Afghanistan Peace CampaignHis remarks come as the United States, previously the largest donor, has suspended its aid to several countries, including Afghanistan.
Arafat Jamal, the representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Afghanistan, has called on the world not to forget Afghanistan.
Speaking to TOLOnews, the UNHCR representative stressed that given Afghanistan’s strategic position in the region, abandoning the country would lead to challenges such as mass migration and regional instability.
Arafat Jamal stated: “Stay with the people of Afghanistan. Whatever you think of the policies or other political situations, the people need you to stay there. If you abandon Afghanistan now, it may turn for the worse, people may start to leave and we will have instability in a very important region in Asia, so don’t leave us alone.”
His remarks come as the United States, previously the largest donor, has suspended its aid to several countries, including Afghanistan. However, Jamal emphasized that now is not the time to abandon Afghanistan.
The UNHCR representative in Afghanistan added: “Don’t forget Afghanistan. Afghanistan is a strategically important country. Historically it has been at the center of trade routes and of civilizations. There has been so much effort on Afghanistan—some of it positive, much of it negative. Now is not the time to disappoint Afghanistan.”
“Afghanistan has been engaged in war for 40 or 45 years. Its citizens have migrated in the past and continue to do so. Therefore, the United Nations, as a global organization, and its agencies must strengthen their coordination with the world on this issue,” Hewad Zazai, a political analyst, told TOLOnews.
A few weeks ago, UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the head of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Afghanistan also urged the world to support Afghanistan, assist millions of people, and prevent a larger crisis in the country.