PM Imran reaffirms Pakistan's support for UN humanitarian mission for Afghanistan
PM Imran highlighted importance of peace, stability and political settlement in Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Prime Minister Imran Khan Saturday spoke on telephone with Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres wherein he called for international community’s enhanced engagement with Afghanistan to address humanitarian needs and ensure economic stability.
The two leaders discussed the developments in Afghanistan, with a particular focus on the humanitarian situation.
The prime minister highlighted the importance of peace, stability and an inclusive political settlement in Afghanistan.
He stressed that the opportunity to finally put an end to 40 years of conflict in Afghanistan must be seized by enabling the Afghans to achieve lasting peace, security and prosperity.
The prime minister underscored the need for the international community to become more engaged with Afghanistan, according urgent priority to addressing the humanitarian needs and ensuring economic stability.
Such steps would not only reinforce security but also preclude any mass exodus of Afghans from their country, thus preventing a refugee crisis in Afghanistan, he noted.
Imran Khan appreciated the vital role of the United Nations in delivering much needed humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people.
He highlighted the facilitation being provided by Pakistan to the UN in that regard including by assisting in the evacuation and relocation efforts.
Assuring Secretary General Guterres of Pakistan’s continued cooperation with the UN in the fulfillment of its mandate, the prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s full support for the smooth operation of UN’ humanitarian mission for Afghanistan.
UN chief thanks Pakistan
On Friday, the UN Secretary-General thanked Pakistan and seven other countries for their support of continuing UN operations in Afghanistan, which is facing a major humanitarian crisis.
“The Secretary-General is indeed very grateful for the generosity of member states – including Pakistan, Denmark, Kazakhstan, North Macedonia, Poland, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the United States — who have made available facilities and arrangements in support of continuing UN operations in Afghanistan,” his Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at the regular noon briefing at UN Headquarters in New York.
“With their offers and commitments, they have made a great contribution to the safety and security, operational delivery, and overall continuity of UN activities,” Dujarric told reporters.
The spokesman said that UN humanitarian officials in Afghanistan have warned that the war-torn country is facing a food insecurity and malnutrition crisis. A third of the population — more than 12 million people — are acutely food insecure and their situation is expected to be greatly worsened by the drought – which has impacted a third of the country.
The officials, according to the spokesman, noted that as an economic crisis looms, job opportunities also remain limited across the country. They added that the 2021 harvest is expected to be below average, and the next lean season is expected to be more intense and arrive earlier.
There is also a need to address water scarcity to prevent displacement and reduce hunger, it was pointed out. At the beginning of 2021, nine million people were already in need of water, sanitation, and hygiene assistance in Afghanistan.
“Along with our humanitarian partners, we have been working to respond to the impacts of low rainfall on water availability, crop yields, agricultural labour opportunities, as well as affordability of food since the beginning of the year,” Dujarric said.
In the first six months of the year, he said the UN has provided food and livelihood assistance to more than 5.5 million people, many of whom are in drought impacted areas, but much more is needed.
In certain parts of the country, the full impact of the drought is yet to be felt, he said. In the last few (months), many farmers have been unable to access their fields due to conflict at critical times for planting and harvesting.
Afghanistan’s 2021 Humanitarian Response Plan, which requires $1.3 billion to help more than 18 million people, is 40 per cent funded, leaving a deficit of $766 million, he said.
For its part, the UN Refugee Agency Friday said that it was seeing no large influx of refugees trying to access the borders to Pakistan and Iran. However, UNHCR said that a displacement crisis is, in fact, taking place inside Afghanistan.
They warned that without the entry of trade and support, this could lead to a major crisis and that the international community should not turn a blind eye to Afghanistan, and the Afghans people.
