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Rashid Khan Appointed as UNICEF Afghanistan’s National Ambassador

Published

7 years ago

March 20, 2019

Last Updated on: October 24, 2022

Afghanistan’s cricket superstar Rashid Khan has been appointed as UNICEF Afghanistan’s National Ambassador, UNICEF said in a statement on Wednesday.

According to the statement, in his role, 20-year-old Khan will help UNICEF to promote girls’ education, tackle malnutrition, eradicate polio and improve child immunization rates.

“It is an honour to be named as UNICEF Afghanistan’s National Ambassador,” Khan said.

“I have always wanted to be involved in improving children’s lives by contributing to issues pertaining to health, education, and nutrition; and UNICEF provides me a great platform to do so. I am eagerly looking forward to this association and hope we can make a change for a better tomorrow,” he noted.

The announcement comes after four decades of conflict in Afghanistan, and as the world comes together to celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history.

“It gives me great pleasure to welcome Rashid Khan to the UNICEF family today,” UNICEF Afghanistan Representative Adele Khodr said.

“Rashid’s already demonstrated commitment to children will be a compelling and valuable asset to both UNICEF and the children of Afghanistan, who continue to dream and hope, without which humankind will be lost. At UNICEF, we believe that investing in the wellbeing, education, and protection of children today is key for a peaceful, stable and progressive Afghanistan,” she added.

Despite the significant progress in recent years, 3.7 million children remain out of school in Afghanistan, 2.2 million of whom are girls.

At the same time, malnutrition levels remain high with 600,000 children under the age of five suffering from severe acute malnutrition, and some 2 million children stunted (short for their age due to malnutrition), greatly impacting their cognitive development.

Mr. Khan comes with a strong passion for promoting the wellbeing of children, especially the most disadvantaged.

Rashid Khan has been involved in the cause of children and the work of UNICEF for almost two years, especially in promoting the eradication of polio.

At the age of 19, Rashid Khan broke the record for the youngest team captain in men’s international cricket history.

In January 2018, he was awarded the Associate Cricketer of the year by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and in February of the same year, he became the youngest player to top the ICC Player Rankings for bowlers in One Day Internationals (ODIs), and also topped the ICC Player Rankings for bowlers in Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).

As a National Ambassador, Mr. Rashid Khan is part of an esteemed UNICEF tradition, dating back to 1954, in which the organization partners with local artists, athletes, and other celebrities to raise public awareness about children’s issues and to improve the lives of children and women around the world.

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Baradar urges scholars to promote protection of Islamic system and national interests

Published

15 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Ariana News

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, has called on religious scholars to play a stronger role in promoting the protection of the Islamic system and Afghanistan’s national interests among the public.

Speaking at a turban-tying ceremony at Jamia Fath al-Uloom in Kabul on Wednesday, Baradar urged scholars to adopt a softer tone in their sermons and public addresses.

He said that alongside teaching religious obligations, scholars should help foster a sense of responsibility toward safeguarding the Islamic system and national unity.

Baradar described madrasas as the sacred foundations of religious learning, moral education, spiritual and intellectual development, and Islamic movements within Muslim societies.

He noted that in Afghanistan, religious teachings and the concept of sacred jihad originated in madrasas, spread from villages to cities, and eventually translated into action and resistance.

He also emphasized the role of madrasas in the intellectual reform of society, the removal of what he described as un-Islamic cultural influences, and the preservation of Islamic traditions.

Baradar stressed that religious schools must remain committed to their original mission and values under all circumstances.

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Iran’s Bahrami invites Afghan FM Muttaqi to Tehran during Kabul meeting

Published

15 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Ariana News

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Wednesday that Mohammad Reza Bahrami, Director General for South Asia at Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has invited the Islamic Emirate’s Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, to visit Tehran.

According to the ministry, the invitation was extended during Bahrami’s official visit to Kabul, where he met with Muttaqi.

During the meeting, Bahrami briefed the Afghan foreign minister on the outcomes of a recent meeting of special representatives held in Tehran and underscored Iran’s strong interest in strengthening relations with Afghanistan.

Bahrami also expressed hope that the Islamic Emirate would play an active role in promoting regional cooperation.

In response, Muttaqi described Afghanistan–Iran relations as positive and outlined the Islamic Emirate’s position on the Tehran meeting. He said Afghanistan has emerged from a difficult period and is moving toward stability and progress, adding that the country should no longer be viewed solely as a regional challenge.

Muttaqi further emphasized that Afghanistan’s foreign policy is based on its fundamental principles and supports constructive and cooperative engagement with neighboring and regional countries.

Both sides noted that bilateral relations are developing positively and stressed the importance of maintaining regular contacts, exchanging delegations, and strengthening cooperation at various levels.

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Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan discuss expanding trade and economic cooperation

Azizi welcomed the Kyrgyz delegation and thanked them for visiting Kabul, underscoring the importance of closer economic engagement between the two countries.

Published

18 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Ariana News

Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan held high-level talks in Kabul aimed at strengthening bilateral economic and trade relations, officials said.

The meeting brought together Nooruddin Azizi, Minister of Industry and Commerce of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, and Bakyt Sadykov, Minister of Economy and Trade of the Kyrgyz Republic, who is leading a visiting delegation to the Afghan capital.

Azizi welcomed the Kyrgyz delegation and thanked them for visiting Kabul, underscoring the importance of closer economic engagement between the two countries.

During the talks, both sides discussed ways to boost bilateral trade by making better use of existing capacities and identifying priority export commodities.

The discussions also focused on developing transit routes, signing transit agreements, attracting joint domestic and foreign investment, and expanding cooperation through trade exhibitions, business conferences and regular meetings.

The two ministers stressed the need to implement earlier agreements, particularly the economic and trade cooperation roadmap signed during a previous visit by an Afghan delegation to Kyrgyzstan.

They said effective follow-up on these commitments would be key to translating discussions into tangible results.

Officials from both countries said the meeting was intended to deepen economic, trade and investment ties, while opening new avenues for partnership between Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan in the coming period.