Afghanistan is facing daunting challenges ahead of presidential election scheduled for July, the United Nations envoy to the country told the Security Council on Monday.

The holding of the presidential election on schedule, however, will be very challenging,” said Tadamichi Yamamoto, citing “widespread reports of irregularities during last October’s parliamentary elections”, and “increasing scepticism” towards the country’s two election commissions mandated with delivering “credible and timely” elections.
He warned that the remaining “technical and political challenges are daunting”, including the implementation of the new Election Law, along with the holding of three other elections (provincial council elections, district-council elections, and parliamentary elections for the province of Ghazni).
“The United Nations will continue to work with Afghan stakeholders to help them ensure that the electoral process is conducted in a credible, transparent and inclusive manner. It is important, however, that Afghan institutions and stakeholders fully realize that the ultimate responsibility and ownership for elections rests with the people of Afghanistan,” said Yamamoto.
Commenting on peace, the envoy said that despite the engagements, the Taliban have not yet accepted to engage in direct talks with the Afghan government.
“I stress the imperative need for the Taliban to directly talk with the government,” as “inclusiveness, coherence, and representativeness in negotiations are critical for success,” he said.
Commending the efforts made by the Afghan government to establish a “negotiating structure, including a negotiating team,” and a consultative assembly of traditional leaders, Yamamoto insisted on the importance of ensuring all efforts towards peace are “Afghan-led and Afghan-owned.”
He stressed that the “peace process must be inclusive of the meaningful participation of groups representing all segments of Afghanistan's diverse society including women, youths, ulemas (Islamic legal scholars), and community and political leaders,” adding that the rights of the victims also need to be taken into consideration.