Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Japan welcomed the adoption of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution 2721 on the situation in Afghanistan and encouraged Member States and others to consider implementing the recommendations of the independent assessment to address the current challenges faced by Afghanistan submitted by the UN Secretary-General to the UNSC.

The resolution, adopted on December 29, also requests the Secretary-General to appoint a Special Envoy for Afghanistan to promote the implementation of the assessment recommendations.

“As a co-penholder of the Afghanistan issue in the UNSC, Japan has been actively working with the UAE to adopt this resolution. As the Taliban is further increasing restrictions on the rights of women and girls and deepening its isolation from the international community, Japan hopes that this resolution will contribute to the improvement of the situation surrounding Afghanistan as well as to the peace and stability in Afghanistan and the region,” the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo said in a statement.

The ministry said Japan will contribute more actively toward forming a coordinated approach by the international community to Afghanistan’s challenges and will continue to provide humanitarian and basic needs assistance to the Afghan people in cooperation with the international community.

Japan also plans to directly engage with the Taliban to change their course to ensure respect for the human rights of all Afghans, including the elimination of measures that restrict the rights of women and girls and political inclusiveness.