Afghan

Afghanistan: UN reaffirms commitment to help reinforce human rights

28 December 2006
The top United Nations envoy in Afghanistan today pledged the world organization’s support in entrenching fundamental human rights in the strife-torn country.
Tom Koenigs head of MINUGUA

Afghanistan: UN envoy hails launch of reconciliation action plan

10 December 2006
The senior United Nations envoy in Afghanistan today hailed the launch of an Action Plan on Peace, Reconciliation and Justice and pledged the world body's support in carrying it out.
Kenzo Oshima

Afghanistan: Security Council mission stresses need for security, but remains optimistic

7 December 2006
Highlighting Afghanistan’s “precarious” security situation, caused by the growing insurgency and terrorist activity linked to the illegal drug trade, the United Nations Security Council today urged the Government and donors to do more to bring peace and safeguard human rights, but remained upbeat on the overall development strategy.
Keeping bees in Nangarhar

Afghanistan: UN study paints generally positive picture of refugee returns

6 December 2006
A majority of the 4.7 million Afghan refugees who have returned home since the ouster of the hard-line Taliban regime in 2001 feel optimistic about the future even as they believe they are worse off economically than their neighbours, according to a United Nations-commissioned study which cites concerns over future absorption capacity.

UN in race against time to provide food for 600,000 Afghans before winter cuts them off

29 November 2006
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is racing against the clock to deliver food for some 600,000 impoverished Afghans who will be cut off once winter’s bitter cold arrives and heavy snows set in, while at the same time seeking urgent donations now to prevent a shortfall with the approach of next spring.

General Assembly puts its weight behind Afghan reconstruction plan, stresses security

29 November 2006
The 192-member General Assembly has fully backed a five-year reconstruction plan for strife-torn Afghanistan agreed with the international community earlier this year, stressing in particular the need to improve security in the country and also deal with the widespread drug trade.

Record Afghan opium crop is massive source of corruption, UN report warns

28 November 2006
Efforts to combat opium production in Afghanistan, a $3-billion-a-year trade accounting for more than 90 per cent of the world’s illegal output, have been marred by high-level corruption, with this year registering a record increase of some 50 per cent, according to a United Nations report released today.

Afghanistan: UN agencies call on all sides in conflict to facilitate polio vaccination

22 November 2006
United Nations agencies today called on the Afghan Government, military groups and anti-government forces to agree to “Days of Tranquility” for all upcoming anti-polio campaigns, especially in the strife-torn south, where violence has significantly curtailed vaccinators’ mobility, leading to a seven-fold rise in cases this year.
Kenzo Oshima

Afghanistan could return to being a ‘failed State,’ warns Security Council mission chief

22 November 2006
Painting a grim picture of increased Taliban violence, growing illegal drug production and fragile State institutions in Afghanistan, the head of last week’s Security Council mission to the strife-torn country warned today it faced becoming a failed State unless the international community fully supports the Afghan recovery effort.

Afghanistan: UN airlifts aid to flood victims, faces severe shortfall for drought relief

20 November 2006
United Nations agencies in Afghanistan moved on three fronts today, airlifting emergency aid to nearly 6,000 flood victims, staging the latest phase of a polio vaccination campaign targeting 7.2 million children, and warning that 2 to 3 million people will be “severely affected” if a $48 million shortfall in food assistance is not met.