UNITED NATIONS, Sep 29 (APP): Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United Nations Munir Akram met Roza Otunbayeva of Kyrgyzstan, the new Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Afghanistan and the Head of UN Assistance Mission (UNAMA) in the country on Thursday.
Ms. Otunbayeva succeeded Deborah Lyons of Canada.
According to a press release of the Pakistan Mission, Ambassador Akram congratulated Ms. Otunbayeva on her appointment and reviewed the current situation in Afghanistan, which is under the Taliban rule since August last year.
He also discussed with her UNAMA’s important role in providing humanitarian and economic support to Afghanistan and overcoming its current challenges.
In a speech to the UN Security Council on Wednesday, the Pakistani envoy urged the international community to respond positively to the Secretary-General’s appeal for $4.2 billion in humanitarian and economic assistance to Afghanistan and release the country’s financial reserves to revive its banking system.
The early resumption of reconstruction activities and implementation of regional connectivity projects with central Asia, as well as the extension of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to Afghanistan can provide a pathway to economic growth and stabilization in the country, he said, adding tat Afghanistan’s frozen national reserves should be released and channeled through Afghan institutions. Doing so can contribute to reviving the Afghan economy and its banking system.
