"ABDULLAH ABDULLAH"

Briefing Security Council, Afghanistan mission head expresses optimism government, Taliban will enter talks, concern over impact of COVID-19 on mandate.

UN Special Representative for Afghanistan Deborah Lyons told the Security Council she was “cautiously optimistic” that talks between the Government and the Taliban would start in July in Doha and encouraged the parties “to show the necessary flexibility and foresight, the commitment to peace and most importantly compassion for their people that will be needed to bring these negotiations to a successful conclusion.” UNIFEED

Briefing by Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

The United Nations (UN) welcomed the agreement reached between Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani and Dr Abdullah Abdullah, “to resolve the political impasse and enable the leaders to address the grave challenges facing the country,” a UN spokesperson said on Monday. UNIFEED

Security Council welcomes significant steps towards ending war in Afghanistan, unanimously adopting resolution 2513 (2020).

Briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, led an all-women delegation of top UN officials on a solidarity mission to Afghanistan, with a focus on issues linked to women, peace and security. UNAMA

On the second day of a high-level international Conference on Afghanistan, the country’s president together with top Afghan leaders met with international diplomats early this morning at the United Nations in Geneva. UNTV CH

Finding solutions for some eight million displaced people is key to the country’s future, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi told high-level event on Afghan refugees and returnees, on the sidelines of the Geneva Conference on Afghanistan. UNHCR

A high-level international conference on Afghanistan has begun at the UN in Geneva to show solidarity for the war-torn country’s people and help strengthen Government efforts to promote development, but also peace and security across all regions, senior UN official Toby Lanzer said on Tuesday. UNTV CH