Shaheen Urges New UNAMA Chief to Show Afghan Realities to World
The acting head of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s embassy in Doha has welcomed the appointment of Rabab Fatima as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
He expressed hope that, while taking Afghanistan’s religious and cultural values into account, she would work to address the country’s challenges and strengthen engagement with the international community.
Suhail Shaheen told: “We hope the new UN representative will work, in light of Afghanistan’s religion, culture, and realities, to help resolve the country’s issues, create greater understanding between Afghanistan and the international community, present the true image of Afghanistan to the world, and ultimately facilitate the transfer of Afghanistan’s seat at the United Nations to the Islamic Emirate.”
Richard Lindsay, the United Kingdom’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan, also welcomed Rabab Fatima’s appointment and said he looks forward to working with her.
Sayed Bilal Fatemi, an international relations expert, said: “Her appointment as head of UNAMA could have positive effects because she has regional experience. We also hope that, like Rosemary DiCarlo and Roza Otunbayeva, she will adopt a constructive approach to supporting Afghanistan.”
Meanwhile, a number of political analysts say the leadership change at UNAMA could create a new opportunity to narrow the gap between Kabul and the United Nations. However, they believe the success of her mission will depend on building trust between the two sides and the way dialogue is conducted.
Fayaz Safi, a political analyst, said: “We welcome this appointment. But if the international community does not demonstrate sincerity in practice, if Afghanistan’s assets are not unfrozen, if the people’s problems are not addressed, and if Afghanistan’s seat at the United Nations is not handed over, this mission will also fail to produce significant results for Afghanistan.”
Waheed Faqiri, an international relations expert, also said: “Rabab Fatima’s appointment could provide an opportunity to improve relations, expand engagement, and move toward Afghanistan’s international recognition. However, achieving these goals will also depend on progress in certain areas, including women’s rights.”
Last week, UN Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Rabab Fatima, a Bangladeshi diplomat and former UN Under-Secretary-General, as his Special Representative for Afghanistan and the new head of UNAMA.
She will lead the organization’s operations and activities in Afghanistan.
