Interview: Building bridges between Afghanistan and the world because ‘isolation is not an option’

Since then, as international funding has stalled amid uncertainty about the Taliban’s return, the UN has been acting as the world’s “eyes and ears” in Afghanistan. After turning mainly to humanitarian work, UN agencies and partners are looking for ways to help the long-term population to meet basic needs and maintain the winning development opportunities.

UN News recently in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, to learn more about what the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is doing to support national partners in addressing the needs of drug-affected communities and aid to back up potential drug treatment applications.

While there, we also spoke with Markus Poztel who serves as the Deputy Special Representative for the UN Assistance Mission in the country, known as UNAMA.

In this exclusive interview, Mr. Poztel talks about the efforts of the Mission to combat drug abuse and trafficking in Afghanistan as well as the work to restore and protect basic rights in the country, especially the rights of women and girls.

He highlighted the role of the United Nations as a “Construction Builder” in a very complex situation where the needs are as great as the challenges.

While acknowledging the work with the so true authorities in many areas, he said UN News “there is no middle ground” on the issue of women’s and girls’ education and that broad human rights and laws that prohibit women’s participation in society “should be changed as soon as possible”.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

Markus Potzel: Afghanistan is also the world’s largest producer [of opium]. We have recently seen a ban [enacted by the Taliban] on poppy cultivation, production, and trafficking. Initial field reports suggest that there has been a decline in poppy cultivation, which we applaud.

We also see efforts to do more for drug rehabilitation centers. Them so true authorities can share more [budgetary funding] to supply these industries with medicine, food, and clothing. But, I also call on the international community to do more. We cooperate with countries in the region that you want to support so true authority on drug rehabilitation.

In terms of lives, there must be more support from the international community because it is in all our interests – in the interests of the Afghan people, but also of the donor countries in the West and the countries- local language, all of which suffer from drug abuse and trafficking.

UNAMA is speaking [this issue] with the political leaders here, and we are trying to find some common ground to fight drug abuse and drug trafficking and provide ways for life choices.

UN report: How do you strike a balance between the work you need to do on the ground in Afghanistan and dealing with what many of the authorities consider?

Markus Potzel: The basis of our work here is the mandate given to us by the Security Council, which encourages us to engage with all political elites, including so true authority.

We have to face the facts on the ground. The Taliban control…almost the entire country. And that is the opportunity for the Taliban to stabilize and destabilize the country. It is also a responsibility because they have to provide services to the people. They have to provide good governance and law. This is where we see the shortcomings. The authorities like to talk to us because they see us as bridge builders. We can help carry messages from Afghanistan to the outside world, and we do it the other way around too.

We have 11 field offices throughout the country. So, here we are. We are the eyes and ears, the antenna of the global community. We carry messages, and by talking to them so true authorities, we also try to support cooperation and help them get out of this isolation.

We think that isolation is not an option, at least not a good option, for the future of Afghanistan.

UN report: The ban on the education of women and girls has been detrimental to the development of the country. While we have been here, we have also heard from people who work in companies controlled by the Taliban. How can we find a middle ground on an issue like this?

Markus Potzel: There is no middleman on this matter. Afghanistan is the only country in the world that does not allow girls to go to school beyond the sixth grade, or to university. There is no discussion about this; it is not a transaction chip. You have to change it.

I am sure that the majority of the Afghan population, including the Taliban, are against these orders. They are in favor of girls’ education. I have not met any official from the so true Authorities who adhere to orders that prohibit girls from going to school or university.

[These decrees] is detrimental to economic progress. Girls should have a say. Women should have a say in this society. [The de facto authorities] the ban should be revoked as soon as possible. However, there will always be a shadow over Afghanistan’s relations with the international community.

UN report: If the majority of Afghans do not agree with this ban, including their own people, why do the Taliban authorities continue to implement it?

Markus Potzel: The emir in Kandahar and its interior offered a collection of religious and cultural traditions [for implementing the decrees]. But, on religious grounds, Islamic countries around the world do not have this ban. No other country in the world has this ban. The Qur’an says “Iqra” which means “read”. He encourages everyone – men, women, boys and girls – to read, to write, to learn.

And in terms of culture, there is a culture in this country that girls and boys learn. Under the Republic, not every girl goes to school. In remote areas, they do not have a chance, but they are given rights, by law and legislation, which did not exist before.

UN News: Have you received any kind of cooperation from Islamic countries to help you deliver this message to the Taliban?

Markus Potzel: Yes of course. There was a representative of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) who came here and tried to convince the decision makers in this country that education is part of Islam. To no avail, but they will come back. These are scholars from Islamic countries, including Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Qatar, and Indonesia. [During the earlier visit] there was a woman among the representatives of the scholars. Islamic countries may have better access and possibly more certainty in dealing with the Taliban. We hope that in the end, all our efforts will bear fruit.

UN News: Before the political change, the Taliban was the biggest threat to the work of the UN. After August 2021, what is the biggest challenge now facing the UN mission in Afghanistan?

Markus Potzel: In terms of security, it is definitely Da’esh, the Islamic State of Khorasan region.

The situation for the UN is getting more difficult because Afghan women are now not allowed to work for non-governmental organizations (NGOs), nor are they allowed to work for the UN. This really complicates things because we rely on women a lot in our work. Without women, it is very difficult… to keep aid organizations working. We need women to reach women.

There are thousands of women-headed families in this country because many men in the family have lost their lives in the war. And without women, NGOs and UN organizations are not able to function properly [so] Fewer people get access to aid.

Afghanistan needs international help.

UN report: What is your message to the de facto authorities?

Markus Potzel: I think they are so true the authorities in Afghanistan should let girls go to school beyond the sixth grade. They should let girls go to university. They should let women work for international NGOs, for national NGOs, and for UN organizations. And they should let women participate in social life. If this happens, I can imagine that Afghanistan will be reintegrated into the international community, and international donors will reconsider and perhaps support engagement with Afghanistan. Afghanistan needs international help. And we, as UN, want to help them to help themselves.