President calls for unity against COVID-19

Monitoring Desk

KABUL: As positive cases of the coronavirus increase in the country, President Ghani says the government “has the capacity to fight COVID-19” and that it has the situation “under control,” but “unity” is required.

Speaking at an event at the Presidential Palace, Ghani said overcoming a health and economic crisis requires a “unified” perspective.

So far, 607 positive cases of the coronavirus have been reported in the country. In a recent case, a doctor at the Indira Gandhi Childrens Hospital in Kabul died of the virus. He was the second known victim within the health community.

“There is a need for speed to slow the spread of the coronavirus and manage the activities in a timely and proper way,” Ghani said. “It is everyone’s responsibility to show at this point that we have a resolute decision, the ability to manage the crisis….

The coronavirus outbreak in the country comes as political tension between President Ghani and his political rival Abdullah Abdullah continues despite efforts at national and international levels.

A close aide to Abdullah, Fazl Ahmad Manawi, in a Twitter post said there was no progress in ending the dispute.

Manawi said that Abdullah – who has announced his own ‘inclusive’ government – has postponed making cabinet appointments because of an increase of Taliban violence and the coronavirus outbreak.

The political turmoil has been criticized by ordinary Afghans and religious scholars who blame the political leaders for thinking about their own interests.

“The political dispute will have unprecedented consequences for our country, and I hope they are solved through talks so attention can be focused on the coronavirus crisis,” said Fazl Karim Saraji, a religious scholar.

The ongoing political rift also resulted in a decision by the US to cut $1 billion from its annual aid to Afghanistan. Russia has also expressed concern over the political crisis and the delay in the peace negotiations.

“We are especially concerned by the ongoing internal political crisis in Kabul which prevents the formation of inclusive government in Afghanistan which will be accepted by the Afghan people and recognized by the international community. As a result, direct intra-Afghan peace negotiations have been delayed,” the Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Maria Zakharova said at a press briefing.

US ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison in a video message on Saturday reaffirmed the US and NATO’s commitment to the Afghan people in their quest for peace, saying the best way to ending the ongoing turmoil in the country is to find a political settlement to the crisis.

“Last week the foreign ministers from all 30 NATO countries met virtually to discuss the roadmap to peace in Afghanistan, we noted again that a negotiated political settlement among Afghans is the best path to ending the conflict,” she said.

She reiterated the United States’ commitment to the Afghan security forces.

“The United States and NATO stand with the people, their security forces, and their desire to bring peace and stability to Afghanistan,” she said.

She reiterated that NATO and the US are united in their resolve to ensure that Afghanistan never again become a safe haven for terrorists threatening their homelands.

On the government’s peace negotiating team, she said: “We support the inclusive team being put forward for the upcoming peace negotiations.

“Now it’s the time for those involved–both the government and the Taliban–to do what is necessary to seize this opportunity for peace that all Afghans deserve,” she said. (TOLOnews)