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Afghanistan may be the next stage of the migration crisis says Polish PM
Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki visited Estonia and Lithuania on Sunday to discuss the border crisis with his counterparts from the Baltic states. He will travel to Latvia later in the day.
Morawiecki said in Lithuania that he was receiving information that the difficult situation in Afghanistan after the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) took over the country in August “may be used as the next stage of the migration crisis.”
“I think that the things that unfold before our eyes, these dramatic events, may only be a prelude to something much worse,” he added.
Poland and Lithuania called for continued support from the European Union and NATO.
“For us, it is very important that any talks (with Belarus) are coordinated with Lithuania, Poland, and Latvia, which are at the forefront of the hybrid attack, and no decisions are taken which do not solve the situation fundamentally,” Lithuanian PM Ingrida Simonyte told reporters.
Poland accused Belarus of continuing to ferry migrants to its border, despite clearing camps close to the frontier earlier this week, as Polish premier Mateusz Morawiecki toured Baltic states to seek support in the crisis.
There had been 208 attempts by migrants to force their way into Poland from Belarus on Saturday (November 20), the border guard said, a few more than on Friday (November 19) but well below the 501 attempts recorded on Wednesday (November 17).
Neighboring Lithuania said 44 migrants were prevented from entering on Saturday, the lowest number in a week.
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EU allocates 17 million euros to support Afghans on the move
The European Union signed an agreement worth 17 million euros with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to improve access to basic services, increased economic opportunities and protection for Afghans on the move and their host communities in Afghanistan.
The needs of women and girls are a particular focus of the programme, EU said in a statement released on Thursday.
The statement noted that from January 2023 until April 2024, over 1.5 million Afghans returned from Pakistan and Iran.
“I am deeply moved by the hardship returnees face when being deported to Afghanistan. In a country suffering from poverty and climate change, and in a city that just saw devastating earthquakes, this truly is a crisis within a crisis.”, said Peteris Ustubs, Director for the Middle East, Asia and Pacific of the European Commission’s Department for International Partnerships during the signing ceremony at the IOM transit centre in Herat.
Raffaella Iodice, EU Chargée d’Affaires a.i. to Afghanistan, added “The solidarity of the Afghan people towards their brothers and sisters is an inspiration. We must assure that communities hosting and helping new arrivals are supported. The partnership with IOM ensures access to essential services and provides protection for Afghan returnees and their host communities. As women and girls can be particularly affected, we make sure that all members of society can benefit”.
“IOM’s continued partnership with the EU has been critical in enabling our teams to reach hundreds of thousands of Afghan returnees and other vulnerable communities in the country”, said IOM Afghanistan Chief of Mission, Maria Moita. “Thanks to this renewed commitment, we will be able to focus on addressing the immense challenges in the areas of return and contribute to reintegration, social cohesion, and longer-term solutions for those communities.”
This additional contribution is part of a 5-year programme that is being implemented across Afghanistan and in four countries in the region. It builds on the EU’s previous support to IOM to improve the wellbeing of Afghans forced to return to the country, EU said.
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Malaysia vows to share its experiences on cyber security with IEA
Acting Minister of Interior Affairs Sirajuddin Haqqani has said in a meeting with a delegation from Malaysia in Kabul that Malaysia is an advanced country and that Afghanistan should use is experiences.
According to a statement released by the Interior Ministry, Haqqani, in the meeting on Thursday, emphasized that security is ensured in Afghanistan and unity among Afghans has been restored.
He stated that the Islamic Emirate wants to have close relations and engagement with the world, especially Islamic countries.
The Malaysian delegation consists of representatives of the Ministries of Interior and Defense, and advisers of the Prime Minister’s Office.
According to the statement, a member of the delegation provided information about Malaysia’s capabilities in cyber security and tackling cyber crime, and said that Malaysia will share its experiences in this field with the Islamic Emirate.
In the meeting, the two sides also discussed the fight against drugs, police training, bilateral cooperation and exchange of experiences between Malaysia and Afghanistan.
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Girls’ education is a ‘vital issue’ for Afghanistan: Karzai
Former president Hamid Karzai said in a meeting with Iran’s ambassador and special representative, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, that education of girls was a “vital issue” for Afghanistan.
Karzai said he appreciated Iran’s cooperation and its standing with the Afghan people, especially Iran’s contributions to education in Afghanistan.
During the meeting, Karzai said peace and stability in the region are in the interest of all regional countries.
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