MONITORING (SW) – The US has lamented the lack of any serious national political process involving the Afghan people.
Thomas West, the US Special Representative for Afghanistan, said in a series of tweets in connection with the Tashkent conference on Afghanistan that no foreign country should handpick leaders or impose a process on Afghans, but the United States stands ready to join partners in supporting dialogue among Afghans regarding a brighter and more inclusive future for their children.
“A senior US inter-agency team will continue pragmatic engagement with the Taliban and Afghan technocrats regarding macroeconomic stability issues”, he tweeted.
Thomas West said the US will also continue to support Afghans’ basic needs – in health, education, nutrition, and livelihoods. “It is in the region and the world’s interest to stay focused on Afghanistan’s economic stabilization”, he said.
“No other country in the world bans access of secondary education to girls. Over the past 6 months, Taliban have promised. It is now time for action”, said Thomas Nicholson, EU Special Representative for Afghanistan.
“The OIC calls on all international partners & donors to continue supporting the education system in Afghanistan. Women’s participation in economic development cannot be achieved without breaking barriers to their fundamental right to education.” Said Tariq Ali Bakheet, OIC Special Repreesntative.
“Nobody I met in the first 3 weeks I have been in Afghanistan is opposed to secondary girls’ education. Therefore, I am calling on the de facto authorities to reverse this decision”, said Markus Putzel, Head of the UNAMA.
“The rights for girls to access secondary education in Afghanistan is not a view of the western world. Rather, it is a shared expectation by the international community”, said Nigel Casey, British Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
ENDS
