US Secretary of State Meets UN Secy General, Stresses on Inclusive Govt in Afghanistan

The UNSC members called on the Taliban to swiftly reverse its policies and practices restricting women and girls’ enjoyment of their human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Except for the 15 members of the Security Council, including Russia and China, who have good relations with the Taliban, 90 other UN member countries too supported the UNSC resolution, which indicated the opposition of most governments to the policies of the Taliban.

The UNSC resolution has been drafted by the United Arab Emirates and Japan and described the ban on Afghan women’s work and education as unprecedented in the history of the United Nations.

Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, the UAE’s ambassador to the United Nations, said that this resolution has been supported by 90 countries, ranging from "Afghanistan's neighbours, Islamic countries, and other regions of the world.

“This cross-regional support makes today’s fundamental message even more significant: the world will not sit by silently as women in Afghanistan are erased from society,” Nusseibeh told the UNSC.

Robert A Wood, the United States ambassador to the UN, said that the United Nations and its member states will not remain on the sidelines when women and girls are deprived of exercising their human rights.

This is the first time that the Security Council has issued a resolution condemning the behaviour of the Taliban after the group returned to power in August 2021. China and Russia, the two members of the Security Council, have not agreed with a strong position of the UNSC against the Taliban.

However, the rights group said in a statement on Thursday that it welcomes constructive dialogue between the relevant actors and governments on the situation in Afghanistan.

According to AIHRC, the Taliban has a track record of human rights violations and currently stands against human rights values and democratic principles.

AIHRC urged the United Nations to discuss the fundamental rights of Afghan citizens including the grave situation of women and ethnic and religious minorities in the Doha meeting.

The rights group also said that representatives of national and international human rights organisations must be invited to attend the Doha meeting.

AIHRC also stressed on access of media to the Doha meeting and said that the meeting should not be held behind closed doors.

The Doha meeting between the UN Secretary-General and special envoys of various countries is scheduled to be held on May 1 and 2 in Qatar.

Earlier, Amina Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, had said at Princeton University that in order to prevent the deterioration of the situation in Afghanistan, it is necessary to engage with the group. She had expressed hopes that the first steps of the official recognition of the Taliban would be discussed at the Doha meeting.

The statements of the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations have been met with sharp criticisms from various political groups, women, and human rights organisations.

McCaul was responding to the results of the Vienna meeting of anti-Taliban personalities which ended on Wednesday.

Earlier, on Wednesday the participants of the second Vienna meeting had asked the international community to recognise all forms of resistance of the people of Afghanistan against the Taliban.

McCaul, who is a member of the Republican Party, has paid special attention to Afghanistan's issues since his term as chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the US House of Representatives.

He has asked the US State Department to provide a detailed report on the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. McCaul stated that he will hold the Biden administration accountable for the chaotic withdrawal of the US troops from Afghanistan.

The resolution, which has been drafted by Japan and the United Arab Emirates, described the oppression and violation of the rights of Afghan women and girls as unprecedented in the history of the United Nations.

If approved, this will be the first time that the UN Security Council will condemn the discriminatory policies of the Taliban against Afghan women. China and Russia, the two permanent members of the Security Council who have good relations with the Taliban, have not yet agreed with the Security Council's strong position on the Taliban.

The draft resolution specifically calls on the Taliban to immediately lift the ban on women's work, education, and social life.

This is while the Taliban seeks recognition from the member states of the United Nations.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had said on Tuesday that Moscow will not recognise the Taliban until it fulfils its commitments.

He added that the conditions for the official recognition of the Taliban are the formation of an inclusive government with the presence of ethnic groups and political forces, as well as respect for human rights in Afghanistan.

The signatories of the letter said that the United Nations should not facilitate the ground for recognition of “a terrorist regime”.

According to the letter, the Taliban will not change by giving "political concessions".

Responding to widespread criticism of Afghan politicians and civil activists, a spokesperson for the UN, said that the focus of the UN Secretary General's meeting in Doha will be to coordinate the efforts of the countries' representatives for Afghanistan and send a single message to the Taliban.

The United Nations has not clarified if the issue of official recognition of the Taliban is on the agenda of the meeting and whether the representatives of the Taliban have been invited to participate in the Doha meeting.

However, the signatories of the letter, who are mainly young political and civil activists, have said that they are against "any political plan whose specific purpose is to create grounds for the international recognition of the Taliban regime".

The letter stated, "Since the illegal takeover of power by the Taliban in August 2021, they have systematically violated the basic human rights of more than thirty million Afghan citizens. Women, who constitute at least half of the country's population, have been excluded from social life.”

The signatories have expressed their anger at the recently delivered statements of Amina Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, and her "justifications" regarding the necessity of engagement with the Taliban. They have asked the United Nations to give an official explanation of Mohammed’s statements.

Earlier, Mohammed had said at Princeton University that to prevent the deterioration of the situation in Afghanistan and other decisions of the Taliban, it is necessary to engage with the group. She had expressed hopes that the first steps of the official recognition of the Taliban would be discussed at the Doha meeting.