Statement by IEA-MoFA regarding recent report by UN Secretary-General and briefing of UNSG Special Representative to the UNSC

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan assesses positively acknowledgement of the prevalent security and stability, economic progress, implementation of comprehensive ban on narcotics, reception of forcefully expelled Afghans, rapid response to natural disasters and other efforts of the Islamic Emirate; detrimental impact of banking and economic sanctions on the Afghan people; and calls for continuation of humanitarian and steps towards basic-needs assistance to the people of Afghanistan underlined in the report of the UN Secretary-General and briefing to the Security Council by UNSG’s Special Representative for Afghanistan.At the same time we strongly object to the baseless allegations in this and other UN reports, the non-academic mechanism of compilation, mention of non-mandated topics like internal disputes over narcotics ban, ethnicization of incidents and issues, categorization of law-enforcement efforts as arbitrary and human right violations, basing arguments on unfounded allegations, anonymous sources and previous false reporting instead of ground realities and verifiable data, spreading a climate of fear in and showcasing Afghanistan as a conflict-zone through distorted conflation of falsified information and isolated criminal incidents, and attempting to present Afghanistan as a potential threat to other countries by coming under the coercive influence of unsubstantial political narratives of a few particular countries. We recommend that the UN prioritize factuality and impartiality over superficiality and prejudice in its reporting and conduct.The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, in the framework of the noble religion of Islam, national sovereignty and national interests, reiterates its commitment to transparent and result-oriented engagement with all world countries, including the organization of the United Nations, at any time and any place aimed at securing mutual interests and finding solutions to mutual concerns.