Model UN-New Silk Way: The UN Security Council Discussion of Elections in Afghanistan “Upcoming Presidential Elections in Afghanistan”
On March 29, UN-New Silk Road Model activists (MUN NSW) held a round table at Narxoz University. The round table was devoted to the presidential elections in Afghanistan as part of the MUN NSW conference series.
Among the initiators of the creation of the Round Table are the Model UN-New Silk Way program, the Department of Public Administration of the Narxoz University, the Qazaq-Afghan Association for Development and Partnership “AFGQAZ”, Ban Ki-moon Institute for Sustainable Development and Afghan students from different universities in Almaty. Also the event was attended by representatives of the UN in Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The meeting was opened by Adil Zhunusov, Vice-Rector for Public and Government Relations. He noted that this round table is free space to discuss the current situation in Afghanistan and to discuss the development of democracy and development of the country.
Participants of the event discussed the situation in Afghanistan, their vision of the necessary changes in the work of the commissions and how to hold transparent and fair elections. Moreover, such question as the impact of the upcoming presidential elections in Afghanistan on the political stability in the New Silk Way region was also discussed.
The Head of the Representative Office of the MFA of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Almaty, Ruslan Bultrikov, during his speech spoke about the importance of the work of Kazakhstan in the UN Security Council and listed the work and meetings organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with representatives of Afghanistan.
The director of the Institute for Sustainable Development, Rafis Abazov, emphasized the most complex intra-political and geopolitical situation around the upcoming elections.
The tone of the meeting was set by the head of the UN Department of Public Information in Kazakhstan, Vlastimil Samek, who noted that the UN supports the people of Afghanistan in achieving peace and stability. And wished that all the interests of the upcoming elections should affect peace in the country and peaceful development.
The President of the Afghan Information Agency, Muhammad Noori, conducted a brisk conversation with students, answered their questions about the upcoming elections. During the discussion, it was noted that mistakes that were made during the parliamentary elections could have been avoided. In this regard, it is hoped that the reforms will make the necessary changes to conduct fair elections. Thus, the round table was held in a lively atmosphere as part of the Model UN-New Silk Way conference series.
Agenda included such topics as: features of the electoral system in Afghanistan, political stability on the New Silk Way, youth and sustainable development, the media and youth, Kazakhstan’s contribution to the training of Afghan youth, Kazakhstan’s work in the UN Security Council on stabilizing the situation in Afghanistan.