YouSaid · the spoken record

Adela Raz

lines on the record: 143
first: 2020-04-27
most recent: 2021-06-28
sittings or episodes: 17
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“These conflicts have caused, and continue to cause, significant loss of life and destruction — shaking our day-to-day with unexpected, improvised explosions while also spreading fear and insecurity, including through the deadly landmines and remnants of war spread out throughout our territory. Only last year, combined improvised explosive device (IED) attacks and explosions from landmines and remnants of war led to over 3,400 casualties, including over 1,200 deaths. Adding to the tragedy, children have been disproportionally affected by the effects of explosive remnants of war, accounting for 80 per cent of the 400 casualties of such devices in 2020. IEDs caused a third of all civilian casualties in the country. They kill without distinction among Government employees, soldiers, students, men, women or children.”
2021-04-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/346 (2021) · source
“Allow me to first congratulate His Excellency Mr. Bui Thanh Son on his appointment as Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and wish him success in the fulfilment of his duties. I also congratulate Viet Nam on its assumption of the presidency of the Security Council and for presenting a substantial and timely agenda. I also thank Secretary-General António Guterres and all the distinguished briefers for joining us today and providing insightful remarks on a topic that is of vital relevance for international peace and security and of special importance to the Afghan people. As participants know, Afghanistan has suffered the effects of imposed conflicts since the end of the 1970s.”
2021-04-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/346 (2021) · source
“This is a strong and firm message from the people of Afghanistan who are tired of decades of suffering and war. The Government will continue to fulfil the mandate of the people, and we call on the Taliban to genuinely commit to peace so we may see a prosperous, democratic and peaceful Afghanistan.”
2021-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/291 (2021) · source
“We also aim to promote the vision of an Afghanistan that serves as an active player in the region, a hub for connectivity and trade and a catalyst for the development and integration of Central and South Asia. We believe this is achievable, and your support will be fundamental to ensure that we fulfil this shared goal. The people of Afghanistan want no more empty chairs in classrooms — chairs left empty by students facing insecurity or by girls banned from attending school. We want a society that defends and stands for the rights of the women, men and ethnic groups that make up our rich and diverse Afghan family, a democracy in which all are heard, respected and represented. We want a prosperous nation and a country that is at peace with itself, our region and the world.”
2021-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/291 (2021) · source
“As we proceed with these meetings, allow me to reiterate the Government’s position once again that a sustainable peace can be achieved only if it has the support of all Afghans and only if it ensures the effective inclusion of all Afghans, including women, youth, minorities and our vibrant civil society, in decision-making. Any decision about future peace and a political settlement should be based on the free will of the Afghan people, as expressed in free, fair and just elections, guaranteed by our regional and international partners. No peace can last in Afghanistan without securing, protecting and promoting the gains that we have achieved over the past 20 years. The constitutional order must be preserved and our democracy be protected.”
2021-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/291 (2021) · source
“Jean Arnault as the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Afghanistan and Regional Issues. The United Nations has been a trusted partner and ally of the people of Afghanistan for decades. Its efforts during the past 20 years are applaudable. We hope that through his efforts, Mr. Arnault will be able to complement and amplify the ongoing critical United Nations mission in Afghanistan and, together with the dedicated efforts and excellent leadership of Special Representative of the Secretary-General Lyons, bring us closer to a sustainable and dignified peace in Afghanistan and an end to the conflict.”
2021-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/291 (2021) · source
“Similarly, we welcome the upcoming meeting to be organized in Turkey. The Government will participate in the meeting, and we emphasize the importance of an inclusive process, including the full, equal and meaningful participation of women, youth and civil society. These groups are the cornerstone of the new Afghanistan and their voices should be heard in all peace efforts. We view these meetings as key steps to strengthen and complement the intra-Afghan negotiations in Doha, and we hope that the outcomes of these meetings will reinforce the progress already made and result in tangible advancement towards the achievement of a lasting peace commensurate with the will of the Afghan people. And thirdly, we welcome the United Nations further engagement in Afghanistan and the appointment of Mr.”
