STATEMENT
In the wake of recent events in Afghanistan, the Diplomatic Coalition looks with concern at the medium-term prospects for compliance and sustainability of the SDGs in the country.
In addition to a seemingly imminent refugee crisis, the humanitarian catastrophe is also unfolding rapidly in terms of health, food security and economic sustainability.
With more than half of the population requiring immediate humanitarian assistance, in addition to the abrupt departure of international aid organizations, and the persistence of Covid-19 throughout the Afghan territory, we do not perceive an encouraging outlook from any point of view at this precise point in time.
Furthermore, with the growing number of IDPs, which stands today at about 3.5 million, the expected control of the pandemic in the country will hardly show tangible signs of progress in the weeks and months to come.
We cannot help but express deep concern about the increased vulnerability of Afghan women and girls faced with various manifestations of gender-based violence, clearly exacerbated now by the growing political tension in the country.
Apart from totally unacceptable in essence, gender-based violence has resulted in numerous forms of control, coercion, intimidation, exploitation and basic deprivation of the human rights of women and girls, who are again confronted with the exceedingly authoritarian norms of the Taliban regime.
The Diplomatic Coalition reiterates its full support to ongoing humanitarian initiatives to promote the SDGs in Afghanistan and offers the continuity of its specialized service portfolio to diplomatic and consular missions dealing in one way or another with humanitarian assistance in the sister country.
END