Joint Statement of Special Representatives and Envoys for Afghanistan in CA-EU Format in Ashgabat’s Fourth Meeting.
EU and Central Asian countries have reaffirmed their commitment to the people of Afghanistan by holding their fourth meeting in the “CA-EU” format. The meeting discussed the current situation in Afghanistan, including the economic challenges faced by the country and the need for continued cooperation in assisting the Afghan people. The participants also exchanged views with the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and the World Bank Country Director for Afghanistan and Kazakhstan.
The countries expressed their commitment to seeing Afghanistan become a stable, peaceful, and prosperous country with long-term prospects for lasting peace. They called for an inclusive and representative government that upholds the civil, political, social, economic, and cultural rights of all Afghans.
The participants urged the Taliban to lift all bans on Afghan girls and women restricting their rights to education, work, and participation in public life, recognizing that these bans violate human rights and hinder efforts to deliver humanitarian aid. The meeting discussed the economic prospects and challenges facing Afghanistan, noting that conditions for economic activity and the restoration of social-economic infrastructure needed to be created to allow for further assistance by the international community.
The participants called on the Taliban to prevent Afghanistan from being used as a safe haven for terrorism and violent extremism, recognizing that negative spill-over effects such as drug trafficking and other illicit cross-border activities would negatively impact the region. The participants emphasized the need for continued dialogue and cooperation between the participants of this format and the wider international community. They agreed to hold the next meeting in the autumn.
