Ambassador Haidari Urges UN Action as Afghanistan Faces Six Interlocking Crises

By Staff Writer

Washington, D.C. – In a wide-ranging interview with Afghanistan International Radio following the September 17 meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Afghanistan, Ambassador Ashraf Haidari, Founder and President of Displaced International (DI), warned that the country is collapsing under six interconnected crises directly tied to Taliban rule.

Ambassador Haidari identified the absence of a legitimate and inclusive government, the persistence of terrorist safe havens, the economic collapse, the imposition of gender apartheid, a spiraling humanitarian crisis, and escalating forced migration and displacement. He emphasized that while these crises endanger the Afghan people, they also pose mounting threats to each of the country’s neighbors and to regional stability as a whole.

“Not a single neighbor has committed to resolving Afghanistan’s protracted conflict,” Haidari stressed. “Instead, each engages the Taliban purely out of self-interest, ignoring the suffering of Afghans and the long-term risks to peace and security.” He cited the Taliban’s ban on internet access in northern Afghanistan and their prohibition on women aid workers as stark examples of the regime’s disregard for human security—policies that are forcing Afghans to flee in growing numbers. Refugees, he noted, are often exploited or forcibly deported by neighboring states in violation of international norms.

Turning to international actors, Haidari raised concerns about the United States’ Afghanistan policy. He described it as a narrow, transactional approach to the Taliban—focused on hostage releases and discussions about Bagram Airbase—while neglecting the broader plight of the Afghan people. “This piecemeal engagement sends the wrong signal to the Taliban and abandons millions of Afghans to despair,” he said.

Haidari called on the UN and its member states to move beyond symbolic meetings and statements. He urged concrete enforcement of international law and Security Council resolutions on Afghanistan aimed at restoring peace, protecting human rights, and stabilizing the country. “Every day, thousands of Afghans are displaced by Taliban-driven crises,” he warned. “The Security Council cannot afford to remain passive while a humanitarian catastrophe deepens and regional insecurity grows.”