UN special envoy for Afghanistan meets Taliban’s deputy prime minister

Kabul, Dec 7 (EFE).- The United Nations special envoy for Afghanistan Deborah Lyons on Tuesday met with the deputy prime minister of the country’s Taliban-led government, Malavi Abdul Salam Hanifi, to discuss the supply of urgent humanitarian aid.

During the meeting, the UN representative “provided details regarding her visit to United States and meeting with the World Bank officials,” the Afghan regime said in a statement.

Lyons told Hanifi about the UN’s plans to “pay salaries of the teacher and health workers in Afghanistan” and that they will “try to buy food inside Afghanistan and distribute it to the people.”

Meanwhile the Afghan government pledged to guarantee the security of humanitarian groups in the country and to ensure that everyone is equal and has access to basic rights.

“The Islamic Emirate is committed to ensuring the security of donors institutions in Afghanistan, and (that) everyone is equal to the law, education for all is our policy,” the statement said.

Hanifi also used the occasion to repeat the Taliban’s appeal to the international community to help its administration, months after the group seized control of the country alongside the withdrawal of international troops.

‘We call on the international community to work on the completion of semi-finished projects and help the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to prevent young talents from fleeing through providing working opportunities,” he said.

Afghanistan is in the middle of serious economic and humanitarian crises that escalated after the Taliban seized power in Kabul on Aug,15, followed by international economic sanctions and the United States blocking access to Afghan financial assets.

The sanctions have dried up the country’s coffers and funds intended to keep the health system running and the distribution of humanitarian aid, after decades of war had already weakened socioeconomic structure. EFE

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