Top UN official in Afghanistan warns of threats to the gains

KABUL (SW) – The gains of the past two decades in Afghanistan are faced with threats, warned a top UN official in the country.

Deborah Lyons, the UN special envoy for Afghanistan, told a conference in Kabul on Wednesday that she was concerned about the situation in Afghanistan. She said the crisis in Afghanistan has affected not only the country but also its neighbors.

Stable societies and economic progress require inclusion, respect for human rights and equality among all citizens, she said.

The UN Special Representative for Afghanistan added that the achievements of the last 20 years in Afghanistan are under threat and the number of malnourished children has increased.

Lyons also noted that efforts are underway with a number of international organizations to lift sanctions and raise humanitarian aid, which is expected to yield results.

Meanwhile, Abdul Salam Hanafi, Second Deputy Prime Minister of the Islamic Emirate, called the aid provided over the past 20 years non-transparent and said that the humanitarian aid has not reached the Afghans.

Hanafi stressed that the Islamic Emirate does not need or accept aid that has political conditions.

According to reports from a number of international organizations, Afghans are in dire need of emergency assistance more than ever before and without assistance, a major humanitarian catastrophe could ensue.

ENDS
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