Nasir Ahmad Faiq, acting head of Afghanistan’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, said at a UN Security Council meeting that Afghanistan is facing a “deep crisis of political legitimacy and governance.”
Faiq said in a statement issued on Thursday, September 17, that five years after the Taliban takeover, an inclusive political system and accountable mechanisms for public participation in decisions affecting people’s lives have yet to be established.
He added that political parties remain banned, political figures face restrictions including house arrest, and meaningful political dialogue continues to be rejected.
“Power remains highly centralized. Even figures within the Taliban who are often described as moderate or dissatisfied have been unable or unwilling in Kabul to meaningfully challenge policies imposed by the Taliban leadership,” Faiq said.
The acting head of Afghanistan’s Permanent Mission to the UN also said that claims of improved governance should not obscure reports of bribery, extortion, abuse of authority, and interference in humanitarian aid in the absence of independent oversight.
