Afghanistan continues to face one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which has warned that restrictions affecting women and girls could further hinder access to essential healthcare services.

Olga Cherevko, OCHA’s Head of Communications in Afghanistan, said in a post on X that frontline health workers are saving the lives of mothers and newborns every day despite significant challenges. She stressed that continued support for Afghanistan’s healthcare system is vital to maintaining life-saving maternal and newborn health services.

Cherevko also called on the international community to sustain humanitarian assistance, saying ongoing support is crucial to protecting the health and well-being of mothers and infants across the country.

The warning comes amid continued concerns over healthcare access and funding shortages, which aid organizations say could undermine progress in reducing preventable maternal and newborn deaths.

Meanwhile, officials at Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health have previously stated that maternal mortality has declined in recent years. The ministry has questioned figures published by some international organizations, arguing that such estimates do not reflect the reality on the ground and are not based on comprehensive national statistics.

Kazakhstan has formally approved the establishment of a United Nations Regional Center for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty, after President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a ratification law on June 17.

The legislation ratifies a memorandum of understanding between the Kazakh government and the United Nations on the creation of the center, paving the way for the launch of the first UN regional SDG center of its kind.

According to Kazakhstan’s presidential press service, the center will serve as a platform for promoting sustainable development, regional cooperation, and the implementation of the UN’s development agenda across Central Asia and Afghanistan.

The initiative builds on a host country agreement signed by Tokayev and UN Secretary-General António Guterres in August 2025, underscoring Kazakhstan’s growing role in regional and international diplomacy.

Presenting the bill to the Senate on June 11, Senator Bibigul Zheksenbai described the center as strategically important for Kazakhstan, saying its location in Almaty would strengthen the city’s status as an international diplomatic and business hub.

She noted that the project would also expand opportunities for promoting Kazakhstan’s priorities within UN institutions, increase the participation of Kazakh professionals in international organizations, and contribute to the development of their expertise.

Under the memorandum, Kazakhstan has committed to providing a voluntary contribution of $3 million annually from 2025 through 2029. The funding will be used to equip the center with modern technology, communications systems, and IT infrastructure, as well as to cover operational expenses.

The establishment of the center is expected to enhance regional cooperation on sustainable development issues while supporting international efforts aimed at fostering economic growth, stability, and development in Central Asia and Afghanistan.

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), has responded to the European Union’s renewed call for an inclusive political process, saying Afghanistan has achieved peace and stability and is now focused on economic development.

Speaking on the issue, Mujahid said the Afghan people have emerged from decades of war and instability, adding that the country’s security forces are capable of maintaining order and safeguarding national stability.

“Peace and stability exist in Afghanistan. The people have been rescued from war, misery, disputes and conflict. We have strong security forces capable of maintaining stability, and now the priority is to ensure Afghanistan’s economy stands on its own and achieves significant growth,” he said.

Mujahid also called on the international community to expand engagement with Afghanistan rather than express concerns about the country’s situation.

“We want other countries not to be worried about Afghanistan, but to discuss and strengthen their relations and overall engagement with the country,” he added.

His remarks came after the European Union, speaking at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, once again emphasized the need for an inclusive political process in Afghanistan, arguing that such a framework could contribute to long-term peace and stability.

The EU also called for unhindered humanitarian access throughout Afghanistan and stressed the importance of ensuring women’s participation in the delivery of humanitarian assistance.

The Islamic Emirate has consistently maintained that the issue of forming an inclusive government is an internal Afghan matter and has described foreign comments on the subject as interference in the country’s domestic affairs.

The debate over political inclusion remains one of the key issues raised by the international community in its engagement with Afghanistan since the Islamic Emirate returned to power in August 2021.