India willing to stand by Afghan people, just as in the past: Dr S Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar has said that in the face of a grave emerging situation in Afghanistan, India is willing to stand by the Afghan people, just as in the past. He said, to ensure this happened speedily and effectively, India believes that the international community must come together to create the best possible enabling environment.

In his remarks at the United Nations High-Level Meeting on the Humanitarian Situation in Afghanistan 2021, Dr Jaishankar said, among the challenges that the current situation poses is that of efficient logistics. He pointed out, it is, therefore, essential that humanitarian assistance providers are accorded unimpeded, unrestricted and direct access to Afghanistan. Once relief materials reach that country, the world will naturally expect a non-discriminatory distribution of humanitarian assistance across all sections of the Afghan society. 

He said, only the United Nations has the capacity to monitor such endeavours and reassure donors. He said, India has consistently supported a central role of the United Nations on the future of Afghanistan and a multilateral platform is always more effective than small groups in building global consensus and encouraging united action. He said, India believes that the UN Security Council resolution 2593 should guide the international community's approach in the



coming days as Afghanistan is passing through a critical and challenging phase. 

He said, the United Nations Development Programme, has recently assessed that there is an imminent threat of poverty levels rising from 72 to 97 in that country. This would have catastrophic consequences, not just in our collective fight against poverty, but also for regional stability. He said, even as we address that, it is important that the issue of travel and safe passage that can emerge as an obstacle to humanitarian assistance be immediately sorted out. He said, those who wish to travel into and out of Afghanistan should be granted such facilities without obstruction.

In his remarks, the External Affairs Minister mentioned that India's efforts and helping the Afghan people has been both direct and indirect way contributed to the livelihood and larger framework as significantly as they have to direct material leads. He said, our friendship is reflected in Indian development projects that today exist in all the 34 provinces. 

Dr Jaishankar said, in all, India has invested more than three billion US dollars for the welfare of the people of Afghanistan. India has undertaken 500 projects in critical areas of power, water supply, road connectivity, health care, education, agriculture and capacity building.