Activities of Secretary-General in Afghanistan, 14 June

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres travelled on Wednesday, 14 June, to Kabul, Afghanistan, from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.

Upon arrival, he met with displaced people from Kapisa Province now living in a settlement in the outskirts of the capital.  The Secretary-General assured them of his personal and the United Nations full commitment to work with the Government and people of Afghanistan to address their needs and build a sustainable and prosperous future with and for them.

The Secretary-General also held bilateral meetings with President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, and met with United Nations staff working in Afghanistan.

In a press conference in Kabul, he stressed that regional cooperation was key in the fight against terrorism.  It is very important to underline that Afghanistan is not only suffering the impact of a national insurgency, but it is suffering the presence of a large number of terrorist groups of all kind of nationalities from around the world, he said.

In Afghanistan, the Secretary-General observed fast, in solidarity with Muslims all around the world, and called for peace and compassion.

He left Kabul in the evening of 14 June, and was back in New York the next day.