violations of human rights, are detrimental to the ability of the international community to deliver humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people, support the country's economy and, ultimately, Afghanistan's long-term stability and peace.
- Discussed the prospects and challenges for the economic stabilization and reconstruction of Afghanistan, noting the importance of creating favorable conditions for economic activity, the financial and banking sector and the restoration of the socio-economic infrastructure in Afghanistan, which will ensure further assistance from the international community.
- Participants called on the Taliban to prevent Afghan territory from being used as a safe haven for hosting, planning, training, financing or exporting terrorism and violent extremism to other countries.
- The negative side effects of the situation in Afghanistan, such as terrorism, violent extremism, drug trafficking and other illegal cross-border activities, will have a negative impact on the region. In addition, the use of shared natural resources must take into account the needs of all neighboring countries. Participants welcomed the efforts of countries and organizations in the region, as well as international partners, to prevent and eliminate such phenomena.
- Given the common goal - the pursuit of peace and stability in Afghanistan and the region, the participants stressed the need for continued dialogue and cooperation between the participants in this format and the wider international community.
- The participants agreed to continue meetings in this regional format on a regular basis, changing venues, as a platform for consultations, coordination and cooperation, and supported the proposal to hold the next meeting in the fall.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
May 27, 2023