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ADB highlights importance of donor aid to roll out vaccine
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said the pandemic has put enormous pressure on Afghanistan’s fragile health care system and the economy.
In an exclusive interview with Ariana News Narendra Singru, the ADB’s Country Director for Afghanistan, and Çiğdem Akın, Senior Public Management Economist, South Asia Regional Department emphasized the importance of financial aid for Afghanistan from donor countries.
Narendra Singru stated that the ADB in coordination with the Ministry of Public Health is planning to help roll out the inoculation program once the Covid-19 vaccine is available in Afghanistan.
“We will be having a high-level discussion with the government on having a comprehensive vaccination program in coordination with donor partners. It is important that the partners walk together to support the government in this particular vaccination program,” Singru stated.
“So we are working with the government especially with the Ministry of Public Health in preparing a comprehensive vaccination program.”
“Based on this particular plan and the cost that would be entailed in this particular program, ADB will work with the other development partners to support the government in form of a grant or technical assistance,“ he said.
Meanwhile, the ADB raised concerns over the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic stating that Afghanistan needs more assistance to tackle the problem.
The organization has announced a $100 million grant for Afghanistan, aimed at helping the Afghan government to respond to the pandemic and support health, social protection, and stabilization measures.
Çiğdem Akın stated: “We are very proud to announce the approval of the $100 million budget support grant for the government of Afghanistan which will help the government to implement its pandemic response measures.”
“Since the pandemic started in March the government of Afghanistan has launched some initiatives to increase the capacity of the health sector to provide social protection assistance for the poor and vulnerable groups as well as increased the macro-economic stabilization of the economy,” she added.
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IEA leaders contact Maulana Fazlur Rehman to express condolences over Sheikh Idris’s death
According to a statement issued by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan (JUI-F), senior leaders of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) contacted JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to express condolences following the killing of prominent religious scholar Sheikh Muhammad Idris in Charsadda.
The statement said that the callers included Defense Minister Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, Interior Minister Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani, Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, and spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid.
According to JUI-F media cell, the Afghan leadership expressed sorrow over Sheikh Idris’s death and prayed for his elevated status. They also strongly condemned his killing and said they share the grief of the bereaved family and religious community.
The statement further added that the Islamic Emirate expressed solidarity with JUI-F, religious scholars, and students, and said that the people of Afghanistan share the grief of the Pakistani people over the incident.
Sheikh Idris, a senior member of JUI-F was shot dead by armed motorcyclists in the Utmanzai area of Charsadda on May 5, while he was traveling to a madressah. Daesh claimed responsibility for the attack.
Hundreds of former U.S. officials are calling on Washington to cancel a reported plan to relocate Afghan refugees from Qatar to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In an open letter addressed to the U.S. State Department, more than 600 former civilian and military officials, along with around 100 organizations, urged the administration to stop the proposed transfer. The letter was sent to Marco Rubio.
The signatories argue that the Afghan nationals in question were brought to Qatar by the United States to complete legal immigration procedures after undergoing extensive security vetting. The letter states that while the individuals were cleared for resettlement in the United States, they are now being considered for relocation to Congo, a country for which they were never screened.
“Those individuals were vetted and approved for the United States, not for the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” the letter reads.
According to the report, more than 1,100 Afghan allies and their family members are currently being held at Camp As Sayliyah in Qatar under U.S. supervision. Around 800 of them have already completed all security checks and received authorization to travel to the United States. More than half are women and children, and many have remained in transit limbo for over 15 months.
The situation has drawn criticism from former officials and policy observers, who describe the proposed relocation as a betrayal of Afghan allies who supported U.S. missions and risked their lives during the war in Afghanistan. Critics also warn that the move could damage U.S. credibility with future partners.
Several members of the U.S. Congress had previously expressed opposition to the proposal, cautioning that it could significantly undermine trust in the United States among its allies.
Asif Durrani, Pakistan’s former special envoy for Afghanistan, has said that no country should interfere in Afghanistan’s internal affairs, stressing that it is up to Afghans themselves to bring about any change in their country.
In a post on X, Durrani said Afghans should be “left to their own devices” and that they would eventually “find the way out” of their challenges.
However, he warned that instability inside Afghanistan could have negative consequences for neighbouring countries, adding that Afghan leaders and their supporters should take responsibility to address such risks.
Durrani described his remarks as a simple expression of goodwill and best wishes for the Afghan people and their future.
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