2021-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/291 (2021) · source
“First, the Afghan Government is firmly committed to reaching an end to the conflict in our country and achieving a sustainable peace that the Afghan people urgently demand. This commitment requires a united national approach and the support of regional and international partners in pursuing our collective efforts. Secondly, I would like to underscore the importance of regional consensus and support to reaching a durable peace. In this regard, we welcome all regional and international efforts that contribute to the achievement of peace and stability in Afghanistan, including the recent meeting of the extended troika in Moscow and its final joint statement emphasizing the implementation of the resolution 2513 (2020) and reaffirming that it does not support the restoration of the Islamic Emirate.”
2021-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/291 (2021) · source
“While we are cautiously optimistic about these early results, we remain adamant that a stronger and more genuine commitment to peace must be shown and translated into action by the Taliban, particularly considering the continued high levels of violence and targeted attacks, its continued relationships with terrorist organizations, its lack of adherence to a humanitarian ceasefire despite multiple calls, and reports of its preparations for a counterproductive spring offensive. As done on previous occasions, we again take this platform to ask the Security Council and the United Nations as a whole to continue to call on the Taliban to observe a comprehensive and a permanent ceasefire. In moving forwards towards peace, I would like to stress the following three points.”
2021-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/291 (2021) · source
“We knew that it would be difficult and that we were meeting at the negotiating table a group with radically different views on what the future of Afghanistan should look like. Nevertheless, early agreements in Doha on the code of conduct of negotiations and contact groups for discussions show us the power of dialogue, while offering hope for a path forward under an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned format. I would be remiss if I did not express our strong appreciation to the State of Qatar for its tireless efforts, as well the United States for facilitating the initial steps towards the intra-Afghan negotiations, together with our regional partners, neighbours, friends and allies.”
2021-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/291 (2021) · source
“The overwhelming number of people in need, the pressing challenge to address food insecurity and other humanitarian concerns, including the situation of returning refugees and the continued re-emergence of polio, underscore the urgency of a comprehensive ceasefire and efforts to achieve a durable and sustainable peace — a peace in which every Afghan, regardless of their gender, ethnicity or age, sees themselves included and protected. The dire humanitarian situation and protracted conflict in Afghanistan continue to stress our vital need for tangible progress in our quest for peace. We entered the peace process with the Taliban understanding that we were facing a long and a complicated process.”
2021-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/291 (2021) · source
“These dreadful killings and the surge in violence are occurring during one of the biggest humanitarian crises in Afghan history. We started 2020 with 9.4 million people in humanitarian need, already a high number that was driven by drought and conflict. But today the number has now hit a record of 18.4 million people. In other words, almost half of all Afghans need humanitarian assistance. In turn, the most recent humanitarian response plan estimates that $1.3 billion are needed to respond. We also need to vaccinate all Afghans against COVID-19 to recover from the pandemic. The vaccination campaign has started, and we are grateful to the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility and our bilateral donors, notably India and China, for providing the first doses.”
2021-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/291 (2021) · source
“These targeted attacks do not affect anonymous targets, but fellow Afghans with families, dreams and aspirations. Early this month, Mursal Wahidi, Sadia Sadat, and Shahnaz Raofi were murdered in Jalalabad. They were all in their early 20s and worked as reporters. Just last week, four women and a three-year- old child — Shukria Shams, Aziza Malikzada, Nargis Kohistani, Arsh Mayil and Khatera Mayil — lost their lives while going through their day riding a bus in Kabul. We must all remember their names and honour their lives by relentlessly pursuing a peace that protects our gains, our young democracy and our universal rights and the rights given by Islam. These attacks target not only the Government, but more fundamentally the very values of humankind that all of us here hold dear.”
