Balkh Governor Mohammad Yousuf Wafa met with Sadin Ayyıldız, Chargé d’Affaires of the Turkish embassy in Kabul, on Thursday morning to discuss expanding economic, commercial and transit cooperation between the two sides.

According to information released by Balkh officials, the meeting focused on strengthening relations between Afghanistan and Türkiye, particularly economic and trade ties between Balkh province and Türkiye.

The discussions also covered facilitating visa procedures for Balkh-based businesspeople travelling to Türkiye, as well as improving visa access for patients seeking medical treatment there.

Both sides emphasized the importance of strengthening Islamic, cultural and social relations and exploring opportunities to expand cooperation in other areas.

The meeting was attended by Türkiye’s consul general in Balkh, the mayor of Mazar-i-Sharif and the provincial head of foreign affairs.

The discussions come amid efforts to expand regional trade and strengthen commercial connections between Afghanistan and Türkiye, with Balkh serving as an important economic and transit hub in northern Afghanistan.

A delegation of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, led by Mohammad Amin Jan Omari, Deputy Minister for Finance and Administration at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, has traveled to Moscow to attend the Second Global Digital Forum.

Abdul Rahman Safi, Director General of the Digital Governance Directorate, is also part of the Afghan delegation.

The three-day forum, which opened in Moscow on Thursday, brings together government representatives, international organizations, information technology experts and private-sector representatives from various countries.

Discussions at the forum will focus on digital technology, digital governance, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital infrastructure and ways to expand international technological cooperation.

Afghanistan’s delegation is expected to present the country’s experience and achievements in telecommunications and information technology, as well as its efforts toward digital transformation.

The Afghan delegation will also hold bilateral meetings with representatives of various countries and organizations on the sidelines of the forum to discuss opportunities for expanding cooperation in information technology and digital development.

The World Bank says nearly half of the people in the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan region (MENAAP) who live on less than $3 a day are in Pakistan.

In its latest economic report, released on Tuesday, the bank said that 48% of the region’s population living on less than $3 a day is in Pakistan.

According to the report, Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen together account for another 47% of the region’s population living below the same poverty line.

The World Bank said the rise in poverty across the region has been driven largely by the situation in Pakistan. MENAAP is now the only region in the world where poverty remains above pre-COVID-19 levels and continues to rise.

Pakistan’s poverty rate increased by 6.4 percentage points between 2018-19 and 2024-25, based on the $3-a-day poverty line. Under the $4.20-a-day poverty line, poverty increased by 3.2 percentage points, pushing the rate above 20%.

The World Bank attributed the worsening situation to the COVID-19 pandemic, widespread floods in 2022, high inflation, the depreciation of Pakistan’s currency and prolonged economic reforms, which it said have reduced household incomes and job opportunities.

The report said that poverty rates based on the $3-a-day threshold have approached or exceeded 20% in Djibouti, Pakistan, Syria and Yemen.

The World Bank said the MENAAP region now accounts for 14% of the world’s poor population, making it the second-largest region in terms of poverty after Sub-Saharan Africa.