Qatar strives to lay foundations for peace and stability in Afghanistan

BASED on its belief in the necessity of resolving disputes through peaceful means, Qatar has made unrelenting efforts through mediation and good offices to lay the foundations for peace in Afghanistan and to strengthen regional and international peace and stability, said Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi.

He said the efforts have resulted in signing the peace agreement between the United States America and the Taliban in Doha on February 29, ceasefire during Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha, and the mutual release of prisoners between the Afghan government and the Taliban, in addition to the start of intra-Afghan peace negotiations on September 12.

Speaking during the virtual Geneva international ministerial conference on Afghanistan on Tuesday, Muraikhi said Qatar has realised the futility of any military solution to the Afghan crisis.

He said the wide participation by the international community in the conference affirms the joint will to achieve the aspirations of the Afghan people for stability, security and development.

He expressed Qatar’s appreciation for the participation of President of Afghanistan Dr Ashraf Ghani, UN SecretaryGeneral Antnio Guterres and all participants in the conference

He stressed the need for all Afghan parties to assume their responsibilities, give priority to the national interest, move forward in the political process, achieve consensus and national reconciliation, preserve the unity and sovereignty of Afghanistan, and work on building the state of institutions on the principles of democracy, respect for human rights, the rule of law.

The minister said Afghanistan faces various security, economic, social, institutional and other challenges, expressing Qatar’s appreciation for the efforts made by the Afghan government to address the challenges.

He reiterated that Qatar will continue to provide various forms of support to the Afghan people, noting that this support was embodied recently by joining the Core Group of the Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees Support Platform, based on the belief that the solution to Afghan refugee and displacement issues depends on achieving peace.