Global Affairs Canada today issued the following statement on the participation of David Sproule, Canada’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, in the third meeting of Special Envoys on Afghanistan (Doha III) hosted by the United Nations in Doha, Qatar, from June 30 to July 1, 2024:

“Canada is extremely disappointed that the UN organizers have excluded non-Taliban Afghan participants, including women’s advocates, religious and ethnic minorities, and human rights groups from participating in the meeting’s main sessions.

“Canada has clearly expressed for weeks-both privately and in concert with other governments-its grave disappointment about the absence of civil society from Doha III.

“The full, equal and meaningful participation of Afghan women in the Doha meeting process is not only a core tenet of the Women, Peace and Security agenda, but fundamental to the achievement of a peaceful, stable and inclusive Afghanistan. None of the goals that Afghans are seeking to achieve are possible without the full participation of women.

“In the lead up to Doha III, Canada held consultations with Afghan civil society, human rights groups, and women to hear their concerns. Canada will use its platform at this meeting to amplify the messages of those who have courageously spoken out about the human rights abuses committed by the Taliban, but have not been invited to the main meetings.

“Since the fall of Kabul on August 15, 2021, and the subsequent closure of Canada’s embassy in Kabul, Canada has repeatedly urged the Taliban to honour Afghanistan’s international human rights obligations, lift restrictive measures on women and girls-including those measures touching on freedom of movement and rights of free speech and education-and restore women’s and girls’ meaningful participation in Afghan society.

“Canada will continue to call upon the UN to appoint, in a timely manner, a Special Envoy for Afghanistan with robust expertise on human rights and gender, who will spearhead the implementation of the roadmap as outlined in the UN Special Coordinator’s 2023 report and UN Security Council Resolution 2721.”

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