Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan & High Representative for UN Security Council Affairs Attends Meeting of G7+ Special Representatives for Afghanistan and[...]

Lee Kyung-chul, Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan & High Representative for UN Security Council Affairs, attended the meeting of the G7+ Special Representatives for Afghanistan held in London, the United Kingdom, on September 29-30, as head of the Korean government delegation. On this occasion, he also met with officials of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and exchanged views on Korea's activities as an elected member of the UN Security Council (including its Council presidency in September 2025).

Hosted by the UK FCDO, the G7+ meeting brought together delegates from 13 countries and 2 international organizations. They took stock of and assessed the international community's efforts to address the situation in Afghanistan and held in-depth discussions on (i) counter-terrorism and security; (ii) the humanitarian crisis; (iii) human rights - particularly those of women - and international obligations; and (iv) the progress in the UN-led response (known as "Comprehensive Approach"). The Korean side shared its assessment and observations on the current Afghan situation and, in particular, reaffirmed its commitment to contribute as a current Security Council member and a participant in the "Doha Process."

* Participants (countries/organizations): G7 members (the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan), Korea, Australia, Switzerland, Norway, Denmark, Türkiye, the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA; Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Political Affairs)

** "Doha Process": A UN-led international consultative mechanism on Afghanistan involving 25 countries and relevant organizations.

On September 30, Representative Lee had a meeting with Ms. Freya Jackson, Director for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights, and another with Ms. Charlotte Pierre, Deputy Political Director of the UK FCDO. They discussed Korea's activities as a Security Council member for the 2024-2025 term (including its September 2025 presidency); developments regarding North Korea and the Korean Peninsula; conflicts in regions including the Middle East and Africa; and thematic issues such as non-proliferation and UN peace operations, among others.

The UK side took note of and commended Korea's active role in and contributions to the maintenance of international peace and security, within and outside the Security Council. In particular, it highly valued outcomes of Korea's work as the Council president in September, including the success of the open debate on "Artificial Intelligence and International Peace and Security" as well as the effective coordination of responses to challenging regional situations through consultation and cooperation with other partners.