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STORY: UN / AFGHANISTAN
TRT: 05:09
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 09 MARCH 2026, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE - NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior, United Nations
09 MARCH 2026, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Georgette Gagnon, Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan, United Nations / Officer-in-Charge, United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA):
“The conflict with Pakistan has had punishing human and economic costs. We reiterate the Secretary General’s deep concern about the escalation and impact on civilian populations, his call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and for the two countries to resolve any differences through diplomacy. We urge both sides to recommit to a ceasefire without delay and safeguard the protection of civilians. I also reiterate our request to ensure the free flow of humanitarian assistance into Afghanistan.”
4. Wide shot, Security Council
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Georgette Gagnon, Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan, United Nations / Officer-in-Charge, United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA):
“It is difficult to predict the outcome of the conflict in the Middle East, but it is already affecting Afghanistan. With the border closed between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Iran provided an alternative trade route that is now also increasingly uncertain due to the ongoing conflict. The prices of basic commodities in Afghanistan have begun to rise, stressing Afghanistan’s already fragile economy. Instability in the region, on both of Afghanistan’s longest borders, undermines Afghanistan’s stability.”
6. Wide shot, Security Council
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Georgette Gagnon, Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan, United Nations / Officer-in-Charge, United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA):
“We stress, however, that Afghanistan’s continued alienation from the international system remains the central issue. It prevents other issues, such as economic self-sufficiency, security cooperation, counter-terrorism commitments, human rights concerns, and the humanitarian crisis, from being fully addressed. If these issues are not dealt with, Afghanistan could again become a driver of regional and global instability, in the form of out-migration, terrorism, narcotics and more.”
8. Wide shot, Security Council
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Georgette Gagnon, Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan, United Nations / Officer-in-Charge, United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA):
“The humanitarian situation is taxing the resilience of Afghan communities. Since 2021, international partners have responded generously to address urgent humanitarian needs. This year, however, the humanitarian crisis is worsened by significant funding cuts, growing needs—including due to large-scale return of refugees—and policies of the de facto authorities that prioritize ideological rigidity over the well-being of the Afghan people. Restrictions on women working in the humanitarian sector is one clear example.”
10. Wide shot, Security Council
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Pakistan:
“Pakistan will not sit idle while suffering from terrorist acts from across the Afghan border.”
12. Wide shot, Security Council
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Naseer Ahmad FAIQ, Chargé d'Affaires, Mission to the United Nations, Afghanistan:
“Just as the Taliban do not represent Afghanistan, its people, its culture, or its authentic Islamic values, the violence arising from their policies, including the harboring of terrorist groups, does not represent the will of the Afghan nation.”
14. Wide shot, Security Council
15. Wide shot, ambassadors walking to stakeout
16. SOUNDBITE (English) Eloy Alfaro de Alba, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Panama:
“We condemn the recent adoption by the Taliban, of a new nationwide penal code which institutionalizes systemic discrimination against women and girls, transforming previously imposed restrictions into binding legal provisions.”
17. Wide shot, ambassadors at stakeout
18. SOUNDBITE (English) Eloy Alfaro de Alba, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Panama:
“We urge the Taliban to immediately reverse “all measures restricting the rights of women and girls, restore access to education, lift employment bans, end reprisals, and respect Afghanistan’s obligations under international law, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). The ban preventing Afghan UN female staff from accessing their workplaces must be lifted immediately.”
19. Wide shot, ambassadors at stakeout
20. SOUNDBITE (English) Eloy Alfaro de Alba, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Panama:
“We wish to reaffirm our strong support for the presence of the United Nations in Afghanistan and for the full renewal of UNAMA’s mandate.”
21. Wide shot, ambassadors leaving stakeout
UN Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan Georgette Gagnon said that the country “could again become a driver of regional and global instability, in the form of out-migration, terrorism, narcotics and more.”
Addressing the Security Council today (09 Mar), Gagnon said, “The conflict with Pakistan has had punishing human and economic costs. We reiterate the Secretary General’s deep concern about the escalation and impact on civilian populations, his call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and for the two countries to resolve any differences through diplomacy. We urge both sides to recommit to a ceasefire without delay and safeguard the protection of civilians. I also reiterate our request to ensure the free flow of humanitarian assistance into Afghanistan.”
She continued, “It is difficult to predict the outcome of the conflict in the Middle East, but it is already affecting Afghanistan. With the border closed between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Iran provided an alternative trade route that is now also increasingly uncertain due to the ongoing conflict. The prices of basic commodities in Afghanistan have begun to rise, stressing Afghanistan’s already fragile economy. Instability in the region, on both of Afghanistan’s longest borders, undermines Afghanistan’s stability.”
She stressed, however, “that Afghanistan’s continued alienation from the international system remains the central issue. It prevents other issues, such as economic self-sufficiency, security cooperation, counter-terrorism commitments, human rights concerns, and the humanitarian crisis, from being fully addressed. If these issues are not dealt with, Afghanistan could again become a driver of regional and global instability, in the form of out-migration, terrorism, narcotics and more.”
She also said, “The humanitarian situation is taxing the resilience of Afghan communities. Since 2021, international partners have responded generously to address urgent humanitarian needs. This year, however, the humanitarian crisis is worsened by significant funding cuts, growing needs—including due to large-scale return of refugees—and policies of the de facto authorities that prioritize ideological rigidity over the well-being of the Afghan people. Restrictions on women working in the humanitarian sector is one clear example.”
Also addressing the Council, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations said, “Pakistan will not sit idle while suffering from terrorist acts from across the Afghan border.”
Naseer Ahmad FAIQ, Chargé d'Affaires of the Mission of Afghanistan to the United Nations said, “Just as the Taliban do not represent Afghanistan, its people, its culture, or its authentic Islamic values, the violence arising from their policies, including the harboring of terrorist groups, does not represent the will of the Afghan nation.”
Early today, Panama delivered a statement on behalf of the representatives of Colombia, Denmark, France, Greece, Latvia, Liberia, the United Kingdom, signatories of the Shared Commitments on Women, Peace and Security, joined by Portugal, Spain, Estonia, Albania, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Malta, Canada, Montenegro, Croatia, Sweden, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Czechia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, New Zealand, Austria, Belgium, Australia, Finland, Afghanistan, Switzerland, Romania, Japan, Germany, the European Union, Iceland, the Republic of Korea, and Norway and Panama, standing in solidarity with the women and girls of Afghanistan and condemning their continued and systematic repression by the Taliban.
Eloy Alfaro de Alba, Permanent Representative of Panama to the United Nations, said, “We condemn the recent adoption by the Taliban, of a new nationwide penal code which institutionalizes systemic discrimination against women and girls, transforming previously imposed restrictions into binding legal provisions.”
He urged the Taliban to immediately reverse “all measures restricting the rights of women and girls, restore access to education, lift employment bans, end reprisals, and respect Afghanistan’s obligations under international law, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). The ban preventing Afghan UN female staff from accessing their workplaces must be lifted immediately.”
He concluded, “We wish to reaffirm our strong support for the presence of the United Nations in Afghanistan and for the full renewal of UNAMA’s mandate.”
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