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43% of Afghan media outlets closed down within 3 months of IEA takeover: UN
Forty-three percent of Afghan media outlets disappeared within three months of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) coming into power, a UN official said on Saturday.
That means more than 6,400 journalists lost their jobs, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Mette Knudsen, said at a ceremony in Kabul Saturday to mark World Press Freedom Day that falls on May 3.
She said that four out of five women journalists are no longer working.
“The events of August 2021 have upended hard earned gains of decades,” Knudsen said adding that Afghan media which was seen as one of the success stories of the past two decades is now “struggling for its own survival.”
Richard Bennett, UN’s Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Afghanistan, in a video message, said that the IEA has “promulgated new and restricted guidelines for the media and access to information has become more challenging, impacting negatively on the dissemination of information.”
“We call on the authorities to recognize and respect a free pluralistic and independent media and we urge the authorities to comply with Afghanistan’s obligations under international human rights instruments and protect and promote freedom of opinion and expression with equality between women and men as stipulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Afghanistan is a state party,” Bennett said.
Hujatullah Mujaddidi, head of Afghanistan Independent Journalists Association, said that the media outlets currently operating in the country are facing financial problems, a shortage of skilled staff and restrictions imposed by the IEA.
IEA officials, however, have repeatedly said that they are committed to ensuring freedom of media in Afghanistan, provided its according to Sharia rules and national interests are observed.
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Afghanistan now has unified central government: IEA defense minister
Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, the Minister of Defense of the Islamic Emirate, says that Afghanistan currently has a unified central government, and that no groups engaging in destructive activities are present in the country. He added that they will not allow anyone to undermine the country’s security.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Defense, Mujahid made these remarks at a graduation ceremony for commandos of the Special Forces Division. The ceremony was attended by Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Minister of Interior; several cabinet ministers; foreign ambassadors and military attachés; special representatives; and a number of officials and military personnel.
Addressing the commandos, Yaqoob Mujahid said: “In the service you perform, make the pleasure of Almighty Allah your sole intention, because Almighty Allah will reward you for such an intention in this world and the hereafter. There is now a unified central government in the country, and no groups engaging in destructive activities are present. We will also not allow anyone to undermine security.”
He also added: “I assure our people that these forces will defend the lives, property, and territory of their beloved country with full courage and wisdom. I tell all foreign countries that Afghanistan is now secure, and there is no enemy in this country, whether from within or outside, that poses a threat to others.”
At the ceremony, Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani also said: “For half a century, Afghanistan did not have an independent army. However, now, it has an organized army and other security forces. You are not a ceremonial army, nor do you operate to serve the interests of others; rather, you are an organized and independent army. Although we may be materially weak, we are stronger than others in terms of morale and spirituality. We must maintain high morale, avoid acting emotionally in military affairs, and respond to the enemy at the appropriate time. We are not a threat to anyone; rather, we are defenders of our own land.”
It is worth noting that 1,000 young commandos of the Special Forces Division of the Ministry of Defense graduated from the eighth training course after completing six months of professional, ideological, and commando training.
During the ceremony, the graduating commandos, in cooperation with the Air Force, demonstrated coordinated practical and military exercises using various types of unmanned aircraft.
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Baradar approves action plan for establishing special economic zones
The action plan for establishing special economic zones across the country was approved on Wednesday by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs.
According to a decree issued by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Emirate, these special economic zones will be established in the provinces of Kabul, Balkh, Nangarhar, Kandahar, Herat, Paktia, and Kunduz.
Under the plan, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, in cooperation with other relevant ministries and government agencies, will identify the land required for these zones, determine the necessary sectoral activities and services, and create the conditions needed to attract investment.
The establishment of these special economic zones is aimed at attracting new investments, achieving a relative balance between exports and imports, and expanding production activities in a suitable environment, paving the way for a new phase of economic development in the country.
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Russian deputy prime minister to visit Kabul with high-level economic delegation
The visit aims to strengthen economic and trade relations between Afghanistan and Russia, explore investment opportunities and discuss potential joint economic projects.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk is scheduled to visit Kabul on Thursday, leading a high-level economic delegation, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced.
According to a statement by the ministry, the visit aims to strengthen economic and trade relations between Afghanistan and Russia, explore investment opportunities and discuss potential joint economic projects.
The visit is expected to provide an opportunity for officials from both countries to discuss ways of expanding bilateral economic cooperation and identifying new areas for trade and investment.
The ministry did not provide further details about the delegation’s programme or the specific projects expected to be discussed during the visit.
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