China Urges Taliban to Lift Ban on Afghan Women Working with UN Mission

Fu Cong, China’s permanent ambassador to the United Nations, has called on the Taliban administration to lift the ban on Afghan female staff working at UN facilities and to enable normal operations for international missions. He emphasized that cooperation between the Taliban administration and the global community is essential for achieving stability and sustainable development in Afghanistan.

On Monday, March 15, during a UN Security Council meeting, the Chinese ambassador expressed his country’s support for the efforts of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). According to him, continuing restrictions on women’s work not only disrupt aid delivery but also cast a shadow over Afghanistan’s constructive engagement with the world—a matter that has repeatedly drawn criticism from international organizations.

Fu Cong also urged donor countries to resume financial aid to Afghanistan and to release the assets frozen from the central bank. He stressed that improving the economic situation and preventing a humanitarian crisis require coordinated and responsible international actions.

Expressing concern over restrictions on the fundamental rights of women and girls, the Chinese ambassador called for a return to policies that ensure their equality and participation. Over the past four years, the Taliban’s policies regarding women’s education, employment, and social presence have faced widespread domestic and international criticism and have become one of the main obstacles to normalizing relations between the administration and the global community.

He further described the presence and activity of terrorist groups in Afghanistan as a threat to regional and international peace and security and urged the Taliban administration to take decisive and practical measures to control these groups.

According to Fu Cong, the three-month extension of UNAMA’s mandate provides an opportunity for a serious review of Afghanistan’s situation and responsible decision-making regarding the country’s future. This action aims to strengthen the UN’s role and advance a political solution to Afghanistan’s crisis.