Troika Plus meeting: Taliban urged to provide full access to education countrywide

The participants expressed deep concern regarding humanitarian and economic situation in Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The countries participating in the Troika Plus meeting here Thursday called on the Taliban to take steps for an inclusive and representative government in Afghanistan besides agreeing to continue practical engagement with them to help achieve a stable and prosperous Afghanistan.

Hosted by Islamabad, the meeting of the extended Troika comprised Pakistan, China, Russia and the United States held to discuss the latest situation in Afghanistan.

The extended Troika met with senior Taliban representatives on the sidelines of the meeting, a joint statement said issued following the meeting.

The participants expressed deep concern regarding the severe humanitarian and economic situation in Afghanistan and reiterated unwavering support for the people of Afghanistan.

They recalled the relevant Afghan – related UNSC Resolutions, including respect for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan that was free of terrorism and drug related crime, and that contributes to regional stability and connectivity.

The Troika Plus “welcomed the Taliban’s continued commitment to allow for the safe passage of all who wish to travel to and from Afghanistan and encouraged rapid progress, with the onset of winter, on arrangements to establish airports countrywide that can accept commercial air traffic, which are essential to enable the uninterrupted flow of humanitarian assistance.”

The meeting also called on the Taliban to work with fellow Afghans to take steps to form an inclusive and representative government that respects the rights of all Afghans and provides for the equal rights of women and girls to participate in all aspects of Afghan society.

The participants also agreed to continue practical engagement with the Taliban to encourage the implementation of moderate and prudent policies that could help achieve a stable and prosperous Afghanistan as soon as possible.

The extended Troika emphasized that access to education for women and girls at all levels was an international obligation and encouraged the Taliban to accelerate efforts to provide for full and equal access to education countrywide.

They forum welcomed the international community’s urgent provision of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and expressed grave concern at the potential for an economic collapse and significantly worsening humanitarian crisis and a new refugee wave.

The meeting called on the Taliban to ensure unhindered humanitarian access, including by women aid workers, for the delivery of humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan to respond to the developing crisis.

The meeting welcomed the greater role of United Nations as a coordinator in such fields as contributing to stability and delivering emergency assistance.

They urged the United Nations and its specialized agencies to develop programs to implement the international community’s commitments to support the people of Afghanistan.

The body also condemned in the strongest terms the recent terrorist attacks in Afghanistan and called on the Taliban to “cut ties with all international terrorist groups, dismantle and eliminate them in a decisive manner, and to deny space to any terrorist organization operating inside the country.”

The troika Plus reaffirmed their expectation that the Taliban would fulfill their commitment to prevent use of Afghan territory by terrorists against its neighbors, other countries in the region and the rest of the world.

They also called on the Taliban to take a friendly approach towards neighboring countries and to uphold Afghanistan’s international legal obligations, including universally accepted principles of international law and fundamental human rights and to protect the safety and legitimate rights of foreign nationals and institutions in Afghanistan.

The meeting acknowledged international humanitarian actors’ concerns regarding the country’s serious liquidity challenges and committed to continue focusing on measures to ease access to legitimate banking services.

The forum called on the international community to take concrete actions to provide Afghanistan with help against COVID 19.