The Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan, Markus Potzel, paid a visit to the central Afghan province of Bamyan, meeting with the local authorities, women, civil society, and representatives of the local People’s Consultative Commission.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) Acting Head, according to UNAMA News’s tweet on July 25, stressed the importance of inclusive representation, in addition to the discussion on decision-making.
As Deborah Lyons’s tenure came to an end in mid-June, Markus Potzel of Germany was appointed as the Deputy UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative (Political) for Afghanistan on 17th June.
This is UNAMA senior official’s third official trip to the province following his visits to Khost and Nangarhar provinces.
In his visit to Nangarhar province, in eastern Afghanistan, on July 16, he stated that if international assistance to Afghanistan is to continue, the Taliban should rethink their position on the issue of girls’ education.
He said, “Girls should go to school and even above grade six and should enjoy the same educational opportunities as boys.”
As UNAMA has previously voiced concern in a report on the human rights situation in Afghanistan and accused the Taliban of pervasive human rights violations, it is reported that Potzel is going to submit a report on the state of the people and the human rights following his provincial visits.—Khaama Press News Agency
