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WFP expands school feeding scheme in Afghanistan with help of EU

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The European Union is allocating an additional EUR 10 million to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) for school feeding activities in Afghanistan.

This will allow WFP to expand school feeding into three additional provinces with high levels of food insecurity in primary schools, the organization said Wednesday in a statement.

“Hunger can be a barrier to education. The additional EU funding to our long-standing partner WFP ensures that more children in Afghanistan receive nutritious food. This is essential for them to have the energy and focus they need to learn effectively and stay healthy.

“And if these meals encourage parents to prioritize school attendance, this is benefiting everyone”, said Raffaella Iodice, EU Chargée d’Affaires to Afghanistan.

Thanks to the additional EU funding, WFP will be able to distribute fortified biscuits or locally produced nutritious school snacks to pupils in more than 10,000 schools in the eight provinces of Farah, Ghor, Jawzjan, Nangarhar, Nuristan, Paktika, Uruzgan and Zabul.

In addition, school girls in grades 4 to 6 will receive take-home rations including vegetable oil or cash for their families. In three provinces with especially low enrolment rates for boys, boys in grades 4 to 6 will receive take-home rations. These rations improve the nutrition of the whole family and encourage families to keep children in school.

“WFP in Afghanistan launched its school feeding programme more than two decades ago to link food security and better nutrition with education”, said Hsiao-Wei Lee, WFP Country Director in Afghanistan.

“Last year, WFP supported 1.5 million school-aged children through this programme and the European Union has been a key partner in helping us reach them.”

Expanding the range of in-school meals, WFP will for the first time in Afghanistan test the local production of vegetarian samosas from fortified local ingredients through a network of local bakeries.

A planned 2,000 children will receive two samosas per school day baked with pumpkin, spinach or egg, and potato or soya beans, as a protein-rich and nutritious snack.

In Afghanistan, school feeding activities have had a positive impact on school participation and learning and help families enroll and keep their children in schools.

For poor families globally, the value of meals in schools can be up to one tenth of household income, and several children enrolled in a school can translate into substantial savings for the family.

This latest top-up by the EU follows an earlier contribution of EUR 20.9 million towards WFP’s school feeding programme in Afghanistan for the years 2022 and 2023.

The funding comes at a timely moment and averts WFP having to downsize its school feeding programme this year due to lack of funding.

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IEA should respond to Pakistan’s security concerns with concrete actions: Andrabi

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Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Hussain Andrabi says both Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Sadyr Japarov, the President of Kyrgyzstan, who visited Islamabad on Thursday, expressed their mutual commitment to a peaceful, stable Afghanistan with a sustainable future for the Afghan people.

Speaking in a press conference on Friday, Andrabi stated that both sides agreed that the Islamic Emirate must fulfill its obligations toward the international community and take concrete steps against terrorist groups to address Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns.

This comes while the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has repeatedly emphasized that no terrorist groups operate from Afghan territory and that it will not allow anyone to use Afghan soil against any country.

The Islamic Emirate has also stated that Pakistan’s security concerns are an internal issue of that country, and Pakistan itself must take measures to prevent any security incidents.

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Malaysia’s PM calls peaceful solution to Afghanistan-Pakistan tensions

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Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has voiced deep concern over escalating tensions between the Afghanistan–Pakistan during a telephone conversation with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

In a statement posted on Facebook, Anwar said he emphasized Malaysia’s concerns regarding regional stability and urged all parties to pursue a peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomatic engagement to prevent further escalation.

His remarks follow media reports indicating heightened tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan after a series of attacks in October.

During the call, the two leaders also exchanged views on several aspects of Malaysia–Pakistan bilateral relations.

Anwar also briefed Sharif on the ongoing flood situation in Malaysia and similar challenges facing neighboring countries, including Indonesia and Thailand.

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Afghanistan makes major strides in cutting drug trafficking, says Putin

Putin stated that Afghan authorities have “substantially reduced” opium cultivation and are “seriously confronting” drug-related threats from within their borders.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin says Afghanistan has taken “active and effective” steps to curb drug trafficking, noting a significant drop in opium production across the country. He made the remarks during an exclusive interview with India Today during his India trip, highlighting what he described as “visible progress” in Afghanistan’s internal security efforts.

Putin stated that Afghan authorities have “substantially reduced” opium cultivation and are “seriously confronting” drug-related threats from within their borders. He added that Afghanistan has also made important advancements in the fight against terrorism.

Responding to a question about why Russia officially recognized the Islamic Emirate, the Russian president said Afghanistan had been engulfed in civil conflict for many years, but the current authorities now hold control over the country. “This is the reality, and it must be acknowledged,” Putin emphasized.

He further noted that maintaining contact with Afghanistan’s leadership is crucial for shaping events inside the country. “If you want influence, you must engage with the people in charge — and that is exactly what we are doing,” he said.

Putin’s remarks come as several regional powers continue to recalibrate their diplomatic strategies toward Afghanistan, focusing on stability, counterterrorism, and economic cooperation.

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