UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed Saturday’s peace agreement between the United States and the Taliban.
The deal constitutes “efforts to achieve a lasting political settlement in Afghanistan”, Guterres said in a statement issued by his spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric.
“He expresses his appreciation to the State of Qatar for hosting the talks between the United States and the Taliban.
“The Secretary-General stresses the importance of sustaining the nationwide reduction in violence, for the benefit of all Afghans.
“He encourages continued efforts by all parties to create an enabling environment for the intra-Afghan negotiations and a comprehensive peace process”, he said.
The UN Chief hoped the agreement would pave way for an inclusive Afghan-led political settlement that actualized the “deeply held aspirations of the Afghan people for peace”.
He said the UN remained committed to supporting the people and government of Afghanistan.
Signed in Doha, the capital of Qatar, by U.S. officials and Taliban representatives, the deal signals an end to the U.S. war in Afghanistan which started in 2001.
The agreement has four points, including a timeline of 14 months for the withdrawal of all U.S. and allied troops from Afghanistan.
It contains a guarantee by the Taliban to cut ties with terrorist groups and prevent the use of Afghan soil to launch attacks against the U.S.
It also came with a commitment for intra-Afghan negotiations by March 10 and a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire.