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EU envoy hopes dialogue among Afghans takes place inside the country
The European Union’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Tomas Niklasson, has expressed hope that dialogue among Afghans will take place inside their country.
“I would hope that dialogue can take place inside their country. I don’t think there is a need to exclude Afghans from outside, but I think my experience is that to be able to have a meaningful dialogue you need to sit down face to face and engage over time, and that is lot much easier if you are in the same place,” Niklasson told reporters in Kabul on Sunday, after meeting officials of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) during his visit to the country.
“It is clear, I think, who would be on one side of the table, and that is of course the de facto authorities. It is more difficult to decide or to find a way of who should represent other Afghans. In fact, I don’t think we should necessarily think about this as a table with two sides. I think we should think about it more as a roundtable where you have different interests, different political interests, different ethnic origins, men and women who can come together,” Niklasson added.
The diplomat also said that the ban on women’s work in NGOs raises a “serious obstacle” to assistance reaching women and children.
“A harsh winter is coming to an end, but the humanitarian situation remains worse than ever, with more than 28 million vulnerable Afghans in need of assistance, more than half of them are children below the age of 17,” Niklasson said.
On the issue of ban on secondary schoolgirls and female university students, the envoy said that he did not hear any “firm commitment” that schools were going to open at the beginning of the school year which will commence in less than three weeks.
“Although many (ministers) confirmed the right of girls and women to study, I did not hear any firm commitment that schools were going to open at the beginning of the school year after Nowruz, despite very clear question from our side. But opening the schools and universities to provide quality education to Afghan boys and girls, women and men is not optional. It is a necessary investment in the future, in the next generation, in a better Afghanistan, and above all it is a request by all the Afghans we speak to,” Niklasson said.
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Afghanistan seeks closer trade cooperation with Uzbekistan
Uzbek officials also unveiled plans to open trade chambers in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan to help boost exports and improve market access for regional products.
Afghanistan has called on Uzbekistan to establish a coordination and liaison office at the Termez border market to strengthen direct business ties between the private sectors of the two countries.
The proposal was discussed during a meeting in Mazar-i-Sharif between Nooruddin Azizi, Afghanistan’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, and Amanbai Orynbaev, Chairman of the Supreme Council of Uzbekistan’s Karakalpakstan region.
During the talks, both sides explored opportunities to expand cooperation in the export of Afghan cotton, coal, fresh and dried fruits, as well as joint projects in food production, construction materials, tourism, pharmaceutical manufacturing, mineral processing, and investment in key economic sectors.
Uzbek officials also unveiled plans to open trade chambers in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan to help boost exports and improve market access for regional products.
As part of the visit, the Uzbek delegation inaugurated an expo of national products in Mazar-i-Sharif aimed at promoting trade and economic cooperation between the two neighbouring countries.
The Embassy of Japan in Afghanistan has announced scholarship opportunities for Afghan students under the Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program for the 2027 academic year.
According to the embassy, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan is offering scholarships for graduate-level study at Japanese universities under the research student category, including both regular and non-regular students.
Interested and eligible applicants can download the application guidelines and forms from the official Study in Japan website and are advised to carefully review all requirements before applying.
Applicants who meet the eligibility criteria and have prepared all required documents must submit their applications by 25 May 2026. The embassy said late or incomplete submissions will not be accepted.
The first screening process will include a written examination in Kabul on 18 June 2026, followed by interviews scheduled for July 2026 (date to be confirmed).
The Embassy of Japan noted that the Aga Khan Foundation Afghanistan will assist in collecting applications and facilitating written examinations, but will not be involved in the selection process.
It further emphasized that the selection will be conducted independently by the embassy and the Japanese government, based on academic merit, quality of application documents, and performance in written and interview examinations, without consideration of religious, linguistic, or ethnic background.
The scholarship program is fully funded and free of charge. The embassy warned applicants to remain cautious against scams, stressing that no financial contributions are required at any stage of the application process.
Abdul Salam Hanafi, Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs, has launched the distribution of more than 1,000 residential land plots for returning migrants in Logar province.
During a visit to Logar, Hanafi inaugurated a new township and said the initiative aims to support Afghan returnees by providing them with housing opportunities and improving settlement conditions.
He called for speeding up the process of distributing residential plots designated for migrants, stressing the importance of timely implementation.
“We inaugurated this township today, which includes more than 1,000 plots. These plots will be distributed to migrants. In addition, other townships will also be constructed soon,” he said.
Hanafi also noted that over the past three years, more than five million Afghan migrants have returned from neighboring countries, adding that efforts are underway to provide them with essential services and support their reintegration.
Afghanistan seeks closer trade cooperation with Uzbekistan
Japan announces MEXT scholarships for Afghan students for 2027 academic year
New township to provide over 1,000 land plots for returnees in Logar
Ariana Afghan Airlines lowers cargo rates on Kabul–Delhi route to boost exports
Pakistan ambassador urges Afghan authorities to act against militant threats
Bayat Power extends gas supply deal with Afghan Gas
New Afghanistan-China transport corridor launched via Turkmenistan
Afghanistan moves toward self-sufficiency in car battery production
Germany to launch online visa system for Afghan study and work applicants in Pakistan
War driving hidden climate crisis in Middle East, think tank warns
Tahawol: Afghanistan and Uzbekistan’s growing economic ties discussed
Saar: Afghanistan’s relations with the world discussed
Tahawol: Discussion on unknown fate of Middle East crisis
Saar: Problems and challenges of Afghan refugees in the world discussed
Tawsia: Discussion on Afghanistan’s economic path and position
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