Geneva: The State of Qatar has renewed its commitment to playing an active role as an international partner through mediation efforts and hosting dialogues and meetings on Afghanistan, thereby helping build international consensus and providing a platform for dialogue and coordination, emphasizing the importance of adopting a comprehensive approach that merges humanitarian response with responsible political engagement to meet the Afghan people's aspirations for security, stability, and development.
According to Qatar News Agency, this was stated by Abdullah bin Ali Bahzad, Second Secretary at Qatar's Permanent Mission to the UN Office in Geneva, during his participation in the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan. This event was part of the 63rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
He highlighted that Afghanistan is facing one of the world's most severe and complicated humanitarian crises, with nearly 22 million people, roughly 45 percent of the population, in need of humanitarian assistance. The crisis is exacerbated by factors such as insecurity, economic challenges, climate shocks, displacement, funding cuts, the return of refugees, ongoing sanctions, and frozen state assets, along with acute food insecurity affecting over 4.7 million people, including approximately 3.7 million children.
Bahzad stressed that education, particularly for children and girls, remains a priority for Qatar. The country has facilitated the evacuation of hundreds of Afghan children, providing them with shelter, care, psychological support, food, and education. Since 2023, the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) and the Education Above All Foundation have supported the education of 30,000 out-of-school students.
Additionally, the Qatar Red Crescent Society has been supporting education in remote areas since 2016. Meanwhile, Qatar Charity is working on a project to build and equip a specialized hospital for women, children, and internal medicine, funded by QFFD.