Declaração da Delegação do Brasil durante reunião do Conselho de Segurança sobre a situação no Afeganistão - 20 de dezembro de 2022 (texto em inglês)
Statement by the delegation of Brazil at the UNSC meeting on the situation in Afghanistan
December 20th, 2022
Madam President,
Brazil thanks the briefers for their invaluable updates on the situation in Afghanistan and the implementation of UNAMA`s mandate. Likewise, we convey our appreciation to Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj for her remarks as Chair of the 1988 Committee. Let me also extend a welcome to the Afghan delegation and thank them for enriching today’s discussion with their presence and perspective.
Barring any unforeseen events, this should be our last gathering on the topic of Afghanistan in 2022. Throughout the year, we have attended numerous briefings, consultations, Arria formulas and expert-level meetings, and have received abundant information about the situation on the ground. Much has been said, and many ideas have been put forth. Amidst everything else, one element remains constant: the plight of Afghans and their remarkable strength and resilience as they face multiple crises across all sectors of society.
Fifteen months after the Taliban takeover, economic activity is estimated to have contracted by around 30% and the banking system has collapsed, while unemployment and inflation have surged. Discriminatory policies have pushed women and girls out of public life. With the breakdown of basic services and the high levels of food insecurity, the population has plunged deeper into poverty, becoming more and more dependent on humanitarian assistance, which already faces enough issues of its own, from the lack of funding to restrictions of all sorts on the work of field agents. Meanwhile, the country grapples with multiple terrorist attacks and the many problems associated with drug trafficking following a sharp rise in opium prices.
As we prepare for the task that awaits this Council in 2023, we invite fellow member States to take stock of our coordinated efforts and renew our shared resolve in support of stability and prosperity for all Afghans.
Based on all the information we have received since August 2021 and also on the advice of UNAMA leadership, there can be no doubt that further isolating the “de facto authority” will not yield positive results.
It is thus important to keep channels open and engage constructively with the “de facto” leaders, even in the absence of formal recognition. We must continue to insist on more inclusiveness and on the rights and liberties of women and girls. We should also consider the need to reassess the travel bans in place. While necessary, they should not impair the ability of Afghan ‘de facto’ leaders to engage with regional counterparts and the broader international community.
Creative solutions are needed to address the urgency of rebuilding Afghanistan`s banking system and overcoming its severe liquidity crisis, as conditions to induce sustained recovery and domestic growth.
This brings us to the need to reassess the situation of Afghan assets held abroad. Measures adopted thus far have been insufficient, and we should explore innovative ways to resolve the issue in a manner that satisfies the interests of the Afghan people. Madam President,
We draw inspiration from the extraordinary resilience of the Afghan people through these trying times and hope to be able to build upon our response in the year ahead.
Thank you.