Afghanistan seeks to resume active role in SCO, envoy to Russia says
In an interview with TASS, Hassan confirmed that Kabul considers renewed engagement with the SCO both possible and appropriate.
Afghanistan is seeking to resume active participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), where it currently holds observer status, according to the country’s Ambassador to Russia, Gul Hassan.
In an interview with TASS, Hassan confirmed that Kabul considers renewed engagement with the SCO both possible and appropriate.
“Afghanistan is an observer state in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and, in line with this status, should take part in its meetings,” the ambassador said in his first interview since assuming his post in Moscow.
He noted that, due in part to the efforts of Russia and China, most SCO member states have reached the view that restoring Afghanistan’s active involvement in the organization would be viable.
“We also expect Afghanistan to participate in the organization’s upcoming meetings,” Hassan added.
A UNHCR delegation led by Filippa Candler, Head of UNHCR in Afghanistan, met with Sardar Ahmad Shakeeb, Ambassador of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to Pakistan, to discuss ongoing humanitarian assistance and challenges faced by Afghan refugees in Pakistan.
The meeting, which also included Charlie Goodlake, Senior External Relations Officer for the UNHCR Commission in Afghanistan, focused on the plight of remaining Afghan refugees, students, and other Afghan nationals living in Pakistan.
Ambassador Shakeeb welcomed the delegation and praised UNHCR for closely monitoring refugees’ living conditions and communicating their situation to the international community. However, he noted that the assistance provided so far remains insufficient.
“Although the support is limited, it is commendable that UNHCR continues to highlight refugees’ hardships,” Shakeeb said during the meeting.
Candler acknowledged the constraints, stating that despite financial limitations, UNHCR remains committed to providing the maximum possible assistance to Afghan refugees.
Goodlake provided an update on UNHCR’s support for returnees, saying the organization delivered approximately $25 million in assistance to refugees returning from Pakistan and Iran in 2025. He confirmed that UNHCR’s support would continue in coordination with the Afghan government.
The meeting concluded with both parties agreeing to continue cooperation and strengthen coordination on refugee and returnee support.
Gul Hasan Hasan, the Ambassador of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in Moscow, met with Tanju Bilgic, the Ambassador of Turkey, to discuss strengthening and expanding political, economic, and cultural relations between Kabul and Ankara.
In a statement issued by the Afghan Embassy in Moscow on Friday, the meeting also expressed appreciation for Turkey’s balanced policy toward the Islamic Emirate, based on mutual respect.
Both sides emphasized the need to facilitate visa issuance for Afghan traders and patients by Turkey and to further strengthen comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.
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