ا.ا.ا Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has met Rabab Fatima, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan and the new head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), in Kabul. The meeting took place on Sunday, the day Fatima formally began her duties.
In a statement, the ا.ا.ا foreign ministry said the two sides discussed expanding cooperation between Afghanistan and the United Nations, the humanitarian needs of Afghans returning to the country and better coordination of aid. According to the ministry, the meeting stressed that economic activities and humanitarian assistance should remain unaffected by political issues, and called for more support for development and infrastructure projects.
The statement said the two sides also discussed UN reports and assessments on Afghanistan, with emphasis on using accurate and reliable information, giving a balanced picture of the country's actual situation and coordinating with the relevant Afghan institutions. Climate change and water management, support for the private sector under the Doha Process, and the work of counter-narcotics working groups were also on the agenda.
The meeting came on the same day that Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the ا.ا.ا deputy prime minister for economic affairs, accused UNAMA of overlooking Afghanistan's economic and security gains in its reports. Last Thursday UNAMA published its latest human rights update, which documented restrictions on women's education and work and the detention of more than 50 women in three months for allegedly not complying with hijab rules.
Shinkai Karokhail, a former Afghan ambassador to Canada, told the media that even under the current restrictions Fatima could at least ensure impartial reporting on human rights, especially the situation of women and girls, reaches the world. She said Fatima should also talk to the authorities to secure women's right to work, which could in turn help increase humanitarian aid.
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