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EU hoping to reopen Kabul diplomatic mission within a month
The EU is intending to reopen its diplomatic mission in Afghanistan within a month as the bloc seeks to strengthen its engagement with the new Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan government.
The Financial Times reported that the move means that EU diplomats will return to Kabul as Brussels seeks to co-ordinate aid efforts and the continued evacuation of some Afghans.
The planned return comes as global powers attempt to work out how to deal with the country’s new leaders, FT reported.
Brussels has said it seeks a “calibrated approach” to the IEA, pursuing engagement with the administration but stopping short of recognition.
It is also responding to efforts by China, Russia and Turkey, which did not close their embassies when Afghanistan’s former government was overthrown, to build close ties with the new regime, FT reported.
Brussels sent an exploratory mission to Afghanistan last month to assess the feasibility of sending diplomats back to Kabul, aware that without a presence on the ground, it lacked the access required to effectively implement a pledged regional aid package worth about €1bn.
Over the past month Brussels has sought to strike an agreement with Kabul that would allow private security personnel or member state guards to protect the building. But it has reluctantly accepted that there is no alternative to abiding by rules that mean foreign diplomatic representations must be guarded only by IEA security forces, a source told the Financial Times.
EU spokesperson Nabila Massrali said that “a final decision has not been taken yet” on the security provision.
“We can confirm that we are working on establishing a minimal presence on the ground. For security reasons, we cannot enter into the details,” she said in a statement to the FT.
“At this stage, this would only be for the EU. Member states may decide to join, but this is at their discretion. As to whom will guarantee the security of our staff, available options are being explored.
“As we have repeatedly said, this is not a sign of recognition. We want to be able to better assist the Afghan people who need our help by being closer and, inevitably, we need to engage with the Taliban (IEA),” she added.
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High-level Uzbek delegation arrives in Kabul to boost bilateral trade
A high-level government–private sector delegation from Uzbekistan, led by Shukhrat Abdullazakov, Governor of Namangan province, arrived in Kabul to enhance trade between the two countries and promote investment in Afghanistan.
According to a press release from the Ministry of Industry, the delegation, which includes deputy governors and more than 30 of Uzbekistan’s top businesspeople and investors, will meet with officials of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and participate in conferences and trade meetings.
The delegation will also travel to Balkh, meet with local officials, and hold business meetings with members of the private sector.
Additionally, the delegation will inaugurate an exhibition of Uzbek products and goods in Mazar-i-Sharif.
This visit follows the trip of Erkinjon Turdimov, Governor of Uzbekistan’s Syrdarya Province, and his accompanying delegation, and is based on meetings between Nuruddin Azizi, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Islamic Emirate, and senior Uzbek officials.
Other governors from Uzbekistan are also expected to visit Afghanistan to further expand bilateral trade and economic relations.
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Herat Chamber of Commerce donates 15 million AFN to the people of Iran
The Herat Chamber of Commerce and Investment announced on Saturday that national traders, jointly through the chamber, have provided approximately 15 million AFN in aid to the people of Iran.
The chamber stated that this aid package was delivered to the Iranian Consulate in Herat. It added that the assistance was intended to express solidarity with families affected by the war.
Mohammad Younes Qazizadeh, head of the Herat Chamber of Commerce and Investment, said: “Today we have presented 15 million AFN to the dear people of Iran through the Herat provincial authorities and the Iranian Consulate, and this aid will continue.”
Meanwhile, officials at the Iranian Consulate in Herat emphasized that Afghanistan and Iran always stand together and fully understand each other’s difficulties.
The Herat Chamber of Commerce and Investment also highlighted that the people of Iran have consistently supported the people of Afghanistan during various crises, and their cooperation in different sectors has reached families affected in the country.
Officials of the Herat Chamber of Commerce and Investment stressed that the process of private-sector humanitarian aid to the affected people of Iran will continue.
Following attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran, many people in the country have been affected and harmed.
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Severe floods in Badghis leave five dead
Local officials in Badghis have reported that heavy rainfall from midnight until Saturday morning claimed the lives of five people in the province.
According to officials, three people died in Qadis district, while two others, including a three-year-old child, lost their lives in Dara-e-Bum district.
The Badghis Department for Disaster Management stated that the floods not only caused fatalities but also inflicted significant financial losses on local residents and destroyed agricultural land.
However, complete information on the extent of damage and casualties is not yet available. Staff from various government departments have been dispatched to affected areas to conduct preliminary surveys.
Meanwhile, heavy rains and floods in western Afghanistan temporarily blocked the Herat–Kandahar Highway.
According to Mohammad Israil Sayar, head of the Disaster Management Department in Farah province, recent rainfall has caused the Farah River to swell significantly. He added that the situation has now returned to normal, and traffic along the highway has resumed.
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