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Famine may have been averted, but Afghan economic crisis deepens: UN envoy

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Humanitarian agencies may have distributed enough aid in Afghanistan to avert famine and large-scale starvation, but the country’s economic collapse is “approaching a point of irreversibility,” the UN envoy to Kabul said on Wednesday.

UN Special Representative Deborah Lyons told the UN Security Council that it is “most urgent” to resolve the root problems of the economic crisis, but doing so will require cooperating on all issues with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) who seized power in August, Reuters reported.

“We do not believe that we can truly assist the Afghan people without working with the defacto authorities,” Lyons said in urging the council to approve a new mandate for her mission.

The IEA authorities lack international recognition six months after taking control of Kabul as the last US-led international troops departed, ending 20 years of war, Reuters reported.

According to Reuters donors cut financial aid constituting more than 70% of government expenditures and about $9 billion in Afghan central bank assets were frozen. Many of IEA’s leaders remain under US and UN sanctions.

The moves accelerated an economic collapse, fueling a cash shortage, joblessness and hunger, prompting UN warnings that more than half of the 39 million people faced starvation, Reuters reported.

Lyons told the council that UN agencies and their partners have supplied aid to nearly 20 million Afghans across the country.

“We believe, as the winter season comes to an end, that we have perhaps averted our worst fears of famine and widespread starvation,” she said.

Lyons, however, said that urgent steps must be taken to address the liquidity crisis, restrictions on international payments and constraints on the central bank.

“Six months of indecision, marked by continued sanctions albeit with some relief, and unstructured political engagement, are eroding the vital social and economic coping systems and pushing the population into greater uncertainty,” she said.

“What we have done has been only to buy a little time.”

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Afghanistan now has unified central government: IEA defense minister

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Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, the Minister of Defense of the Islamic Emirate, says that Afghanistan currently has a unified central government, and that no groups engaging in destructive activities are present in the country. He added that they will not allow anyone to undermine the country’s security.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Defense, Mujahid made these remarks at a graduation ceremony for commandos of the Special Forces Division. The ceremony was attended by Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Minister of Interior; several cabinet ministers; foreign ambassadors and military attachés; special representatives; and a number of officials and military personnel.

Addressing the commandos, Yaqoob Mujahid said: “In the service you perform, make the pleasure of Almighty Allah your sole intention, because Almighty Allah will reward you for such an intention in this world and the hereafter. There is now a unified central government in the country, and no groups engaging in destructive activities are present. We will also not allow anyone to undermine security.”

He also added: “I assure our people that these forces will defend the lives, property, and territory of their beloved country with full courage and wisdom. I tell all foreign countries that Afghanistan is now secure, and there is no enemy in this country, whether from within or outside, that poses a threat to others.”

At the ceremony, Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani also said: “For half a century, Afghanistan did not have an independent army. However, now, it has an organized army and other security forces. You are not a ceremonial army, nor do you operate to serve the interests of others; rather, you are an organized and independent army. Although we may be materially weak, we are stronger than others in terms of morale and spirituality. We must maintain high morale, avoid acting emotionally in military affairs, and respond to the enemy at the appropriate time. We are not a threat to anyone; rather, we are defenders of our own land.”

It is worth noting that 1,000 young commandos of the Special Forces Division of the Ministry of Defense graduated from the eighth training course after completing six months of professional, ideological, and commando training.

During the ceremony, the graduating commandos, in cooperation with the Air Force, demonstrated coordinated practical and military exercises using various types of unmanned aircraft.

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Baradar approves action plan for establishing special economic zones

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The action plan for establishing special economic zones across the country was approved on Wednesday by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs.

According to a decree issued by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Emirate, these special economic zones will be established in the provinces of Kabul, Balkh, Nangarhar, Kandahar, Herat, Paktia, and Kunduz.

Under the plan, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, in cooperation with other relevant ministries and government agencies, will identify the land required for these zones, determine the necessary sectoral activities and services, and create the conditions needed to attract investment.

The establishment of these special economic zones is aimed at attracting new investments, achieving a relative balance between exports and imports, and expanding production activities in a suitable environment, paving the way for a new phase of economic development in the country.

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Russian deputy prime minister to visit Kabul with high-level economic delegation

The visit aims to strengthen economic and trade relations between Afghanistan and Russia, explore investment opportunities and discuss potential joint economic projects.

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Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk is scheduled to visit Kabul on Thursday, leading a high-level economic delegation, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced.

According to a statement by the ministry, the visit aims to strengthen economic and trade relations between Afghanistan and Russia, explore investment opportunities and discuss potential joint economic projects.

The visit is expected to provide an opportunity for officials from both countries to discuss ways of expanding bilateral economic cooperation and identifying new areas for trade and investment.

The ministry did not provide further details about the delegation’s programme or the specific projects expected to be discussed during the visit.

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