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Fletcher: Donor countries must not abandon Afghanistan
Tom Fletcher, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, has urged donor countries not to abandon Afghanistan amid the difficult circumstances it is facing.
In an exclusive interview with Ariana News, Fletcher stated that humanitarian needs in Afghanistan remain high and stressed that the voices of Afghan women and girls will not go unheard on the UN stage, and their challenges will not be ignored.
“As you mentioned, the humanitarian needs in Afghanistan are very significant. More than 20 million people in Afghanistan currently require humanitarian assistance. I wanted to spend nearly a week in Afghanistan to visit Kandahar, Kunduz, and here in Kabul, speak with local communities, and understand how they perceive their extensive humanitarian needs. I also met with our outstanding aid teams working in the field. They tell me that the scale of the needs is as large as ever, because in addition to decades of war, poverty, and inequality, the climate crisis has now added to these problems—especially affecting the most vulnerable,” said Fletcher.
He added that the U.S. aid cuts have impacted their operations in Afghanistan.
Fletcher stated: “My message to donor countries and the international community is very simple: do not retreat. Do not abandon Afghanistan and leave it to face these enormous needs alone. We must be here. We must remain here sustainably, engage in dialogue with local communities, be as effective as possible, and deliver aid with the generosity required by this moment.”
He further noted that Afghanistan has taken steps toward progress and has achieved the necessary economic development to stand independently without international reliance.
“As humanitarian aid workers, our future goal should be to be no longer needed here, because Afghanistan has found its own way, has taken its path toward development, and has achieved the economic progress necessary to stand independently without international support. Our ideal should be that one day Afghanistan does not need us and we can leave,” he added.
Tom Fletcher also emphasized that, within the framework of the United Nations and with whatever budget they can secure, they will remain in Afghanistan and continue to serve as effectively as possible.
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Afghan border minister holds phone talks with Iran’s deputy foreign minister
Noorullah Noori, Afghanistan’s Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs, held a phone conversation with Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, to discuss bilateral border cooperation.
According to the Iranian news agency IRNA, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening border collaboration, with a particular focus on the ongoing renovation and updating of border markers. They also agreed to accelerate joint technical and legal meetings to enhance coordination.
As part of the agreement, the next meeting of senior border officials from Afghanistan and Iran is scheduled to take place in Iran in 1405 (2026–2027).
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OIC Kabul mission chief meets German envoy to discuss Afghanistan situation
The Director General of the OIC Mission in Kabul, Mohammed Saeed Alayyash, met on Sunday with Rolf Dieter Reinhard, Head of the German Liaison Office for Afghanistan in Doha and Acting Chargé d’Affaires of the German Embassy in Afghanistan.
During the discussion, both sides exchanged views on the latest developments in Afghanistan. They focused on the security situation, as well as the humanitarian and economic conditions faced by the Afghan people.
The two officials also reviewed recent political developments and broader challenges in the country, highlighting the need for continued international engagement and support.
The meeting emphasized the importance of ongoing cooperation and coordination between the OIC Mission and the German side in addressing Afghanistan’s challenges and in supporting efforts to promote stability and improve the humanitarian situation.
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Pakistan president claims situation in Afghanistan is ‘similar to or worse than pre-9/11’’
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari has warned that the presence of militant groups in the region poses risks to global peace, and repeated Islamabad’s concerns regarding what it describes as the activities of “terrorist organisations operating from Afghanistan.”
Zardari made the remarks in a statement issued Sunday, as he thanked world leaders for expressing solidarity with Pakistan following the recent attack on an imambargah in Islamabad, which left dozens dead and many others wounded. The incident was claimed by Daesh militant group.
According to the statement from the President’s Secretariat, Zardari said Pakistan remains committed to combating terrorism and stressed that no single country can address the threat alone.
“Pakistan has long maintained that terrorism cannot be confronted by a single country in isolation,” he was quoted as saying.
Citing Pakistan’s experience, he said in the statement that whenever “terrorist groups are allowed space, facilitation or impunity beyond national borders, the consequences are borne by innocent civilians all over the world.”
Zardari further claimed that the situation in Afghanistan under the Islamic Emirate authorities has created conditions “similar to or worse than pre-9/11,” and said this has influenced security developments across the region. IEA has repeatedly rejected such allegations, insisting that Afghan soil is not used against any country.
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