UNAMA: Reintegrating Afghanistan Into Global Community Is Our Top Priority
Georgette Gagnon, acting head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), stated on the sidelines of the Doha Forum that the mission’s primary focus is to help reintegrate Afghanistan into the global system and ensure the country upholds its international commitments. She emphasized that Afghanistan must move towards stability, development, and the protection of the rights of all citizens without discrimination.
Gagnon described the Doha Forum as an important opportunity for dialogue between the Taliban administration and the international community, adding that it can foster meaningful conversations, mutual understanding, and joint solutions to ongoing challenges. Highlighting the mediating role of the UN, she noted that in recent months, UNAMA has focused on coordinating humanitarian aid and supporting development programs in Afghanistan.
In separate meetings with Taliban officials, including Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, Gagnon discussed the humanitarian crisis stemming from the closure of Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan, as well as the country’s efforts to combat drug trafficking.
Gagnon’s remarks come at a time when the Taliban administration has yet to be officially recognized by the international community, and the Doha Forum remains one of the few formal platforms for engagement. This year’s Doha Forum, held from December 6 to 8 in Qatar, gathered representatives from over 160 countries, including from the Taliban, with Afghanistan as a central topic of discussion.
On the sidelines of the event, Qatar’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, announced his country’s efforts to de-escalate tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan. He stressed that achieving lasting stability in countries like Afghanistan requires inclusive political participation and honest dialogue among all parties. He also revealed that Doha had hosted the first round of talks between Kabul and Islamabad, during which both sides agreed on a temporary ceasefire.
While the global community reiterates the need for peace and stability in Afghanistan, many analysts believe that true reintegration with the international community remains elusive unless the Taliban government abandons power monopolization, restrictions on women, and the suppression of dissenting voices.
