22 March 2011 -  Staffan de Mistura, the top UN envoy in Afghanistan and head of the political mission UNAMA, today highlighted the significance of Afghanistan’s regional neighbours in the effort to achieve a sustainable peace settlement. Speaking at the US-based Middle East Institute, de Mistura emphasized the importance of Afghan-led efforts to establish dialogue and ultimately achieve a political settlement, and at the same time said that it was critical that Afghans developed a vision for their country which its neighbours and near neighbours could feel comfortable with: Afghanistan and its neighbours effectively developing a “stability pact”.

In a wide ranging talk and question-and-answer session, de Mistura also focused on efforts to establish dialogue, on the UN’s support to the peak Afghan High Peace Council as the lead institution in this process; on humanitarian needs and the challenge of operational space for humanitarian agencies; on the transition process announced by President Karzai on the same day from Kabul; and on the critical element of economic progress in the wider stability- and peace-building efforts.

The talk is available online by podcast on the Middle East Institute website; a transcript will be posted on the UNAMA website in coming days.