Kuwait calls for regional coordination to restore peace in Afghanistan

NEW YORK, Jan 19 (KUNA) -- Kuwait on Friday called for boosting regional coordination coupled with a greater UN role to bring about peace and security in Afghanistan in line with UN resolutions 2344 (2017).
Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, addressing a UN Security Council session on preserving international peace and security, said the session underlined importance of regional partnerships to boost security and development in Afghanistan.
The session was about building regional partnership in Afghanistan and Central Asia.
The session was held under presidency of Kazakhstan, reflecting the keenness of the Central Asian countries in the stability in Afghanistan, and restoration of peace and security, said Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled.
He underlined importance of implementing a long-term development plan in Afghanistan, which included an economic and political plan fully integrated with neighboring countries.
Cooperation with neighboring countries is key to boost stability and prosperity, and sustainable peace in Afghanistan, he added.
Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled, who commended the UNSC members' recent visit to Afghanistan, appreciated the UN Assistant Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
Kuwait, he said, fully support the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' call to work on preventing threats against Afghanistan and Central Asia, as well as including conflict prevention in the UN regional mechanism.
He underlined importance of the preventive diplomacy to guarantee long-term stability, security and development.
Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled said the UN regional center for preventive diplomacy in Central Asia was an example of political contribution in Afghanistan, which has been suffering from unstable security and political conditions since four decades, thus undermining the economic and humanitarian situation, regional and international peace and security.
Deteriorating security affected economic growth and humanitarian conditions, where 3.3 million people need urgent relief supplies, millions were either homeless, refugee or displaced, unemployment reaching 25 percent and 40 percent of the population live under poverty line, said the Kuwaiti official.
Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled expressed concern over the threats posed by the terrorist and extremist groups, calling on all countries to implement counter-terrorism UN resolutions as well as boost regional cooperation against terrorists and drug traffickers.
Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled, meanwhile, welcomed the Central Asian countries' efforts in non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
Kuwait's top diplomat said military solutions to conflict were fruitless, so peace and diplomatic solutions were most appropriate.
Kuwait's delegation to the UNSC session included Assistant Foreign Minister for the Minister's office Ambassador Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Nasser Mohammad Al-Sabah, Kuwait's permanent ambassador to the UN Mansour Al-Otaibi and Assistant Foreign Minister for International Organizations Nasser Al-Hayyen. (end) asf.bs