General Assembly Security Council

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Mr President 

Thank you for organizing this debate on the 'Situation in Afghanistan' and providing us an opportunity to speak on an issue which forms a very important part of the peace and security debate that we have at the United Nations Security Council. We thank  Ambassador Yamamoto for his reflections on the current situation.  

Mr President 

We were happy that Foreign Minister of Afghanistan addressed the Council earlier today. We had welcomed His Excellency Mr. Rabbani in Delhi earlier this month, for the second meeting of the India-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Council. For India, Strategic partnership and friendship with Afghanistan is an article of faith. It is not just another relationship or an engagement, but a spiritual and civilization connect. As a friend of Afghanistan, India supports Minister Rabbani's  appeal to the international community to support his country in strengthening the gains made by the Afghan people in the last 15 years. 

On its part, India has just launched a New Development Partnership with Afghanistan. We will begin implementing  high impact projects all across Afghanistan using the fresh development assistance of US $ 1 billion announced last year. We will focus on building infrastructure for socio-economic development, enhancing capacities and capabilities of institutions of governance and promoting skills and capacities of Human Resources. 

We welcome and support the announcement by Minister Rabbani on Afghanistan's candidature for the Human Rights Council elections to be held next year. The worst violation of human rights are caused by terrorism and the people of Afghanistan have endured that for long.  

Mr President 

We have taken note of the strategic review report of the Secretary General on the review of UNAMA. We have also noted the reflections of the Secretary General on the situation in Afghanistan and welcome his findings specially on the political aspect of the Mission in Afghanistan. 

Further, we welcome the efforts by the Secretary General to address the shortcomings in the functioning of UNAMA which remains the biggest special political mission of the UN in any country. We hope that it would strengthen the supportive role of the UN, so as to enhance its performance in all areas of its mandate. This work must be implemented with regular consultations with the Afghan Government. We look forward to consulting with relevant actors in this process and assisting in it wherever required. 

Mr President 

While making our collective efforts here at the UN or at other multilateral settings, we must be mindful to support the strengthening of Afghanistan's sovereignty and stability, the two things anti-Government terrorist elements are trying to undermine from their safe havens across the borders of Afghanistan.   What Afghanistan needs is not prescriptions but support for its efforts. The people of Afghanistan should decide what they need and what they want to do.   Whether it relates to Afghanistan's political and military engagement with its partners or to the differences in its political establishment, the solutions and the approach must be driven by the Afghans and by Afghans alone. 

Mr President 

The situation in Afghanistan has remained particularly painful and disturbing with   security worsening   and visible signs of the undermining of gains made by the international community and the Afghan people. The incessant attacks on hospitals, schools, funerals, or international development agencies, diplomatic missions are  a matter of serious concern. The multiple crises that have been inflicted on Afghanistan have made Afghan territory attractive for criminal and terrorist groups, who are well connected to international terror and crime networks. These groups are stealing the resources of Afghanistan which ought to belong to the people of the country.

It is the international community's first and foremost duty to ensure that the forces of terrorism and extremism do not find sanctuaries and safe havens anywhere and at any level.  We must not differentiate between good and bad terrorists, or play one group against the other. The Taliban, Haqqani Network, Al-Qaeda, Daesh, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and others of their ilk are all terror organizations, many of them proscribed by the UN. They should be treated like terrorist organizations with no justifications offered for their activities.

Mr President 

We support the determination to overcome the challenges of security faced by Afghanistan and the willingness of many in the international community to effectively deal with the issue of safe havens enjoyed by the terrorist organizations that pose a threat to the region and beyond. The Security Council must act on the funds which the terrorists in Afghanistan are generating through their illicit activities.  In this regard, we would like the Council to consider how the 1988 sanctions regime can be utilized and also leverage for progress in the peace process? These are significant instruments and must be utilized to their full capacity.  

Mr President 

We once again thank you for your efforts and look forward to more such opportunities to be able to help our Afghan Friends in their endeavor to find peace and stability in their land.

I thank you, Mr. President.