Top UN official for Afghanistan arrives in Kabul to begin work

The experienced international diplomat Staffan de Mistura arrived on Saturday in Kabul to take up his post as the top United Nations official in Afghanistan, saying he was starting work at a “very critical period in Afghan history.”

Mr. de Mistura, who now heads the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), told journalists at Kabul airport after his arrival that the UN remained fully committed to helping Afghans rebuild their country and consolidate constitutional democracy.

“The United Nations has been associated with Afghanistan's history and its people for many years,” he said. “We're involved not only with assisting the political stability of Afghanistan, but also with many other activities in the social and economic sphere.

“The Afghan people have suffered a lot and endured many difficult times. They deserve international support, but they deserve above all a better future. The United Nations will do its part.”

Afghanistan faces a critical year in 2010 with parliamentary elections slated for September and a major international gathering on the way forward for the country scheduled to take place later this year in Kabul. Last year's presidential poll, won by the incumbent Hamid Karzai, was marred by accusations of fraud.

Mr. de Mistura, a citizen of both Italy and Sweden, succeeds Kai Eide of Norway as the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA. He worked for the UN in Afghanistan between 1989 and 1991.

“I learned and I am familiar with the traditions and culture of Afghanistan. I am totally aware of the fact that the Afghan people are very proud people, very attached to their traditions and sovereignty, and I'll be working along those lines.”

Most recently Mr. de Mistura was the Deputy Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme (WFP), based at its headquarters in Rome, and before that he served as the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Iraq for two years.

The envoy arrives in Kabul less than two months after a UN-backed international conference on Afghanistan was held in London to try to help its people chart a course towards greater peace, stability and democracy. Participants at the London Conference, held on 28 January, agreed on priorities for security, governance and economic development.