Mr. President, thank you for convening this timely discussion,
1. I would like to thank Ms. Ingrid Hayden, Officer in charge of the UN Support Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for her presentation. Viet Nam commends and reiterates our full support for the work of the Mission. We also express our gratitude to the former SRSG, Mr. Tadamichi Yamamoto, for his tremendous efforts in the past five years and look forward to working closely with the new SRSG, Ms. Deborah Lyons.
2. Viet Nam is closely following the situation in Afghanistan. It is currently a historic and critical time for the people of Afghanistan. Resolution 2513, unanimously adopted by the Council, has laid foundation for the pursuit of long term peace for the country. However, the situation on the ground continues to witness worrying developments. We strongly condemn the continued attacks of the Taliban and other terrorist groups in Afghanistan, which have resulted in over 10.000 civilian casualties in 2019 and hundreds more since the beginningof2020. We are also concerned about the increasing spread of COVID-19 and its impact on the security, peace-building and socio-economic development of Afghanistan.
Mr. President,
3. Allow me to emphasize the following points:
First, the most important issue now is to continue implementing Resolution 2513, particularly in starting the negotiations towards a permanent ceasefire. Viet Nam reiterates our support for the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned inclusive peace process, and welcomes the Government's efforts, including the announcement of an inclusive team for peace negotiations. We look forward to further strengthened and active participation of women in this process. We call on the Government of Afghanistan and the opposition party to continue to strengthen unity and set aside their differences in this difficult time. We also emphasize the importance of strengthening international support for intra-Afghan negotiations. In this regard and given the current situation, the international community should further increase technical support for conducting dialogue via remote means.
Second, it is also vital to improve the deteriorating security situation. Despite the agreement to a nationwide reduction of violence, the Taliban has continued to carry out attacks on the Afghan people, many of whom are women and children. We are concerned by the attack just yesterday by the Taliban that resulted in the death of 27 Afghan soldiers. In light of the spread of COVID-19, Viet Nam urges the Taliban and all other terrorist groups to immediately stop fighting and targeting civilians, and to allow unhindered access to humanitarian and healthcare in the country.
Third, as stated in the UNAMA report, the economic and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan continues to face many challenges. Long-term peace and stability also requires strong economic development and sustainable livelihoods of the people. Viet Nam calls on the international community to continue assisting Afghanistan in eradicating poverty, fostering post-conflict reconstruction and overcoming the challenges resulting from natural disasters. We also call on the international partners as well as UNAMA and relevant UN agencies to further provide training, funding and technical support to Afghanistan in countering cross-border crime and drug trafficking.
4. In conclusion, Viet Nam once again emphasizes our support for the independence, sovereignty and stability of Afghanistan./.