President,

I thank Special Representative Roza Otunbayeva and Director Lisa Doughten for their briefings. I have also listened carefully to the statement by Ms. Manizha Wafeq. 

The third meeting of special envoys on Afghanistan is scheduled to take place in Doha from June 30 to July 1. The Afghan interim government has confirmed its participation. China commends the United Nations for its preparations for the meeting, and we support the meeting’s existing arrangements. We hope relevant parties at the meeting will take this opportunity of the meeting to increase exchanges and communication with the Afghan interim government and move towards one another, so that the meeting will achieve results-oriented outcomes in such areas as micro financing, enterprise development, anti-narcotics and alternative cultivation, and unleash a new chapter of international engagement and cooperation with the country. We hope the Council will be promptly briefed on the meeting. We also hope that, on the basis of the meeting’s outcomes, the Council will take more impactful measures to assist Afghanistan in its response to development challenges and integration into the international community. Allow me to share the following four observations. 

First, the Council should support dialogue and engagement with the Afghan interim government. The international community must respect the political reality of the Afghan Taliban running the country and through patient engagement and communication, push the interim government to gradually become more trusting of the outside world and to take positive initiatives in areas such as inclusive governance and safeguarding women’s rights and interests, as a means to address the concerns of international community. As a crucial step in building trust, the Council should immediately reinstate the blanket travel ban exemptions for the relevant personnel of the Afghan interim government, adjust to the 1988 sanctions regime in a timely manner based on the dynamics on the ground, and facilitate the interim government's engagement with the international community.

Second, the Council should support Afghanistan in its response to humanitarian difficulties. According to the Secretary-General’s report, an estimated 23.7 million Afghans are in need of humanitarian aid this year, with 90% of the households struggling to feed themselves. Out of the required humanitarian funding of $3.06 billion dollar, a mere 16.2% is in place. The Council should urge donors to continue their humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, refrain from substantial cuts in funding, and effectively translate their concern for the Afghan people into meaningful actions. The US military intervention in Afghanistan has resulted in a major catastrophe for the Afghan people, causing them serious trauma. The United States should genuinely shoulder its historical responsibility by increasing assistance and financial input to Afghanistan, rather than deserting the country once and for all.

Third. The Council should support Afghanistan in removing its development bottlenecks. Economic cooperation, trade, and connective initiatives between regional countries and Afghanistan have effectively promoted its economic recovery and enhanced livelihood. That said, the Secretary-General’s report also notes that regional cooperation alone cannot adequately address Afghanistan’s development funding gaps or fully integrate the country into the international economic and financial system. It is concerning that the illegal unilateral sanctions imposed by certain countries on Afghanistan have seriously disrupted its financial system, hindering normal business operations and interfering with international trade and economic exchanges. These sanctions have become a prominent factor impeding Afghanistan’s development. The Council should urge these countries to immediately and unconditionally end these illegal unilateral sanctions and return in full frozen Afghan overseas assets to provide the necessary resources for Afghanistan's development. 

Fourth, the Council should support the Afghan interim government in its resolute fight against terrorism. Currently, terrorist forces such as Da’esh, Al-Qaeda, and ETIM remain rampant in Afghanistan, threatening Afghan security and international and regional security. The Council should urge the Afghan interim government to fulfill its commitments in good faith, take vigorous measures to resolutely combat all forms of terrorist acts and to ensure no sanctuary is provided to any terrorist forces. The international community must also assist Afghanistan in bolstering its counter-terrorism capacities. In this process, it is particularly important to reject ideological prejudice, resist double standards, and eliminate selective counter-terrorism. 

President, 

China thanks SRSG Roza Otunbayeva and UNAMA for their unwavering efforts during this period. We support the Mission’s continuous role to forge closer communication and cooperation between the international community and Afghanistan to help the Afghan people address their most pressing needs and achieve sustainable development. As Afghanistan’s friendly neighbor, China has always firmly supported peace, stability, development, and prosperity in the country. And we remain committed to assisting the Afghan people to the fullest extent possible. 

I thank you, President.