New York, July 28 (QNA) - The State of Qatar renewed its support for the peace process in Afghanistan and the participation of Afghan women in peace, reaffirming its commitment to support Afghanistan, including the continuous support for the reconciliation process between the Afghan parties to establish peace and stability.

This came in a statement delivered by HE the Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani in a closed virtual meeting held by the UN Security Council in the Arria-formula on "Women and the Afghan Peace Process: Ensuring Womens Participation and Promoting their Rights." The meeting was attended by HE the First Lady of Afghanistan Rula Ghani, HE Afghan Minister of Women Affairs Hasina Safi and member of the Afghan government negotiating team Habiba Sarabi.

HE the Permanent Representative of Qatar said that the permanent peace in Afghanistan is a fundamental issue for the State of Qatar, adding that the State of Qatar has made great mediation efforts to support and facilitate the peace process in Afghanistan.

HE emphasized the importance of those efforts that resulted in signing the peace agreement in Doha last February between the United States of America and Taliban, noting that the Security Council welcomed the agreement as an important step towards ending the war in Afghanistan. She stressed that the agreement will open the way for talks among Afghans, Taliban and those with interest in Afghanistan.

She also mentioned that the Afghan peace talks that were held in Doha from 7-9 July under the auspices of the State of Qatar and Germany, in which 11 women representing government, civil society and media outlets participated in it.

She explained that the main goal of the meeting is to ensure the full representation of women in the talks, stressing that the meeting is in line with the commitment of the State of Qatar to guarantee women's rights in peace processes.

HE stressed that without the participation of women, a peace settlement on a large scale would be less likely. In this context, she welcomed UN Security Council Resolution 2513 (2020) which affirms that any political settlement must protect the rights of all Afghans, including women, youth, and minorities.

She also praised the role played by the Group of Friends in Afghanistan, co-chaired by the State of Qatar, the United Kingdom and Afghanistan, which was launched last year in recognition of the growing importance of supporting and empowering women in Afghanistan.

The Permanent Representative of Qatar expressed pride in the membership of the State of Qatar in the group, which seeks, as a strong partner for Afghanistan during its journey, to achieve peace and development and promote and protect human rights for all, including women and girls.

She stressed the need to consolidate the achievements made so far in the field of empowering Afghan women and protecting their rights and interests, especially in the near future, as Afghanistan advances towards peace and development and the promotion and protection of human rights for all.

HE the Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani reiterated the State of Qatar's unwavering commitment to support Afghanistan, including continuous support for the Afghan-led reconciliation process to bring peace and stability, stressing that the State of Qatar will continue to support the commitments of the international community by supporting the full participation of women in the peace process to ensure that the peace agreement ultimately guarantees the protection, rights and interests of women. (QNA)