UN Envoy Meets Hekmatyar

The UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Tadamichi Yamamoto, today met with Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, leader of Hizb-e-Islami, for the first time. A press release from the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) stated that the meeting took place as part of the United Nations support to the Afghan government’s efforts to engage all those interested in establishing equitable peace. The statement added that Yamamoto welcomed the continued implementation of the agreement between the government and Hizb-e-Islami Gulbuddin (HIG), a key step of which was the peaceful return to Afghanistan of Hekmatyar. The envoy, who is also head of UNAMA, said that the mission appreciated Hekmatyar and HIG’s commitment to peaceful engagement in the political space, in accordance with the Constitution and existing legal norms. Hekmatyar’s commitment to attain peace through negotiations and his call to all parties to end conflict through peaceful means was also appreciated. The statement further stated that Yamamoto highlighted that respect for human rights, including women’s rights and freedom of expression, would be essential for enhanced stability in the country.