On 20 November at 9:00 AM EST (4:00 PM EET), an informal high-level virtual meeting is organised on the initiative of Estonia, entitled, “What can the Security Council do to support the peace process in Afghanistan?”; Estonian World will live stream the meeting.
The event is co-organised by the UN Security Council members Germany and Indonesia, as well as Afghanistan, Qatar, Norway and Finland.
“The start of the Afghanistan peace negotiations on 12 September represents a significant step forward in the efforts to end decades of conflict. However, lasting peace in Afghanistan is far from guaranteed,” the Estonian foreign ministry said.
“Violence has reached record levels in recent years and many casualties are civilians. Women and children are particularly affected by the situation. It is crucial to establish a permanent ceasefire and an inclusive political settlement to end the conflict in Afghanistan while preserving the achievements made over the past 19 years, including upholding the rule of law and ensuring the protection of the human rights of all Afghans.”
“The peace process must remain Afghan-owned and Afghan-led. As the UN Security Council has a responsibility in the prevention of violent conflict and war, this meeting seeks to identify ways in which Security Council members and the international community can support the Afghanistan peace negotiations and ensure the maintenance of peace and stability for post-war Afghanistan.”
The Estonian foreign minister, Urmas Reinsalu, will chair the meeting. The keynote speaker at the event is the president of Afghanistan, Mohammad Ashraf Ghani.
Cover: A group of children in Kabul, Afghanistan. Photo by Sohaib Ghyasi/Unsplash.
