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EU donates $4.6 million to keep UN Keep UN Humanitarian Air Service Flying in Afghanistan
The European Union has contributed €4 million (US$4.6 million) to sustain the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) in Afghanistan, ensuring continued air links that deliver aid and transport humanitarian workers to some of the country’s most remote regions.
The announcement was made by the UN World Food Programme (WFP), which operates UNHAS. The service plays a vital role in providing safe and reliable transport for humanitarian personnel, as well as in delivering life-saving supplies to communities that are otherwise inaccessible.
“Ensuring the safe transport of humanitarian personnel from UN agencies, NGOs and partners, as well as delivering life-saving cargo to remote areas, is essential. UNHAS plays a critical role in making this possible, serving as a humanitarian lifeline,” said François Goemans, Head of the EU Humanitarian Aid Office in Afghanistan. “We remain committed to supporting the most vulnerable communities across Afghanistan.”
WFP Afghanistan Country Director John Aylieff welcomed the EU’s support, emphasizing the impact of UNHAS in bridging critical gaps. “UNHAS connects humanitarians with the people they serve across the country thanks to contributions from outstanding partners like the European Union,” he said.
“Behind every UNHAS flight is a story of hope – of aid delivered, lives saved, and communities connected to the support they urgently need.”
More than 100 humanitarian NGOs, UN agencies, and diplomatic missions currently rely on UNHAS in Afghanistan.
Since the beginning of 2025, the service has operated over 1,600 flights to 20 destinations, including 18 domestic routes—14 regular and 4 on-demand—and two international routes.
WFP officials said the EU contribution will ensure UNHAS continues to operate as a lifeline, maintaining humanitarian access at a time when millions of Afghans remain in urgent need of assistance.
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Islamic Emirate’s army now self-sufficient, says chief of army staff
Mohammad Fasihuddin Fitrat, Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces, says that over the past four years, the army forces of the Islamic Emirate have shown no hesitation in defending and protecting Afghanistan, and that today the country’s army is standing on its own feet.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Defense, Fitrat made these remarks at a meeting with media representatives, political analysts, and a number of government officials aimed at coordination and strengthening cooperation. He added: “Nations that cannot stand on their own feet and rely on others, even if they grow, will not be capable of achieving real progress.”
Fitrat also expressed appreciation for the role of the media in ensuring security and in supporting the country’s defense forces, stating: “We and you, as citizens of this land, must put our hands together and build the country together, take pride in our forces, and strive with all our strength for the country’s development. We have created an army that defends honor, territorial integrity, and the borders of the country, and serves as the guardian of our freedom.”
He emphasized that the Islamic Emirate is working to establish an army equipped with modern weapons so that it can defend the country’s territory under all circumstances.
He stated that the country’s army has proven to the people that anyone who looks at this land with ill intent will face a firm and courageous response, and that it has also been made clear to neighboring countries that any aggression against Afghanistan will be met with a response several times stronger.
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Afghan health minister attends second WHO summit in India
Noor Jalal Jalali, the Minister of Public Health of the Islamic Emirate, participated in the second World Health Organization meeting on traditional medicine during his official visit to India.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Ministry of Public Health said that the meeting was held in India with the participation of representatives from around 100 countries, health ministers from 23 countries, professional experts from various nations, and officials from different departments of the World Health Organization.
During the meeting, discussions were held on the standardization of traditional medicine, training of individuals active in this field, recognition of traditional medicine as an established reality, and the sharing of countries’ experiences in this area.
The ministry stated that the purpose of participating in the conference was to standardize traditional medicine in Afghanistan, adding that for several decades this sector has been practiced in a non-standard manner and without a defined curriculum or clear principles.
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Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan boost trade and digital finance ties
Minister Sydykov, in turn, pledged the continuation of Kyrgyzstan’s humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and highlighted his country’s interest in working together on e-governance initiatives.
Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs, Abdul Salam Hanafi, has met with a high-level Kyrgyz delegation led by Minister of Economy and Commerce Bakhyt Sydykov to discuss expanding bilateral trade and strengthening cooperation in digital financial services.
During the meeting, Hanafi reaffirmed Afghanistan’s readiness to deepen ties with Kyrgyzstan, stressing the importance of developing electronic administration systems and modern banking channels to facilitate trade and financial transactions between the two countries.
Minister Sydykov, in turn, pledged the continuation of Kyrgyzstan’s humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and highlighted his country’s interest in working together on e-governance initiatives. He also pointed to potential cooperation in areas such as the printing of securities and the development of electronic payment systems.
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