The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution Thursday demanding that the Taliban “swiftly reverse” all restrictions that violate the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan.
In early April, the Taliban banned Afghan women from working in UN offices nationwide.
The world body warned that the ban could paralyse desperately needed aid deliveries and could lead to the UN leaving the country.
The resolution which was drafted by the UAE and Japan was co-sponsored by 92 states including 28 member states of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation.
It urged all UN member nations to use their influence to promote “an urgent reversal” of the Taliban’s policies and practices towards women and girls and said the ban “undermines human rights and humanitarian principles”.
Lana Nusseibeh, the UAE's ambassador to the UN, told council members: “The world will not sit by silently as women in Afghanistan are erased from society.”
By adopting this resolution, stressed Ms Nusseibeh, the council is sending an unequivocal message of condemnation and a clear call for the swift reversal, not only of this latest ban, but of others restricting the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan.
She said the restrictions “put the very presence of the UN in Afghanistan in jeopardy”.
Deputy US ambassador to the UN Robert Wood praised Muslim-majority countries for speaking out against the “Taliban’s rationale” to ban women from “universities; to keep secondary schools closed to girls; and to prevent Afghan women from working with NGOs, the UN and in nearly every sector of the economy”.
“And now the Security Council has condemned the Taliban,” he said.
Even though Russia voted in favour of the resolution, ambassador Vasily Nebenzya shared his disappointment that “a more ambitious approach and texts were blocked by western colleagues”.
He also called for the return of the $7 billion Afghan central bank assets frozen by the US following the Taliban takeover “without any preconditions”.
Late last year, the US said it had created an Afghan Fund with Swiss banks to distribute half of that sum as aid for Kabul.
No aid has yet been disbursed from the fund, pending assurances from the Taliban that the central bank is independent from the group.
On Monday, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres will be hosting a two-day international meeting in Qatar for envoys to Afghanistan to try to find a “durable way forward” for the war-torn country.
Ms Nusseibeh told reporters the resolution sends a “clear signal going into that meeting of the position of the international community, of international law and of the Security Council on the essential role of women and girls and the role they play in every society, including in Afghanistan”.
She said this is the first time “that has come up in a UN Security Council resolution”.
The resolution stressed the urgent need to address “the dire economic and humanitarian situation” in the country and reiterated that women are essential to the delivery of humanitarian aid.
It also reaffirmed the UN's support for “a peaceful, stable, prosperous and inclusive Afghanistan” and for an “inclusive Afghan-led and Afghan-owned determination of the country’s political future and development path”.
Joyce Bukuru, senior advocate at Amnesty International, said in a statement that the resolution “must be accompanied by maximum international pressure that sends a clear message to the Taliban that the rights of women and girls are not up for negotiation — they are universal and inalienable”.
On Friday, the Taliban said the decision to ban Afghan women from working for the UN was an “internal social matter”.
“We remain committed to ensuring all rights of Afghan women while emphasising that diversity must be respected and not politicised,” the Taliban's foreign ministry said in a statement.
The Taliban regained power over Afghanistan in August 2021 after the western-backed government collapsed, following the withdrawal of US and allied forces.
If you go
Flight connections to Ulaanbaatar are available through a variety of hubs, including Seoul and Beijing, with airlines including Mongolian Airlines and Korean Air. While some nationalities, such as Americans, don’t need a tourist visa for Mongolia, others, including UAE citizens, can obtain a visa on arrival, while others including UK citizens, need to obtain a visa in advance. Contact the Mongolian Embassy in the UAE for more information.
Nomadic Road offers expedition-style trips to Mongolia in January and August, and other destinations during most other months. Its nine-day August 2020 Mongolia trip will cost from $5,250 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, two nights’ hotel accommodation in Ulaanbaatar, vehicle rental, fuel, third party vehicle liability insurance, the services of a guide and support team, accommodation, food and entrance fees; nomadicroad.com
A fully guided three-day, two-night itinerary at Three Camel Lodge costs from $2,420 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, accommodation, meals and excursions including the Yol Valley and Flaming Cliffs. A return internal flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad costs $300 per person and the flight takes 90 minutes each way; threecamellodge.com
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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Aaron Finch, Matt Renshaw, Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (captain), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Jon Holland, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle
Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
