The new UN representative to Afghanistan, Staffan de Mistura, arrived Saturday to take up his post at a mission that has suffered blows to its standing and morale in the past year.
De Mistura, an Italian-Swedish diplomat, said he would focus on improving the stability and economy of the country, while respecting its sovereignty.
“Whatever the UN will be doing — and we will be doing what we can in order to assist both the stability and the socio-economic improvement of the Afghan people — it will be done remembering that it should be Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and in total respect of their own sovereignty,” he told reporters.
“The Afghan people have suffered a lot and have endured a lot of difficult times. They deserve international support, but they deserve above all a better future. And the UN will do its part.”