2021-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/291 (2021) · source
“These attacks are meant to dissuade the participation of women and youth in the peace process, create widespread panic and crush our aspirations for peace. These attacks are against the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These targeted attacks have killed journalists working to bring the truth to their fellow citizens; they have harmed civil society advocates, who bravely stand for the rights of their Afghan brothers and sisters; and have killed and injured public servants, who chose a career in service for the new Afghanistan, and our scholars and religious leaders, who have denounced the ongoing war and continued bloodshed in Afghanistan as contrary to the core tenets of Islam.”
2021-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/291 (2021) · source
“The important work of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission in advocating for the protection of human rights at this critical time is essential and needed more than ever. I thank you, Chairperson Akbar, for your outstanding work. Like many other developing countries, Afghanistan has also been hit hard by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The economy is disrupted, our health sector is still struggling with the challenge of COVID-19, and many have lost their livelihoods. Simultaneously, we have witnessed a record number of security incidents. The Taliban has increased its level of violence against our security forces and Afghan civilians. It is directly targeting those who strive for a better future. It is targeting our young democracy, our vibrant civil society, and our free and independent press.”
2021-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/291 (2021) · source
“It is my great honour to have the opportunity to address the Council today. Allow me to first congratulate you, Madam President, on your able leadership of the presidency of the Security Council for this month and for convening this important debate on the situation in Afghanistan. I also would like to thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General Deborah Lyons for her comprehensive and thorough briefing, as well as for her dedicated work in leading the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. I thank the Secretary-General for his report on the situation in Afghanistan (see S/2021/252). Finally, let me thank my sister, Chairperson Shaharzad Akbar, for her persistent and strong voice as a prominent Afghan woman and for her moving and informative testimony.”
2021-03-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/291 (2021) · source
“Secondly, we must also work to enhance our cooperation and efforts aimed at fulfilling the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as a means of strengthening our societal safety nets, and in so doing, safeguarding the food security of our population. Finally, we hope that the arrival of Nowruz will bring with it a renewed sense of possibility for the achievement of our long-awaited peace. We hope to witness a cessation of hostilities that will allow our people to finally live in peace and prosperity and enjoy full access to nutritious food.”
2021-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/250 (2021) · source
“I would also like to express our gratitude to regional and international partners for their material support and firm commitments to continuing to stand by the Afghan people during these difficult times. In this regard, let me underline two points that I believe may allow us to create an environment to better face our challenges on food insecurity. First, there is a need to better coordinate approaches and measures by all stakeholders across the peace-humanitarian-development nexus to address the root causes of conflict and help put an end to the ongoing conflict through the effective implementation of all institutional tools available, including Security Council resolutions and sanctions regimes.”
2021-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/250 (2021) · source
“As long as terrorists and non-State armed groups continue to violate their neighbours’ access to food, which is a basic right, there will always be humanitarian emergencies. To further illustrate the foregoing, let us consider how the Taliban’s disregard for people’s access to basic services has even led to the re-emergence of polio in areas where they have influence. The Taliban’s indifference to the safety of our people and lack of respect for international humanitarian law and international human rights law cannot continue. Let me also take this opportunity to express Afghanistan’s deep appreciation to the United Nations for developing the 2021 Afghanistan humanitarian response plan.”
2021-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/250 (2021) · source
“We have consistently called for humanitarian ceasefires to allow us to reach the most affected people — a call that was amplified by the Secretary-General and members of the international community. However, the other side has consistently rejected our offers, and the situation continues to grow more concerning. When talking about humanitarian affairs and conflict, be it in relation to food security or any other topic, we always reach the same conclusion. We cannot have a sustainable and lasting solution if hostilities on the ground do not stop. As long as S/2021/250 one side of the conflict continues to deny the humanity of their brothers and sisters, there will always be food insecurity.”
2021-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/250 (2021) · source
“These groups’ inhumane acts continue to leave many of our people in a desperate situation. Most Afghans still depend on agriculture as the main source of their livelihoods. Many face unreliable yields, increased droughts and floods due to climate change, and isolation, as well as a lack of access to markets. Meanwhile, our Government’s resources are spread thin, and access to vulnerable populations is limited, owing to terrorist group activities. Overall, these factors are contributing to a possibly disastrous situation. We have always been committed to peace as the most sustainable avenue for restoring food security in our communities and in addressing our desperate humanitarian situation.”
