Tomorrow 22 June, Estonia leads a high-level meeting at the UN Security Council on the situation in Afghanistan. The meeting is chaired by Foreign Minister Eva-Maria Liimets.
The UN Security Council has a responsibility in the prevention of violent conflict and war. As one of the penholders on Afghanistan at the Council, Estonia aims to contribute to the success of peace negotiations and ensuring peace in post-war Afghanistan. “The main goal of the meeting is to send a common international message on the need to reduce violence, on establishing a ceasefire and supporting the continuation of peace talks between the central government and the Taliban,” Foreign Minister Liimets said. “Unfortunately, the security situation and humanitarian conditions in Afghanistan continue to deteriorate, which is why we must ensure that the public remains focused on resolving the conflict.“
The meeting will provide an overview of developments in Afghanistan, and focus on the challenges of the peace process and possible ways of moving forward. Estonia and Norway are the penholders for Afghanistan at the UN Security Council. “As penholders in the Council this year, we are firmly supporting the unity of the EU and NATO, and standing up for EU values by regularly coordinating our positions with other member states,” Liimets added.
This is the first discussion on Afghanistan at the UN since the start of the withdrawal of allied troops. The foreign minister said it was crucial to achieve a lasting ceasefire immediately and arrive at a political solution that would cement the progress made so far, including the preservation of the rule of law and ensuring human rights for all people in Afghanistan.
The Council will be briefed on the developments of the past three months by Deborah Lyons, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan and head of the UNAMA Mission, and Ghada Waly, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Mary Akrami, Managing Director of Afghan Women’s Network, will make a statement as a representative of the civil society.
