The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Afghanistan pledging conference eyes development goals for coming fours years, from 2021-24
A high-level pledging conference on Afghanistan has been confirmed at UN Geneva next week whose objectives include helping to contribute to a peaceful and sustainable future for the country’s people, participants announced on Friday.
The specific aim of event, which coincides with peace talks between the Government of Afghanistan and Taliban leaders in Qatar, is to determine shared development goals and commitments over the next three years for the Afghan government and the international community, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said.
"The 2020 Afghanistan Conference is taking place at a historic and critical moment, both for the Government of Afghanistan and our international development partners," said Naser Sidiqee, Director General of the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit, Ministry of Finance of Afghanistan, at a press conference in the Swiss city.
Co-hosted by the Governments of Afghanistan and Finland with the United Nations, more than 70 countries, international organizations and agencies are expected to take part, as well as civil society representatives.
Previous editions have taken place in 2016 in Brussels and Tokyo in 2012.
"We have been investing and we have been cooperating with Afghanistan well, in years,” said Janne Taalas, Finland’s Special Envoy to Afghanistan 2020. “And we have also made a significant contribution to the crisis management in Afghanistan."
The conference comes amid surging insecurity across Afganistan, including an attack on Kabul University earlier in the month that killed dozens of students that was reportedly claimed by ISIL extremists.
"At this critical time, the United Nations anticipates that conference will provide strong support to the people of Afghanistan," said Ramiz Alakbarov, UN Resident Coordinator in Afghanistan, ad interim.
"The decisions that will be taken in the next few days, we also view them as mutually reinforcing to the Afghanistan peace negotiations."
Participants are expected to engage in two days of discussions to pledge “financial support, a new development framework, a joint political declaration and a new aid architecture supporting Afghanistan’s development needs and priorities are the anticipated outcomes of the conference,” UNAMA said on its website.
“(Development assistance) has been significant and it has contributed quite significantly to the development of Afghanistan in different parts of the country,” said Mr. Sidiqee, from the Ministry of Finance of Afghanistan. “And we believe the continuation of the development assistance to Afghanistan will play a key role in stabilizing Afghanistan and also supporting the government on its journey to self-reliance."
Owing to restrictions on large meetings in a bid to restrict the transmission of COVID-19 in Switzerland, the Conference will take place virtually, coordinated by UN Geneva.
n Afghanistan ad interim
- Wide shot, flags, United Nations Office in Geneva.
- Close-up shot, building, United Nations Office in Geneva.
- SOUNDBITE (English): Naser Sidiqee, Director General of the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit, Ministry of Finance of Afghanistan: "The 2020 Afghanistan Conference is taking place at a historic and critical moment, both for the Government of Afghanistan and our international development partners."
- Wide shot, journalists at the news briefing.
- SOUNDBITE (English): Janne Taalas, Finland’s Special Envoy to Afghanistan 2020: " We have been investing and we have been cooperating with Afghanistan well, in years. And we have also made a significant contribution to the crisis management in Afghanistan."
- Wide shot, a journalist at the news briefing.
- SOUNDBITE (English): Ramiz Alakbarov, UN Resident Coordinator in Afghanistan, a.i.: "At this critical time, the United Nations anticipates that conference will provide strong support to the people of Afghanistan."
- Wide shot, a journalist at the news briefing.
- SOUNDBITE (English): Ramiz Alakbarov, UN Resident Coordinator in Afghanistan, a.i.: "The decisions that will be taken in the next few days, we also view them as mutually reinforcing to the Afghanistan peace negotiations."
- Wide shot, journalists at the news briefing.
- SOUNDBITE (English): Naser Sidiqee, Director General of the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit, Ministry of Finance of Afghanistan: "It has been significant and it has contributed quite significantly to the development of Afghanistan in different parts of the country. And we believe : the continuation of the development assistance to Afghanistan will play a key role in stabilizing Afghanistan and also supporting the government on its journey to self-reliance."
- Wide shot, news briefing.
- Wide shot, news briefing.
- Wide shot, journalists at the news briefing.
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
Repeated attacks on humanitarian warehouses put vital medical aid at risk in Ukraine - WHO
A new airstrike overnight damaged one of the main warehouses used by the UN health agency to store humanitarian medical supplies in the Kyiv region, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday. This is the third attack to affect a WHO-used storage in the last three months.
2
2
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | WMO
Powerful El Niño heightens extreme-weather risks through 2027, as countries brace for impact - WMO
Fuelled by extraordinarily warm waters across the tropical Pacific Ocean, the El Niño climate pattern is expected to intensify in the coming months. Forecasters are almost certain that it will persist through February next year, with unusually warm conditions expected across the globe.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , IFRC , UN WOMEN , WHO
Nepal flood deaths near 1,000 as those spared struggle to survive – UN humanitarians
With the death toll in Nepal’s catastrophic flash floods inching towards 1,000, rescue workers are facing harsh conditions while survivors lack access to food, safe water and health care, humanitarians said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UNDRR , IFRC , WHO
Nepal: Flooding disaster “not over” as humanitarians work around the clock
While search and rescue efforts continued Friday following flash floods and mudslides in northern Nepal, UN humanitarians are taking stock of the devastation amid concerns over more flooding to come.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNIFIL
Damaged roads, disrupted services and renewed military activity are putting civilians at risk in south Lebanon, UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) warns.
The UN peacekeeping mission is urging restraint and renewed political engagement to prevent further escalation.
1
1
1
Edited News | ICRC , UNODA
Amid unconfirmed reports that fully autonomous and AI-guided drones are now being used on the battlefield, UN chief António Guterres and the President of the Red Cross on Tuesday renewed their urgent call for stricter controls, before it is too late.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF
Somalia: child hunger surges as humanitarian aid dries up – UNICEF
The global funding crisis for vital lifesaving work is taking a growing toll on the most vulnerable children in Somalia, where hundreds of health and nutrition facilities have been forced to close, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Friday
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA
As the deadliest Ebola outbreak in DR Congo’s history continued spreading on Friday, UN responders renewed their urgent appeal for immediate international support, with existing funding for lifesaving work critically low.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
DRC: In the fight against Ebola, bikers transporting dead bodies hold key to community engagement - WHO
From the frontlines of the deadliest-ever Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the UN’s World Health Organization (WHO) shared details on Tuesday of a massive push for community engagement, a day after yet another ambulance attack.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNFPA
Sudan: The harrowing reality of giving birth in a war zone
Sudanese women about to give birth are losing their babies and sometimes their own lives because of a lack of specialist healthcare support, amid the ongoing war, UN humanitarians said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , WHO
Colombia earthquake: International teams ready to support, says UN
As earthquake rescue efforts across western Colombia continued on Tuesday, UN agencies said that they stood ready to help “with everything we've got” if and when the request came from the authorities.
2
1
2
Edited News , Press Conferences | HRC
Myanmar's military has carried out a sustained campaign of deliberate attacks on civilians – including airstrikes on homes, schools and camps for displaced people, alongside arbitrary detention, torture and sexual violence – Human Rights Council-appointed investigators said on Tuesday.