UN chief pays surprise visit to Afghanistan

Kabul June 14 (IANS) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived in the Afghanistan capital on a surprise visit on Wednesday the UN office in the country said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived in Kabul today and was welcomed by Tadamichi Yamamoto the UN Secretary-General s Special Representative for Afghanistan the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in a statement.

Secretary General Guterres s visit signals the UN s solidarity with the Afghan people and our commitment to staying the course at a time when Afghanistan is facing many challenges Yamamoto was quoted by Xinhua news agency as saying.

The UN is determined to support an Afghan-led peace process protecting the country s most vulnerable and disenfranchised communities and seeking to help ensure a stable and prosperous future for all Afghans the statement added.

--IANS
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