Today's Edition
NEW YORK CITY (ALETIHAD)
In a recent United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) meeting at the United Nations Security Council, Her Excellency Lana Nusseibeh, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the UAE to the United Nations (UN) in New York, delivered a statement underscoring the critical situation in Afghanistan, especially concerning women and girls.
Nusseibeh emphasised the importance of Security Council unity, which she described as vital for an effective international approach towards Afghanistan.
Highlighting the challenges faced by Afghanistan, Nusseibeh pointed out the severe curtailment of rights for Afghan women and girls.
She cited the recent UNAMA report on sexual and gender-based violence, noting its disturbing findings that women victims of violence are imprisoned due to a lack of protective measures.
“Afghan women and girls continue to face severe curtailment of their rights,” Nusseibeh stated, shedding light on the troubling situation.
The UAE representative also brought attention to the worrisome security issues in Afghanistan.
She referenced a recent terrorist attack by the TTP on a Pakistani police station, which killed 23 officers and wounded 32, underscoring the gravity of the situation.
“The security situation remains precarious, with profoundly alarming cross-border incidents,” she remarked.
Ambassador Nusseibeh also discussed Afghanistan’s economic challenges, particularly highlighting the impact of decreased aid funding and natural disasters, such as the October earthquake in Herat.
She emphasised that the country’s situation, with two-thirds of the population requiring assistance, is unsustainable and in desperate need of a change towards hope and development.
“Afghanistan’s fragile and contracting economy is threatened by the decrease in aid funding,” she noted.
Despite these challenges, Nusseibeh praised the unanimous vote by the Security Council to renew UNAMA’s mandate and to commission the Independent Assessment, focusing on the human rights of Afghan women and girls.
“This year, we voted unanimously to renew the mandate of UNAMA, to commission the Independent Assessment, and to stand up for the human rights of Afghan women and girls,” she stated, highlighting the council’s commitment.
Looking forward, she discussed the Independent Assessment’s role in providing a blueprint for a constructive approach to Afghanistan’s challenges.
Nusseibeh acknowledged the difficulty of the path ahead but emphasised the importance of principled engagement.
“This process will neither be easy nor quick. But the essence of the pathway outlined by the Special Coordinator is that it demonstrates what can be gained by both sides from mutual, and principled, engagement,” she explained.
The Ambassador addressed climate-related challenges in Afghanistan, pointing to diminishing agricultural yields, which lead to disputes over access, keep children away from school, and drive people away from their homes.
“In a country with the world’s highest humanitarian needs and where 80% of livelihoods depend on agriculture, the destabilising effects of climate change can be devastating,” she stressed.
Nusseibeh announced the UAE’s sponsorship of a climate security adviser position within UNAMA, noting that this role aims to map out climate risks and develop strategies to mitigate them.
Her excellency called for a principled and pragmatic process to support Afghanistan, emphasising the need to include Afghan women and girls in shaping their future.
“Nobody is served if Afghanistan is isolated... Afghan women and girls, who must, must be included in charting their own destiny and that of their country,” she stressed, affirming the UAE’s strong stance in supporting Afghanistan’s journey towards stability and prosperity.