2021-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/250 (2021) · source
“Our Government has responded to the situation by working with the World Bank and other international partners to provide vulnerable households with cash, food and hygiene bundles. We also waived electric bills and made additional efforts going so far as to spend close to 3 per cent of our gross domestic product solely on responding to the new necessities arising from the pandemic. This is an alarming fact and one that truly underscores both the extreme nature of our necessities and how easy it is for unforeseen crises such as public health emergencies and natural disasters to have devastating effects on the fragile development and food security gains we have worked so hard to achieve. But even more devastating than the current pandemic is the relentless campaign of violence carried out by the Taliban and other terrorist groups.”
2021-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/250 (2021) · source
“Food insecurity may also perpetuate conflict as it causes vulnerable populations to compete for access to limited resources. As in other conflict-affected countries, the already-difficult situation in Afghanistan was further exacerbated by the spread of the coronavirus disease, which was evidenced in the 2021 Global Humanitarian Overview, which reported a sharp increase in the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance. Today, 18.4 million Afghan people are in need. Additionally, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification has reported that around 76 per cent of the population, or 30.5 million people, are at stress, crisis or emergency levels of food insecurity.”
2021-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/250 (2021) · source
“I thank the President and her team at the Permanent Mission of the United States for organizing today’s high-level open debate on conflict and food security. I would also like to thank the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. António Guterres, the Executive Director of the World Food Programme, Mr. David Beasley, and the Executive Director of Oxfam International, Ms. Gabriela Bucher, for their insightful and comprehensive briefings. The intersections between conflict and food insecurity are significant, interlinked and complex. Food insecurity is one of the most concerning consequences of armed conflict. Across the globe, conflict is driving catastrophic levels of food insecurity and malnutrition, which can cause serious long-term consequences for those affected.”
2021-03-11 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/250 (2021) · source
“The Government’s resources are spread thin in protecting our people against the inhumane attacks of terrorist groups. We understand that if we do not mitigate the effects of climate change and adapt to its consequences, we will effectively fail at ensuring the security of our country. As such, we believe that we must continue to discuss the climate-security nexus and further analyse how to best tackle climate dynamics within our security responses. We must seek regional solutions based on international models. We ask that the Council continue its debates on climate security and further consider the impacts and how to mitigate them in Afghanistan.”
2021-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/198 (2021) · source
“But, as the climate changes, the risk of similar disputes in Afghanistan will increase and, in some areas, the scarcity of water has already fuelled local conflicts. Thirdly, there is an observed impact of climate change and environmental risks on the individual Afghan’s resilience and vulnerability, which is prolonging humanitarian emergencies and contributing to a deteriorating conflict environment. For example, following the 2018 droughts, which were exacerbated by climate change, many families’ debt levels rose dramatically. In turn, increased debt levels S/2021/198 S/2021/198 have increased their vulnerability and made many less resilient to new shocks and more likely to fall back on harmful coping mechanisms in the face of crisis.”
2021-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/198 (2021) · source
“The increased scarcity of resources and socioeconomic impacts of a changing climate have forced some young, vulnerable Afghans and, at times, children to act in desperation and join terrorist groups to make ends meet. These are people who feel they have no choice, but who in fact have the right to dream of a future of peace, not one of desperation and conflict. Secondly, analysis suggests that water and land scarcity, exacerbated by climate change, is a major driver of local-level and intercommunal conflicts. One United Nations study estimates that up to 93 per cent of local disputes are related to conflicts over land and water. Afghanistan has not yet seen the types of widespread conflicts between pastoral and agricultural communities observed elsewhere.”
2021-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/198 (2021) · source
“As clearly stated in the Afghanistan National Peace and Development Framework 2021-2025, the potential climate-induced risks entangled with conflict and insecurity are a critical challenge that threatens the foundations of Afghanistan’s stability, economy and food security and could pose significant challenges to the sectoral gains of the past 19 years. Allow me to now highlight three specific ways in which the effects of climate change have had and will continue to have an impact on rising insecurity in Afghanistan. First, climate change is exacerbating poverty and creating opportunities for terrorist groups to take advantage of and recruit to their ranks those in need.”
