Indonesia Urges UNSC to Stop Violence in Afghanistan

New York, MINA – Indonesia urges the UN Security Council to immediately stop the violence in Afghanistan that has caused more than 6,000 victims this year.

“We must act immediately and can no longer wait. Violence in Afghanistan must be stopped because it will only erode efforts for peace and trust among the Afghan people, “said Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi in the Arria meeting of the UNSC Formula Concerning the Peace Process in Afghanistan virtually on Friday.

The meeting was chaired by the Estonian Foreign Minister and attended by the President and Foreign Ministers of Afghanistan as well as the Foreign Ministers of Qatar, Finland, Norway, and Germany.

Retno emphasized the importance of the Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process in Afghanistan, as well as placing the Afghan people at the center.

To realize this goal, the Indonesian Foreign Minister emphasized three important things: First, violence must be stopped immediately, because it threatens the peace process and erodes the trust of the Afghan people.

Second, the international community must increase its contribution in helping the peace process in Afghanistan. International assistance is needed to create a more conducive situation on the ground, increase the capacity of the Government, as well as sustain the economy of the Afghan people.

Third, the synergy between various UN agencies needs to be strengthened to be able to further assist the peace process in Afghanistan. This synergy is not only important to create a conducive situation on the ground but also to better protect vulnerable groups, including in terms of women’s empowerment. All levels of society must be involved in the process of reconciliation and country development.

Retno further reiterated Indonesia’s commitment to continue to support Afghanistan until the peace that the people of Afghanistan have longed for.

The President of Afghanistan expressed his appreciation to the UN Security Council for its continued support for Afghanistan. For this reason, the UN Security Council is considered to have an important role in pushing for a ceasefire, implementing sanctions, supporting efforts to fight terrorists including funding and supporting regional connectivity efforts.

The countries participating in the meeting expressed support for an inclusive peace process in Afghanistan and condemned the continuing violence. A number of countries also expressed their appreciation for the roles of Indonesia and Germany so far as countries on the cornerstone of the discussion on the Afghanistan agenda in the UN Security Council.

The UN Security Council Formula Arria meeting aims to identify efforts that the UN Security Council and the international community can make to support the Afghan peace negotiations and ensure stability and peace in Afghanistan.

In the meeting, Indonesia is one of the co-sponsors of the joint meeting with Afghanistan, Estonia, Germany, Finland, Norway and Qatar. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)