Thank you, Madam President. And thank you Special Representative of the Secretary-General Roza Otunbayeva, Assistant Secretary-General Joyce Msuya, Executive Director of UN Women Sima Sami Bahous for your informative briefings. And welcome to the representative of Afghanistan.
Colleagues, it has been nearly four years since the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, and the situation remains dire.
The people of Afghanistan continue to suffer from multiple challenges, including poverty, unemployment, limited access to basic services, and natural disasters – all made worse by the Taliban’s oppressive policies.
As we reflect on the last four years, our approach to assistance has not been sustainable and has failed to yield the intended results.
We continue to have the same conversations without demanding results from the Taliban.
The United States’ Afghanistan policy is currently under review.
However, President Trump and Secretary Rubio have made clear that our focus in Afghanistan has narrowed.
Protecting U.S. citizens, including mitigating terrorist threats and securing the release of all detained Americans, are our top priorities in Afghanistan.
The Trump Administration has already proven itself to be pragmatic in just its first few months, prioritizing actions over words.
For decades, the United States sacrificed American lives and billions of dollars to support the people of Afghanistan.
Many of the countries represented in this room have done the same.
It is now time for the Taliban to perform.
It is in our mutual interests to ensure that Afghanistan never again harbors terrorists doesn’t engage in “hostage diplomacy,” and is a net contributor to regional stability rather than a detractor.
It is time for change to come from within Afghanistan.
I hope our joint approach can bring about more effective outcomes in Afghanistan.
I thank you.