KABUL (TOLOnews): Robert Chatterton Dickson, chargé d’affaires ad interim of the UK Mission to Afghanistan, said in a series of tweets that his visit to Afghanistan demonstrated the UK’s commitment to supporting a positive future for all Afghans, including women and girls.
Afghanistan continues to experience one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, reflecting half a century of conflict and a drought worsened by climate change, Dickson said, adding that over “28M Afghans are in need of humanitarian assistance and the economic situation looks bleak.”
“The UK support for Afghanistan totals over $650M in humanitarian assistance since August 2021,” he added.
Aziz Maarij, a political analyst, said that the UK can help with the situation in Afghanistan.
“Due to its influence at the international level, Britain can both directly and indirectly help the Taliban and people of Afghanistan,” he said.
Dickson said that he had a “wide range of candid discussions with the Taliban leadership.”
“They told me they had made progress with counter-narcotics, improving security and reducing corruption. I made clear our deep concern about edicts that erode the rights of women and girls.”
Dickson said: “We will continue to press for Afghan women and girls to be able to reach their full potential, and work with everyone, including the Taliban, to help deliver a secure and prosperous Afghanistan.” Political analysts said that such meetings will be beneficial if the interim government accepts the wishes of the international community.
“Such meetings will be beneficial when the wishes of the international community about Afghanistan are responded to positively and these wishes include respect for human rights, respect for minorities and the formation of an inclusive government,” said Wahid Faqiri, a political analyst. After his appointment as Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the UK Mission to Afghanistan in early June 2023, Dickson visited Afghanistan for the first time.
UK committed to ‘supporting a positive future for all Afghans’
