Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has called on world leaders to remain engaged with the Taliban in Afghanistan, as he underlined his country’s commitment to contribute to the peaceful resolution of conflicts.
Speaking at the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on Tuesday, the emir stressed the significance of the continued support of the international community to the Afghan people “at this critical stage, and to separate between humanitarian aid and political differences”.
Since the US pullout last month, Qatar has helped evacuate both foreigners and Afghans, engaged the new Taliban rulers and supported operations at the Kabul airport, with Qatar Airways aircraft making several trips to the capital in order to fly in aid and ferry out passport holders.
Sheikh Tamim said his country has spared no effort to evacuate thousands of people from Afghanistan as a “humanitarian duty” following the Taliban’s takeover, and stressed that it will continue, in coordination with its partners, to do everything it can to “preserve the tangible gains” made in Doha.
“We are pleased that Doha is the capital of international multilateral action in our region,” he said, adding that Qatar is looking forward to opening the United Nations House in Doha in the near future.
The emir addressed a number of issues in his speech, ranging from the coronavirus pandemic, cybersecurity, and the conflicts in the region, including, Yemen, Libya and Syria.
He also spoke of the centrality of the Palestine question in the Middle East region, urging the international community to take responsibility for a just and peaceful settlement of the Palestinian cause.
Source: Aljazeera