2021-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/198 (2021) · source
“The latter is certainly a consequence of, and a contributing factor to, the former. It is easy to recognize how 40 years of war have made Afghanistan more vulnerable to climate change. It has destroyed physical and human capital, which is today limiting our adaptive capacity. War, accelerating climate change and global warming have also directly contributed to deforestation, which has increased people’s vulnerability to natural disasters and contributed to shrinking arable land. Insecurity is, furthermore, limiting our ability to attract private investment for climate adaptation. But climate change has also started to act as a threat multiplier and, in some cases, has directly contributed and continues to contribute to the conflict.”
2021-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/198 (2021) · source
“Allow me to first thank the United Kingdom presidency for hosting this vital meeting and for championing the consideration of the climate-security nexus in the Council. I would also like to thank Secretary-General António Guterres, Sir David Attenborough and Ms. Nisreen Elsaim for their insightful statements. As the effects of the climate crisis are increasingly ravaging the developing world, the need for thorough discussions and action on the undeniable intersection between climate and security is pressing. As you all know, we have been severely affected by more than four decades of conflict. But in addition, Afghanistan is also among the epicentres of the intersection between climate change and insecurity and has been consistently ranked as one of the States most vulnerable to the effects of the current climate crisis.”
2021-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/198 (2021) · source
“This will not only be beneficial to the long-term safety of our people and our ability to build back better, but it would also be a sign of good faith and show that the Taliban are committed to a prosperous and peaceful Afghanistan as well as to the success of the peace talks, as the only means for achieving permanent peace, stability and a political solution. At the end of the day, it would symbolize not only an agreement with the Government of Afghanistan but with its people — a group whose trust the Taliban need to earn.”
2021-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/157 (2021) · source
“If the Taliban are truly committed to peace, they should understand that the fight against COVID-19 requires universal access to vaccines and for them to cease all hostilities to allow for a vaccination campaign to cover all of Afghanistan. We therefore appeal to the United Nations, especially the Security Council, to make further efforts to implement resolution 2532 (2020) and call on the Taliban to finally adhere to a ceasefire so that the urgent challenges of this pandemic can be effectively addressed.”
2021-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/157 (2021) · source
“Our Government has responded to this crisis with our limited resources and with the support of our generous partners. But there is only so much we can accomplish while groups like the Taliban continue to wage war against their own people and the aid and humanitarian workers trying to assist them. So today we reiterate our call on the Taliban to adhere to the Secretary-General’s appeal for a ceasefire and resolution 2532 (2020). Without a ceasefire and complete humanitarian access, the Afghan population will never be vaccinated against COVID-19. Let us not forget that, the last time the Taliban decided to actively act against science and public health, Afghanistan saw the re-emergence of polio after years of a sharp decline in cases.”
2021-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/157 (2021) · source
“These groups displayed a complete disregard for international humanitarian law and refused to adhere to the worldwide calls for a humanitarian ceasefire to allow Governments to focus on fighting the effects of the pandemic. In fact, they have increased levels of violence and targeted killings, despite the clear condemnation by the international community in a statement released on 31 January 2021. Meanwhile, the effects of the pandemic have been grave. It has forced many of our people into poverty, increased levels of unemployment and exacerbated our already complex situation with internally displaced people and returning refugees. Today approximately 18.4 million Afghans need humanitarian support, an increase of almost 100 per cent in 2020.”
2021-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/157 (2021) · source
“The only way to defeat the virus and build back better is to ensure the vaccine is a global public good. We welcome efforts by Member States and international organizations to promote universal access through the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility. But much more is needed. COVAX must be fully funded, and additional resources are needed to ensure all people in the world’s most vulnerable countries can get the vaccine, not just 20 per cent. But access to the vaccine is only the first difficult part of a complex equation when it comes to the situation of countries affected by conflict and insecurity. While people around the world stayed safe at home, Afghans had to face the virus under the stress of relentless and inhumane attacks by the Taliban and other terrorist groups.”
