Statement by Permanent Representative Vassily Nebenzia at a UNSC Briefing on Afghanistan
Madam President,
We thank Ms. Roza Otunbaeva, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, for her assessment of the current situation in that country. The Russian Federation has been consistently supporting the work by UNAMA under your leadership and in line with its mandate. We note Kabul's willingness to maintain and develop contacts with you. We welcome the unwavering commitment of the UN to maintaining its presence and providing the necessary assistance to the people of Afghanistan.
We’ve listened attentively to the remarks by Ms. Azadah Raz Mohammad, a civil society briefer. We are pleased that other countries of the region have also been given the floor today.
We have taken note of the report by the Secretary-General on the situation in Afghanistan. We would like to make the following remarks in this regard.
For almost four years, the Afghans have been living under the Taliban. This was preceded by a US-Taliban deal (ten days ago marked the fifth anniversary of its signing in Doha), the hasty withdrawal of foreign troops under the Baiden administration, and the disgraceful fleeing of former President Ashraf Ghani and his associates. However, contrary to the gloomy predictions of our Western colleagues, Afghanistan has withstood. In the face of unprecedented unilateral sanctions and a humanitarian crisis, the country, which has depended on international support for many years, did not slip into another civil war nor fall apart. However, it is obvious that – given the scale of problems and threats that piled up over the years of war – the people of Afghanistan need our sustained assistance and support more than ever. At the same time, we are delighted to see that the Afghans are seeking their independent path of development and ways to restore their economic potential, while relying on regional cooperation.
The Russian Federation has consistently advocated a realistic comprehensive approach to Afghanistan that should be premised on objective analysis and a balanced assessment of the situation. We are convinced that there are no alternatives to such an approach nor can there be be any. Such an approach should be based on constructive interaction within the international community on Afghanistan with due regard to the needs of the Afghans themselves, as well as on the patient dialogue with the de facto authorities on a whole host of pressing issues, without any blackmail or pressure that certain Western donors are so fond of. What remains the imperative here is ensuring sustainable peace and stability in the country, as this is the key to stability in the region and beyond. Such an approach is shared by the participants of the Moscow format, as well as by other regional players. There is no other game in town besides the pragmatic cooperation with the Taliban, and some Western donors are also beginning to understand that. But, alas, not all of them. Some of them still stubbornly refuse to recognize their own mistakes, believing that the Taliban can be “bent to their will” by reducing humanitarian aid and cutting off other development assistance channels. Colleagues, who are you really harming – the Taliban leadership in Kandahar or the ordinary Afghan people, including women, girls and children? The answer seems obvious.
We share the Secretary-General's assessment regarding the dire internal political situation in Afghanistan. What causes our particular concern is the security situation given that the ISIS-Khorasan terrorist group is still active in the country. Despite the efforts undertaken by the de facto authorities, the problem of definitively rooting out terrorism remains unresolved. The fighters of the Afghan “wing” of ISIS are recruiting new fighters, including FTFs; they are receiving financial support from abroad, and committing terrorist attacks ever and ever again, which claim lives of, inter alia, members of religious and ethnic minorities, including women and children. Their goals and objectives are clear: they seek to sway the situation and undermine stability not only in Afghanistan but also in the region at large. Furthermore, there is still a tangible threat that weapons left in the country by Western military forces may end up in the hands of terrorists and subsequently spread across the region and beyond.
Another issue we are very much focused on is the problem of narcotic drugs, which is closely linked to terrorism. We are concerned by the information from UNODC about synthetic drugs being produced in the country, primarily methamphetamine. We stand convinced that efforts to support farmers and to treat drug addicts will hardly suffice to definitively eradicate the drug problem. This is a major challenge that requires our attention and real measures to combat the cultivation, production and distribution of narcotic drugs. What is needed here is practical steps to develop comprehensive international and regional assistance, including through UNODC. Colleagues, this is a task for our collective efforts.
We are closely following the development of the socio-economic situation in Afghanistan. We welcome the consistent efforts by the UN and regional organizations so as to provide humanitarian assistance to the country. The selfless work of humanitarian agencies and their personnel is something that deserves our support – under any and all conditions, they are ready to remain in the field and help the Afghan people. We note the willingness of the United Nations to extend assistance that goes beyond essential services, which would make it possible to restore schools and hospitals and to build much-needed roads, including those connecting urban and rural areas. Such support is needed not only to address the humanitarian crisis in the country, but also to strengthen the capacities of Afghanistan making it into a self-reliant State. Furthermore, development-related objectives are also part of UNAMA's mandate. Against that background, we regret that a number of Western donors block any attempts to help the UN make headway on this issue – we saw this including during discussions of relevant Security Council resolutions on Afghanistan. As a result, the activities of a number of humanitarian organizations and agencies are being deliberately curtailed, and any proposals for UNAMA to participate in the discussion on unfreezing Afghan assets are being rejected. In turn, my country has been systematically providing tailored assistance to those in need in Afghanistan, including through multilateral humanitarian organizations. We will continue to work very actively on this track.
What we are also following very closely is the developments with regard to rights and freedoms of all Afghans, including women and girls, including in light of additional bans introduced recently. Among other imperatives is shaping a truly inclusive Government with the participation of all ethno-political groups in the country. We hope to see positive momentum on both fronts.
Madam President,
The Russian Federation comprehensively supports the right and desire of the Afghan people to live in a peaceful and prosperous country free of terrorism and narcotic drugs. That is the key to order and stability in the region. However, building this long-term and sustainable peace is only possible if we have patient dialogue with the de facto authorities without any attempts to impose anyone else’s vision and priorities on the Afghans. This is what a swift resolution of the current deadlock and the subsequent international reintegration of Afghanistan depend on.
We believe that the effective implementation by UNAMA of its mandate hinges precisely on its compliance with this comprehensive approach. We support the upcoming renewal of the mission's mandate.
I thank you.
