Afghanistan urges global accountability for climate impact

KABUL (TOLONews): Shir Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the Political Deputy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said, in a meeting on Monday that the countries that have damaged Afghanistan’s environment should be held accountable in the international court.

Stanikzai said that four decades of war have negatively impacted Afghanistan’s environment and have destroyed eighty percent of Afghanistan’s forests.

The Deputy Minister of Political Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that the United Nations and other countries should assist Afghanistan in climate change.

Shir Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai said in this meeting: “Countries that refuse to listen to the people and the voice of Afghanistan are global criminals. In my opinion, they should be brought to international justice.”

Meanwhile, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) representative in Afghanistan expressed concern about the negative effects of climate change, and said he was glad to see various groups represented at the meeting.

“It is great to have the youth, it is great to hear the voices of the women, it is wonderful to have Ulema with us, and all the different groups that have been brought together, and again my sincere thanks to Resilience, Environment and Humanitarian Aid (REHA) and it’s been wonderful to partner with you in organizing an event of this nature on the same day that Cop29 is taking place.” said Stephen Rodriquez, the head of the UN Development Program for Afghanistan.

Zainul Abideen Abid, Technical and Professional Deputy of the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA), said that Afghanistan is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, and the international community should cooperate with Afghanistan on this issue.

“This is the voice of the people. We ask the world to engage with Afghanistan on climate and humanitarian issues,” said Zainul Abideen Abid.

The United Nations Climate Change Conference, with the participation of representatives of countries that are members of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, as well as the attendance of leaders from various countries, the private sector, civil society, and media, is being held in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, from November 11 to 22.