Topic: 2024-Situation in Afghanistan
Country: UAE (UNSC)
Delegate Name: Aryan Katial
Topic B: The Situation in Afghanistan
After the Taliban overthrew the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces for governmental power of the country in August 2021, Afghanistan has suffered from mass instability and various humanitarian crises. During the first 6 months of power after the U.S military soldier withdrew from Afghanistan, the Taliban captured and killed about 500 government officials. The nationalist group has revoked multiple democratic citizen rights that were given in 2001, many of which were specifically for women. As of now, females are strictly banned from getting an education, showing their faces in public, voting, and going long distances without male company.120,000 Afghan citizens have become refugees, attempting to flee out of the country and escape the Taliban, who are being counted as responsible for thousands of civilian casualties since their takeover in 2021. In 2022, Afghanistan was reported to be the least democratic country in the world, according to the democracy index. Today, Afghanistan stands as the poorest country in Asia, and the least safest country in the world. In addition to political instability with the Taliban, Afghanistan has suffered from many environmental disasters due to climate change. This includes heat waves, flash floods and earthquakes, all of which have exponentially worsened the country’s situation. Climate change disasters began to occur in Afghanistan more often in 2022, as food crops were destroyed by being burned or washed away. In March of that year, about 95% of the country’s household population was reported to not have enough food to eat for a full day. The food shortage maintained a poor status throughout the year, as in August, around 6 Million people nearly grew famine. Overall, about 24.4 million people, more than half of Afghanistan’s population, desperately relies on foreign humanitarian aid to live.
The United Arab Emirates has had diplomatic relations with Afghanistan since 1973, and both countries each work towards a diplomatic mission to strengthen ties with each other. Like other nations in the Middle East, The UAE has been cautious with engagement in politics with Afghanistan, but has been passionate to stand by the Afghan people through times of humanitarian need. After a big earthquake that hit Afghanistan in June 2022, the UAE sent 30 tonnes of food and medical aid to the victims of the disaster. However, in February 2023, ISIS-K, an allied terrorist group with the Taliban, infiltrated Kabul’s Green Zone, an area of Afghanistan’s capital city where many foreign embassies lie, including the UAE’s, and tens of thousands of foreign workers live and work. As a result, UAE decided to loosen their ties with Afghanistan and close their diplomatic mission there due to security concerns.
In the United Nations Security Council, The UAE has encouraged other nations to not politically directly involve themselves with the situation in Afghanistan. During a conference in
September 2022, the representative of the UAE stated that the council should encourage full participation of women in Afghanistan to assist the country’s economy. The representative further stated that communication between the Taliban and the UAE will remain open. As more conferences are held for the UNSC to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, the UAE continues to address women’s rights and participation as its priority concern in Afghanistan, and is passionate about the council being a role model of including women in society to the Afghan people.
Sources:
Wikipedia contributors. “Afghanistan–United Arab Emirates Relations.” Wikipedia, 26 Oct. 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghanistan%E2%80%93United_Arab_Emirates_relations#:~:text=The%20UAE%20provided%2030%20metric,hospital%20was%20established%20in%20Khost.
Most Dangerous Countries in the World 2024. worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/most-dangerous-countries.
Poorest Asian Countries 2024. worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/poorest-asian-countries.
Cafiero, Giorgio. “The UAE’s Approach to the Taliban.” Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 24 Jan. 2023, carnegieendowment.org/sada/88869.
Women Literally Being Erased From Public Life in Afghanistan, Speaker Tells Security Council, Sounding Alarm Over Country’s Dire Situation | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases. 20 Dec. 2022, press.un.org/en/2022/sc15153.doc.htm.
Afghanistan’s Future Depends on Taliban’s Engagement With World, but Restrictions on Women Signal Lack of International Commitments, Briefer Warns Security Council | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases. 27 Sept. 2022, press.un.org/en/2022/sc15038.doc.htm.
Adopting Resolution 2721 (2023), Security Council Requests Secretary-General Appoint Special Envoy for Afghanistan | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases. 29 Dec. 2023, press.un.org/en/2023/sc15548.doc.htm.
