A man walks past a mural of the US special representative Zalmay Khalilzad (left) and the Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar in Kabul. — AFP/VNA Photo

HÀ NỘI — Ambassador Đặng Đình Quý, head of the Việt Nam Mission to the United Nations, reaffirmed Việt Nam's support for the Afghan-led peace process and called for parties involved to promote the implementation of the peace process.

Addressing the UN Security Council’s Thursday (local time) briefing on the Afghanistan situation, Ambassador Quý stressed the importance of maintaining the implementation of the council’s Resolution 2513 supporting the February 29 Agreement for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan.

He voiced concern over attacks by Taliban and terrorists, while calling for efforts to improve the security situation in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change impact in Afghanistan.

The diplomat also expressed his hope for active engagement of women in the peace process, while emphasising the importance of fostering reconstruction, protecting the rights of vulnerable groups and stepping up crime and drug prevention efforts.

During the event, participants criticised attacks targeting civilians, called on related parties to soon begin the peace negotiation process, including promoting the participation of women, and reaffirmed their backing for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

The Afghanistan situation has continued developing in recent years, regardless of the February 29 agreement signed between the US and Taliban. According to the UNAMA, the conflict in Afghanistan is one of the most deadly in the world with over 10,000 killed and injured in 2019 and nearly 2,000 since the beginning of this year. Meanwhile, as of June 25, Afghanistan recorded 31,375 COVID-19 cases, including 535 deaths.

Congo security challenges

The same day, the Security Council held an online discussion about rising challenges in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Ambassador Phạm Hải Anh, deputy head of the Vietnamese mission to the UN, said it is necessary to seek long-term solutions to instabilities in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

He emphasised the role of dialogue and mediation and increasing the role of local authorities.

The implementation of agreements on peace, security and cooperation between the Democratic Republic of Congo and countries in the region should be continuously prioritised to jointly address cross-border security challenges, he suggested.
The UN Security Council has agreed to adopt a resolution extending sanctions against some individuals and organisations in the Democratic Republic of Congo. — VNS