UN Urges Afghan Stakeholders To Focus On Ending War Amid Election Uncertainty - Envoy

UN Urges Afghan Stakeholders to Focus on Ending War Amid Election Uncertainty - Envoy

The UN special envoy for Afghanistan said Thursday that Afghans and key actors should prioritize efforts to end the bloody war as wrangling continues over who won the September presidential vote

KABUL (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th December, 2019) The UN special envoy for Afghanistan said Thursday that Afghans and key actors should prioritize efforts to end the bloody war as wrangling continues over who won the September presidential vote.

Sitting Afghan President Ashraf Ghani appears to have won the ballot by a slim margin, according to preliminary results published Sunday. Afghan co-ruler Abdullah Abdullah has refused to concede, citing alleged vote rigging.

"Whatever the outcome of the presidential election may be, peace will be the issue of paramount importance to the new administration," UN's Tadamichi Yamamoto said in a statement.

He thanked world powers for holding intra-Afghan talks, but added that a lasting political settlement could only happen once bloodshed stopped. The number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan topped 100,000 in the past decade.

"The United Nations urges all stakeholders to seek ways to reduce levels of violence... on the way to a lasting political settlement and a permanent ceasefire," he said.

The special envoy confirmed that, in its turn, the UN would continue working with Afghan communities on the ground to try to end long-standing disputes over land, water and other resources.