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Humanitarian crisis in focus as Italy hosts G20 summit on Afghanistan
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi will host a special summit of the Group of 20 major economies on Tuesday to discuss Afghanistan, as worries grow about a looming humanitarian disaster following the Islamic Emirate’s (IEA) return to power.
Since the IEA took over Afghanistan on August 15, the country – already struggling with drought and severe poverty after decades of war – has seen its economy all but collapse, raising the spectre of an exodus of refugees.
The video conference, which is due to start at 3.30pm Kabul time will focus on aid needs, concerns over security and ways of guaranteeing safe passage abroad for thousands of Western-allied Afghans still in the country.
“Providing humanitarian support is urgent for the most vulnerable groups, especially women and children, with winter arriving,” said an official with knowledge of the G20 agenda.
The U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres is due to join the summit, underlining the central role given to the United Nations in tackling the crisis – in part because many countries don’t want to establish direct relations with the IEA.
Italy, which holds the rotating presidency of the G20, has worked hard to set up the meeting in the face of highly divergent views within the disparate group on how to deal with Afghanistan after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Kabul.
“The main problem is that Western countries want to put their finger on the way the Taliban (IEA) run the country, how they treat women for example, while China and Russia on the other hand have a non-interference foreign policy,” said a diplomatic source close to the matter.
China has publicly demanded that economic sanctions on Afghanistan be lifted and that billions of dollars in Afghan international assets be unfrozen and handed back to Kabul. It was not clear if this would even be discussed on Tuesday.
While U.S. President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Europe’s G20 leaders were expected to take part in the meeting, Chinese media reported that President Xi Jinping would not participate. It was also not clear if Russian President Vladimir Putin would dial in.
Afghanistan’s neighbours Pakistan and Iran have not been invited to the virtual call, but Qatar, which has played a key role as an interlocutor between the IEA and the West, will join the discussions, a diplomatic source said.
The virtual summit comes just days after senior U.S. and IEA officials met in Qatar for their first face-to-face meeting since the IEA retook power.
Tuesday’s meeting comes less than three weeks before the formal G20 leaders summit in Rome on October 30 and 31, which is due to focus on climate change, the global economic recovery, tackling malnutrition and the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Afghanistan seeks closer trade cooperation with Uzbekistan
Uzbek officials also unveiled plans to open trade chambers in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan to help boost exports and improve market access for regional products.
Afghanistan has called on Uzbekistan to establish a coordination and liaison office at the Termez border market to strengthen direct business ties between the private sectors of the two countries.
The proposal was discussed during a meeting in Mazar-i-Sharif between Nooruddin Azizi, Afghanistan’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, and Amanbai Orynbaev, Chairman of the Supreme Council of Uzbekistan’s Karakalpakstan region.
During the talks, both sides explored opportunities to expand cooperation in the export of Afghan cotton, coal, fresh and dried fruits, as well as joint projects in food production, construction materials, tourism, pharmaceutical manufacturing, mineral processing, and investment in key economic sectors.
Uzbek officials also unveiled plans to open trade chambers in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan to help boost exports and improve market access for regional products.
As part of the visit, the Uzbek delegation inaugurated an expo of national products in Mazar-i-Sharif aimed at promoting trade and economic cooperation between the two neighbouring countries.
The Embassy of Japan in Afghanistan has announced scholarship opportunities for Afghan students under the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program for the 2027 academic year.
According to the embassy, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan is offering scholarships for graduate-level study at Japanese universities under the research student category, including both regular and non-regular students.
Interested and eligible applicants can download the application guidelines and forms from the official Study in Japan website and are advised to carefully review all requirements before applying.
Applicants who meet the eligibility criteria and have prepared all required documents must submit their applications by 25 May 2026. The embassy said late or incomplete submissions will not be accepted.
The first screening process will include a written examination in Kabul on 18 June 2026, followed by interviews scheduled for July 2026 (date to be confirmed).
The Embassy of Japan noted that the Aga Khan Foundation Afghanistan will assist in collecting applications and facilitating written examinations, but will not be involved in the selection process.
It further emphasized that the selection will be conducted independently by the embassy and the Japanese government, based on academic merit, quality of application documents, and performance in written and interview examinations, without consideration of religious, linguistic, or ethnic background.
The scholarship program is fully funded and free of charge. The embassy warned applicants to remain cautious against scams, stressing that no financial contributions are required at any stage of the application process.
Abdul Salam Hanafi, Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs, has launched the distribution of more than 1,000 residential land plots for returning migrants in Logar province.
During a visit to Logar, Hanafi inaugurated a new township and said the initiative aims to support Afghan returnees by providing them with housing opportunities and improving settlement conditions.
He called for speeding up the process of distributing residential plots designated for migrants, stressing the importance of timely implementation.
“We inaugurated this township today, which includes more than 1,000 plots. These plots will be distributed to migrants. In addition, other townships will also be constructed soon,” he said.
Hanafi also noted that over the past three years, more than five million Afghan migrants have returned from neighboring countries, adding that efforts are underway to provide them with essential services and support their reintegration.
Afghanistan seeks closer trade cooperation with Uzbekistan
Japan announces MEXT scholarships for Afghan students for 2027 academic year
New township to provide over 1,000 land plots for returnees in Logar
Ariana Afghan Airlines lowers cargo rates on Kabul–Delhi route to boost exports
Pakistan ambassador urges Afghan authorities to act against militant threats
Bayat Power extends gas supply deal with Afghan Gas
New Afghanistan-China transport corridor launched via Turkmenistan
Afghanistan moves toward self-sufficiency in car battery production
Germany to launch online visa system for Afghan study and work applicants in Pakistan
War driving hidden climate crisis in Middle East, think tank warns
Tahawol: Afghanistan and Uzbekistan’s growing economic ties discussed
Saar: Afghanistan’s relations with the world discussed
Tahawol: Discussion on unknown fate of Middle East crisis
Saar: Problems and challenges of Afghan refugees in the world discussed
Tawsia: Discussion on Afghanistan’s economic path and position
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