Mr. President,

We come together today to discuss the situation in Afghanistan and to adopt a resolution that is traditionally facilitated by Germany.

The situation in Afghanistan remains of concern to the international community and the United Nations and its member states remain engaged on the future of Afghanistan and its people. This is the main message of this resolution.

As the facilitator of this resolution, Germany has actively engaged all UN Member States over the past weeks and months.

We are strongly convinced the core value of this resolution has always been its consensus orientation. We negotiated in good faith to achieve this aim until the very last day. And we are grateful that so many engaged so constructively.

We would like to deeply thank all delegations who actively engaged in the process and whose valuable contributions made the resolution clearer, stronger and more inclusive.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all co-sponsors
of this resolution for their most valuable support.

Mr. President,

Germany remains committed to the Afghan people:

Bilaterally, Germany has provided more than 1 billion USD for humanitarian assistance and basic human needs since August 2021.
Germany deeply appreciates the work of UNAMA and other UN agencies in their daily, exhaustive and dangerous efforts to improve the lives of the Afghan people.

As many others, Germany acknowledges that there is no alternative to engagement with the Taliban, and we will continue to actively contribute to the UN-led Doha process. We support the approach of the UN working groups and remain open for further pragmatic forms of cooperation with the de-facto authorities, including on the safe return of Afghan refugees. In this regard, we welcome the initiative of the UN Secretariat to develop a substantial political roadmap for Afghanistan.

Germany, together with many others, remains gravely concerned about the dire human rights situation in Afghanistan — especially for Afghan women and girls.

The edicts imposed by the Taliban against women and girls amount to a near-total erasure of their rights.

It is these systematic human rights violations that make the situation in Afghanistan different from that of any other country in the world.

Mr. President,

The core messages of the resolution to the people of Afghanistan are clear:

To the Afghan mother, holding her sick and underfed child: We see you.

To the mourning relatives of those who fall victim to another heinous attack of terrorist groups operating from Afghan territory: We hear you.

And to the millions of Afghan women and girls locked up at home: We have not forgotten you.

I would like to encourage everyone in the room to support these messages and to lend your valuable support to the resolution in front of us today, and vote yes.

I thank you.