President,

I thank Deputy Special Representative Georgette Gagnon for her briefing, and appreciate the efforts of UNAMA in helping Afghanistan rebuild, develop, and engage in dialogue with the international community.

At present, Afghanistan is facing multiple challenges, including on the humanitarian, development, counter-terrorism, and human rights fronts. The Afghan government and all parties concerned should work together to promote the stability and development in Afghanistan and its early integration into the international community. I wish to make the following points.

First, improving people's livelihoods is a top priority. In Afghanistan, there are still nearly 22 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, and more than 30 million people live on less than $1 a day. Explosive remnants of war continue to cause civilian casualties, while the return of millions of refugees and frequent natural disasters further exacerbate the humanitarian crisis and development challenges facing the country. Regrettably, some countries have drastically reduced or even halted their assistance to Afghanistan, forcing many relief programs of the UN and international humanitarian agencies to shut down last year. As a result, problems such as food insecurity, public health challenges, and malnutrition among children and pregnant women have become even more severe. We call on traditional donors, especially those countries that bear historical responsibility for Afghanistan, to immediately resume and increase assistance and to translate the concerns for the Afghan people into concrete actions. The overseas assets of Afghanistan's central bank belong to the Afghan people. Relevant countries should return them in full and lift illegal unilateral sanctions on the country. China welcomes the multiple meetings held by working groups on private sector development and counter-narcotics under the Doha process and the positive progress achieved. We support these working groups in playing a positive role in improving Afghanistan's financial system and promoting alternative cultivation, thereby helping Afghanistan strengthen its capacity for self-sustained development.

Second, safeguarding the basic rights and interests of the people is a necessity. In recent years, Afghan girls have not been able to receive modern education beyond the sixth grade, and women's basic rights and interests such as employment, and access to health care, public services, and participation in social life have become increasingly restricted. This not only harms the physical and mental well-being of Afghan women, but also undermines social stability or economic development. We hope that the Afghan authorities will demonstrate openness, inclusiveness, and a sense of responsibility by listening to the legitimate aspirations of their people and the reasonable concerns of the international community, promptly adjusting relevant policies, and effectively safeguarding the basic rights of all people, including women, so as to gain greater trust and support from the international community. The prolonged inability of Afghan female staff members of the UN to return to their posts has directly affected the effectiveness of the international assistance to Afghanistan. We call on the Afghan government to lift the ban as soon as possible and facilitate the work of the UN agencies in the country.

Third, eliminating terrorism is a foundation of security. According to the UN report, terrorist groups such as ISIL-K, Al-Qaida, the ETIM, TTP, and BLA remain active in Afghanistan, posing serious threats to Afghanistan and its neighboring countries. In January this year, a terrorist attack on a Chinese restaurant in Kabul caused multiple casualties, including Chinese nationals. China strongly condemns and firmly opposes terrorism in all its forms, and urges the Afghan government to conduct a thorough investigation to establish the facts as soon as possible and bring the perpetrators to justice. We call on the Afghan side to recognize the grave harm posed by terrorism, strengthen counter terrorism cooperation with regional countries, and resolutely eliminate all terrorist forces operating in Afghan territory, in order to maintain regional stability and security.

President,

The recent escalation of conflicts between Pakistan and Afghanistan has caused heavy casualties on both sides. China is deeply concerned and saddened by this development. We call on both sides to remain calm and exercise restraint, realize a ceasefire as soon as possible, and promptly and properly resolve the differences through dialogue and negotiation. China has been actively mediating the Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions through its own channels, and we stand ready to continue playing a constructive role in easing the situation and improving the relations between the two countries.

President,

Afghanistan has endured decades of conflicts and turmoil, and its people long for an era of peace and stability. Addressing the multiple challenges facing Afghanistan requires continued engagement and dialogue between the international community and the Afghan government, with goodwill and sincerity from all sides, to find effective ways to address each other's concerns. China welcomes the recent visit of Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo to Afghanistan, and supports continued constructive engagement between the UN and Afghanistan. We look forward to more substantive progress in the Doha process. The Security Council should adapt to the evolving situation and adjust the 1988 sanctions regime in a timely manner, particularly by resuming the package of travel ban exemptions as soon as possible to facilitate engagements and dialogues. The mandate of UNAMA will expire in mid-March. As the penholder on Afghanistan in the Security Council, China will work to build consensus among Council members and support a smooth renewal of UNAMA's mandate, so that the Mission can continue to play a positive role in advancing the political settlement of the Afghan issue and promoting long-lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan.

Thank you, President.