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The Important Role of the United Nations in Afghanistan – Global Issues

  • Idea by Richard Ponzio, Sultan Barakat (doha / washington dc)
  • Joint press service

With more than half of Afghanistan’s 39 million citizens – affected by drought, disease and decades of war – dependent on vital lifesaving aid to survive the harsh winter months, decisive making an exception to UN sanctions against the ruling regime is fashionable.

What’s more, Afghanistan is quickly becoming a zero point for UN humanitarian operations around the world.

At the same time, addressing the fundamental political, cultural, and socioeconomic challenges that continue to cause widespread deprivation, violence, and corruption in Afghanistan requires strategic and strategic investments. focused on development and peacebuilding.

Fortunately, these are also regions where the UN maintains a decades-long track record in Afghanistan (including 1996-2001, the last period of Taliban rule) and elsewhere.

Furthermore, the Security Council recently asked Secretary-General António Guterres to provide “propose strategies and activities“On the future of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), January 31, 2022, provides an opportunity for the world body to adapt to the political, security, social and The country’s rapidly changing economy.

To provide fresh ideas and critical observations in light of the proposals presented by the Secretary-General to the Security Council on Wednesday, 26 January and the next UNAMA mandate review in March, we conve in Washington, DC

Inspired by this thoughtful, unfiltered exchange, we’ve personally come up with some time-sensitive, built-in recommendations. new policy summaryStep-by-step roadmap for Afghanistan: What the United Nations and the international community can and should do:

The first day, the United Nations should assist in negotiating some of the conditions set forth by the Western powers. While there is a need for a step-by-step cooperation roadmap, life-critical humanitarian aid is never provided on the condition that the Taliban take certain actions.

Given the stark differences between the Taliban and the international community, diverse mechanisms are needed to deal with different humanitarian and non-humanitarian issues. Both sides make opposing demands that essentially negate each other, while the needs of millions of innocent, vulnerable Afghans continue to grow.

Immediate direct support for malnutrition, emergency medical services, and other types of emergency, life-saving assistance are detailed in a Humanitarian response planDonor countries should pay careful attention to The UN’s largest-ever humanitarian appeal to a countryannounced on January 11, 2022, asking for more than $5 billion this year for Afghanistan.

This follows the word $1.2 billion committed by nearly 100 countries at the Ministerial meeting convened by the Secretary-General of the United Nations on 13 September 2021 in Geneva, as well as subsequent commitments to additional humanitarian assistance through international organizations, such as the Program World Food and UNDP, by South Korea, Franceand Norway.

Monday, there is a need to continue to focus on the intersections of humanitarian, development and peace challenges, rather than deploying humanitarian-only response models in Afghanistan. To promote more integrated approaches to circumventing the traditional gaps of the international aid system in responding to the Afghanistan crisis, the humanitarian-development-peace relationship provides a powerful framework.

The United Nations and other organizations have launched the Triple Nexus program in Afghanistan in recent years, covering the repatriation and reintegration of refugees, asset creation and social safety net programming.

The World Body can play an important role as a broker of power and knowledge, facilitating local-international and society-wide dialogue on how to adapt program concepts and approaches. relationships in the uncharted territories of Afghanistan’s rapidly evolving and challenging operating environment.

While bilateral aid can dwindle among most major donors, the UN can also act as the main watchdog and as a provider of international assistance through multiple emergency trusts. In doing so, it will provide in fact international development coordination assistance, to keep all Afghans provided with basic public services in critical areas such as health care, education and electricity generation.

The World Agency is also well placed to support new Islamic Development Bank humanitarian trust and food security program for Afghanistan, announced on 19 December 2021 at a meeting of thirty foreign ministers and deputy ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Islamabad.

The third daylasting peace in Afghanistan can only be achieved through high-level political will best demonstrated through an empowered and well-resourced mandate to UNAMA (ideally led by an Islamic diplomat). with competence and skill demonstrated by troubled UN gunman Lakhdar Brahimi).

For the UN to truly be a catalyst, it is vital that it is given a comprehensive mandate to fully carry out its well-known and proven functions, including in areas of mediation, development coordination and humanitarian action.

To get out of the blame game and build trust between the Taliban and other parties to Afghanistan, the world body must be allowed to provide its own good offices and other peaceful dispute resolution tools to restore peace. Intra-Afghan dialogue towards reconciliation and political reform.

At the same time, Afghanistan Future Thought ForumHosted by Fatima Gailanicontinues to be the only independent platform that brings together diverse and influential Afghan stakeholders (men and women), including the Taliban and former government officials, to deliver solutions that are for lasting peace and restoration in Afghanistan.

With UN support, this Afghanistan-owned and led initiative can be leveraged towards a more representative governance structure that protects, for example, girls’ rights. and women, freedom in the moment and against retaliation against those who previously fought the Taliban.

Final, the biggest obstacle to relations between the Taliban and the international community is the failure to recognize the new ruling regime in Kabul, which requires a medium and long-term vision to solve. Although the Taliban are openly seeking international recognition, these efforts are unlikely to yield immediate results.

Instead of constantly seeking recognition, the Taliban’s interim government should focus on managing Afghanistan and averting an economic and humanitarian catastrophe. Demonstrating some level of managerial capacity — as well as a desire to mediate and share some governing bodies with past political opponents — through concerted action is the best way for the movement to achieve its goals. gained international legitimacy and gradually gained widespread recognition.

To avoid Afghanistan becoming a base of operations for international terrorist groups again or an even greater source of refugees — both in the vital interest of the international community, including Western powers — a A multifaceted strategy that also deploys targeted resources beyond humanitarian aid is urgently needed.

With thousands of personnel dedicated to alleviating human suffering across Afghanistan, coupled with the virtually non-existent political leverage of the West over the Taliban regime, the United Nations must continue its role in development and building. Peace building at its center, in addition to providing and coordinating humanitarian assistance immediate lifesaving help.

With the backing of regional and global powers and the cooperation of both the Taliban and non-Taliban factions, the United Nations can help put Afghanistan on a new political and developmental path towards a single nation state. More stability will, over time, improve the outlook for all Afghan citizens.

Sultan Barakat is Director of the Center for Humanitarian and Conflict Studies in Doha, Qatar and Emeritus Professor of Politics at York University. He also taught at York University (UK). Richard Ponzio is a Senior Fellow and Director of the Global Governance, Justice & Security Program at the Stimson Center in Washington, DC.

The authors would like to thank Muznah Siddiqui for her helpful research support for this commentary.


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© Inter Press Service (2022) – All rights reservedOrigin: Inter Press Service

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