2021-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/157 (2021) · source
“While we share the international community’s optimism over the approval and distribution of vaccines, we are cognizant of the enormous challenges that will come in ensuring equitable access to vaccines for all countries, and the subsequent complex task of inoculating all Afghans to finally defeat the virus. I believe we all agree that the equitable distribution of vaccines must be at the centre of our efforts to build back better. A failure to achieve universal access will further exacerbate inequalities around the world. The virus will continue to spread and mutate into new strands until we achieve wide-spread vaccination in every corner of our planet. Global supply chains will not recover, and our people will not be able to engage in international commerce and policy.”
2021-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/157 (2021) · source
“I thank you, Mr. President, and your delegation for hosting this timely high- level Security Council open debate on ensuring equitable access to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines in contexts affected by conflict and insecurity. I would also like to thank His Excellency Mr. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, and the other briefers for their insightful statements and strong expressions of support to vulnerable communities and vaccine equity. This discussion is of the utmost importance for all conflicted-affected countries, including Afghanistan.”
2021-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/157 (2021) · source
“We welcome efforts by the United Nations to further the cause of the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism and reiterate the importance that victims occupy a central role in our counter-terrorism agenda. Despite our achievements in our fight against terrorism, we cannot in any way let our guard down and let the enemy evolve into deadlier and more inhumane forces. Now is the time for the boldness, leadership and vision that ensure the framework we have built is translated into firm international and regional actions that address the root causes of terrorism and defeat this threat once and for all. It is what our people demand and what we, as representatives of the United Nations, should deliver.”
2021-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/48 (2021) · source
“It is time to take the next step, build on the progress of the past 20 years and design an outcome-oriented strategy that can help the United Nations and Member States better work towards ensuring the right of all people to live without fear. The upcoming review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy provides a timely opportunity to achieve that, and we must rise to the urgency of the situation. Throughout the review, we must also acknowledge the important voice of victims of terrorism as stakeholders in designing effective counter-terrorism strategies. We cannot speak about defeating terrorism without ensuring that the needs of those affected by it are addressed and that victims can return to society and live the rest of their lives without fear of a second attack.”
2021-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/48 (2021) · source
“The great thing about today’s meeting is that it gives us a platform to share best practices and lessons learned, while acknowledging our challenges and what needs to change to reinvigorate our efforts in future. The Afghan Defence and Security Forces are valiantly fighting on the front lines of the war against international terrorism, which continues to claim countless innocent lives. Those are lives of students working hard for a better future and mothers experiencing the miracle of birth. Their loss really emphasizes the urgency of firmly addressing this threat.S/2021/48 While we continue to release statements and express our condemnation for such heinous actions, our international strategy to fight this menace has not even been able to define what terrorism is.”
2021-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/48 (2021) · source
“That new reality and the challenges posed by modern terrorism serve to reiterate the need for the international community to adapt and take decisive action through more cohesive, collaborative and joint efforts at the regional and multilateral levels that truly embody the spirit of resolution 1373 (2001). Today it remains even more evident that terrorism will never be defeated unless we efficiently target its root causes. We must be able to counter extremist narratives, while also identifying and neutralizing elements that allow for their continued operations, including sources of financial support and safe havens, which will allow us to shift the focus from fighting terrorism to actually defeating it in its entirety.”
2021-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/48 (2021) · source
“In Afghanistan, we have seen a complete transformation in the establishment of a Government committed to the fight against international terrorism and the protection and promotion of the rights of all its citizens. The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan makes no distinction among terrorist groups and sees them exclusively for what they are — a direct threat to the livelihood and freedom that our people have fought to attain. Despite our best efforts, the past 20 years have also shown us how complex and ever-changing terrorism can be. We have seen the emergence of new terrorist groups that consistently employ new tactics to inhumanely attack the most vulnerable populations.”
