In Kabul, UN political chief pledges continued support for Afghanistan

During a trip to Kabul, the top United Nations political official pledged continued support to the Government and people of Afghanistan as they face several challenges, especially in the economy and in security.

Jeffrey Feltman, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, discussed yesterday in Kabul the current situation in the country with several of Afghanistan’s leaders, including President Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Hekmat Karzai.

Mr. Feltman also met with staff of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) to express appreciation for their dedication throughout the past several months as Kunduz fell to anti-Government elements. In addition, he paid tribute to Toorpeki Ulfat, who was murdered in Kandahar in October, and commended her for her tireless work in human rights.

On 21 December, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Nicholas Haysom, will update the Security Council on the situation in the country. In a September briefing, he emphasized to Council members that Afghanistan’s path to stability and self-reliance could not be taken for granted, and he underscored the importance of continued international community support.

“The current refugee exodus reflects the despondency of many Afghans,” Mr. Haysom said at the time. “A clear signal of continued international support will mitigate the uncertainty fuelling this exodus.”