KABUL- The top United Nations official in Kabul, Nicholas Haysom, stressed the world body’s commitment to support Afghanistan and to back the nascent Government of National Unity, during a debate with Afghan audiences broadcast today on state television.

On the state broadcaster’s flagship panel show, ‘Open Jirga,’ Mr. Haysom highlighted the UN’s backing to Afghanistan, responding to questions from a studio audience brought together from across the country’s 34 regions. “We are here as partners of the Afghan people at a most difficult time in the Afghan nation’s history,” he said.

Mr. Haysom, the head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), debated a broad range of issues about how the United Nations fits into and addresses key areas, such as human rights, women’s rights, security, elections, corruption and peace talks.

The UNAMA chief, who is also the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan, made clear his support for the position of President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah on the necessity for a government of national unity.

“They say… that the huge problems which Afghanistan faces – politically, economically, security-wise – can’t be dealt with by a nation divided, 50 per cent on one side and 50 per cent on the other,” said the special envoy. “It needs a nation with unity of purpose and a common vision.”

The other distinguished Afghan panellists on the programme were Sultan A. Aziz, the senior advisor to the Afghan Deputy Minister of Interior in charge of strategy and policy; Ahmad Wali Massoud, who heads an Afghan organization involved in social, cultural, educational and health activities; and Shinkai Karokhail, a parliamentarian and women's rights activist.

Speaking about the country’s current security challenges, Mr. Haysom said that what is required now is a process in which Afghans talk to Afghans. “Let me make it clear the United Nations has supported such a process since as long as I’ve been here,” he said.

“I believe very strongly that Afghans, more than maybe anyone else in the world, deserve peace and they need peace, because the country cannot afford the costs of war, the costs in financial terms and in human terms, for another 13 years,” he added.

The ‘Open Jirga’ programme is the bi-weekly flagship panel talk show of Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA). It is backed by the UK’s Department for International Development, and is a joint RTA and BBC Media Action production.