2021-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/48 (2021) · source
“The twentieth anniversary of resolution 1373 (2001) and the establishment of the Counter-Terrorism Committee provide us with an opportunity for reflection on past achievements and the many challenges ahead. We started this journey together at a very difficult time in Afghanistan’s history, when the terrorist forces that had threatened our country for years launched an attack on 11 September 2001. That heinous act of terrorism urged all of us to work together to fight for the safety and protection of people everywhere. During the past 20 years, many important steps have been taken, including through the building of a more robust and responsive counter-terrorism architecture and the mobilization of resources to defeat terrorism.”
2021-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/48 (2021) · source
“Allow me first to congratulate you, Mr. President, and your delegation on Tunisia’s steady leadership during this busy and productive start of the year. I also welcome the new non-permanent members of the Security Council and wish them success in fulfilling their mandates. I would also like to thank Under-Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism and Executive Director Michèle Coninsx of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate for their informative and thorough briefings, as well as Ms. Fatima Akilu, Executive Director of the Neem Foundation, for sharing her incisive perspective.”
2021-01-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2021/48 (2021) · source
“In conclusion, I would like to once again thank the Permanent Mission of Indonesia for hosting this valuable meeting and to reiterate the full collaboration of Afghanistan in continuing to work on this issue.”
2020-08-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/791 (2020) · source
“Afghanistan has also engaged with regional platforms, including the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-building Measures in Asia and the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia in order to further complement efforts to address the linkage between organized crime and terrorist organizations through efforts in line with the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and the relevant Security Council resolutions on the matter. Nevertheless, a stronger focus on that, particularly with regard to monitoring the movement of those under United Nations sanctions regimes and their backers, must remain an important priority in our fight to effectively diminish this threat.”
2020-08-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/791 (2020) · source
“As part of that, the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Afghanistan (FinTRACA) has worked diligently to ensure that Afghan financial institutions are prevented from being used for illegal activities. As part of that work, FinTRACA cooperates with institutions at the regional level in order to effectively comply with the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism, the United Nations Convention against Transnational Crime and the United Nations Convention against Corruption.”
2020-08-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/791 (2020) · source
“In that regard, the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces have conducted efficient operations, which led to the dismantling of numerous drug laboratories and processing facilities. Operations have also taken place at various points of entry in the country, including border crossings and airports. They have prevented 100 tons of illegal substances from entering our country. In parallel, the anti-drug department of the Counter- Narcotics Justice Centre has also played an effective role by ensuring the transparent processing of suspects engaging in the illicit drug trade. In addition to those operations, our National Inter-Agency Task Force on Combating Terrorism continues its work to implement a national framework to counter money laundering and other forms of financial criminal activities.”
2020-08-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/791 (2020) · source
“Addressing the threat posed by such groups requires effective and cohesive coordination among regional, international and local efforts aimed at preventing terrorist and extremist groups and organized-crime groups from benefiting from any disconnect between our efforts. Even with the ongoing pandemic, at the national level Afghanistan has continued to focus on disrupting that linkage through a multipronged approach that encompasses various areas. As part of that, our country has worked diligently in tackling the illicit drug trade, which has served as a particularly strong source for the funding of terrorist organizations. Our efforts cover an approach that involves tackling the issue at all levels, from eradication to interdiction and, ultimately, the prosecution of individuals involved in the process.”
2020-08-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/791 (2020) · source
“As a State that is both the prime victim of terrorism and which finds itself on the front line in the fight against the threat, we are well aware of the ways in which organized crime can strengthen the operational capabilities of terrorist groups and, as part of its activities, further exacerbate insecurity, particularly by enabling a continuous flow of weapons, extremist elements, drugs and dangerous chemical precursors used for the development of explosive devices and other materials. This is a threat that should be analysed not only through a national lens but also with consideration given to the broad regional implications as seen through the nexus of regional and international terrorist groups.”
2020-08-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/2020/791 (2020) · source