UNAMA Acting Head Georgette Gagnon told the UN Security Council that economic stability, improved security, and the expansion of infrastructure projects in Afghanistan are signs of positive change. However, restrictions on women and girls, human rights concerns, the absence of an inclusive government, and the presence of armed groups remain major concerns.
OCHA said that nearly 22 million Afghans need humanitarian assistance, while only slightly more than $500 million of the $1.7 billion requested for the current year has been funded.
At the same meeting, U.S. representative Mike Waltz criticized the Taliban, saying that normalization of relations with the Taliban government is not conceivable unless it changes its policies.
The British representative also urged the Taliban to respect Afghanistan’s international commitments, while China and Russia expressed differing positions on Afghanistan.
