At the teleconference

Speaking at the event, Ambassador Pham Hai Anh, Deputy Permanent Representative of Vietnam’s Mission to the UN highlighted the importance of continued implementation of the UNSC’s Resolution No.2513 on supporting the Peace Agreement signed on February 29.

Expressing concern over terror attacks, Ambassador Anh called for promptly improving security amid the COVID-19 pandemic towards reaching a long-term cease-fire deal.

Anh expressed hope for more active involvement of women in the peace process and called on the international community to provide more enhance technical support so that Afghanistan could continue joining teleconferences amid the pandemic.

The same day, the UNSC issued a press statement expressing concern over the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic and calling for increased joint work to curb its spread. It highlighted the need to soon reach a cease-fire agreement and ensure humanitarian access in Afghanistan, and urged Afghan leaders to deal with differences while expressing the hope that peace talks will soon be held despite challenges arising from the epidemic.

According to the UNAMA, over 10,000 civilians were killed and injured in 2019 and hundreds more since the beginning of this year.

As of March 30, Afghanistan recorded 123 infection cases and four deaths from COVID-19.

On March 24, the UN Secretary General appointed former Canadian Ambassador in Afghanistan Deborah Lyons as his new Special Representative and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.VNA