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Islamic Emirate officials stress unity, self-reliance on fifth anniversary
On foreign policy, Hanafi said the Islamic Emirate wants relations with neighboring countries, the wider region and the international community based on non-interference, mutual respect and shared interests.
Senior Islamic Emirate officials on Saturday marked the fifth anniversary of their return to power with calls for preserving the current system, strengthening national unity, boosting economic self-reliance and expanding ties with neighboring and regional countries.
The ceremony was held at the Loya Jirga Hall in Kabul, where officials also highlighted security, infrastructure development and the government’s foreign policy.
Noor Mohammad Saqib, Minister of Hajj and Religious Affairs, said Afghanistan was considered one of the world’s most insecure countries before the Islamic Emirate returned to power, but is now, he claimed, the “most secure country in the world.”
Abdul Salam Hanafi, Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs, said administrative corruption had been eliminated under the Islamic Emirate. He said the completion of the Qosh Tepa Canal could enable Afghanistan to achieve food self-sufficiency and eventually export agricultural products.
Hanafi also highlighted the major electricity, gas and railway projects across the country.
On foreign policy, Hanafi said the Islamic Emirate wants relations with neighboring countries, the wider region and the international community based on non-interference, mutual respect and shared interests.
He said Afghanistan would not allow its territory to be used against the security of neighboring or other countries.
In a message read at the ceremony, Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund called on Afghans to defend the Islamic system and cooperate with the government in security and development efforts to help consolidate stability.
Abdul Latif Nazari, Deputy Minister for Professional Affairs at the Ministry of Economy, criticized the role of foreign countries during the previous 20 years, saying they had exercised significant influence over Afghanistan’s political, social and cultural affairs.
Nazari said the current government had helped reduce what he described as identity divisions and strengthen national unity. He also claimed that Afghanistan had made economic progress despite international sanctions and that greater transparency had been created for domestic investment.
Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said Afghans reject “foreign ideology and occupation” and urged countries that have not engaged with the Islamic Emirate to reconsider their policies toward Kabul.
Muttaqi also called for greater self-reliance in the economy, industry and technology sectors, saying Afghanistan should reduce its dependence on other countries.
Information and Culture Minister Shir Ahmad Haqqani said “Sharia” had replaced what he called “the hated democracy.” He said the Islamic Emirate had not accepted instructions from other countries in forming its government and would not do so in the future.
Haqqani also said the international community has not recognized the Islamic Emirate because Sharia is in force in Afghanistan, but insisted that the authorities would not abandon their position.
Noorullah Noori, Minister of Borders, Tribes and Tribal Affairs, described the current level of unity in Afghanistan as “unprecedented” and called for its preservation.
The UN refugee agency’s representative in Afghanistan has called on the international community to maintain their support for Afghanistan, warning that the return of more than 6.5 million Afghans over the past three years has placed significant pressure on the country.
Arafat Jamal, UNHCR Representative in Afghanistan, made the remarks during the eighth International Conference on Action with Women and Peace in Seoul, South Korea, where he highlighted the challenges facing returnees amid poverty, drought and climate-related disasters.
He said the returning population accounts for around 15 percent of Afghanistan’s total population, describing the influx as one of the world’s largest movements of people. He added that Afghanistan was struggling to absorb the large-scale returns due to its existing economic and humanitarian challenges.
Jamal also highlighted difficulties facing Afghan women, saying that the absence of war does not necessarily mean all citizens enjoy safety.
In a separate interview with The Korea Times during his visit to Seoul, Jamal said supporting refugees and vulnerable countries was not simply an act of charity but an investment in a safer and more stable international environment.
He stressed that Afghanistan’s strategic location, bordering seven countries including China, Pakistan and Iran, makes its stability a matter of wider international concern. Although the country is relatively calm at present, he cautioned that this situation should not be taken for granted without continued international support.
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ICC halts probe into alleged crimes by US troops in Afghanistan
The court cited “significant limitations” on the prosecutor’s ability to carry out investigations and obtain evidence.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has halted its investigation into alleged crimes committed by US troops in Afghanistan, according to court documents released on Friday.
The decision was issued on Thursday but made public a day later. The court cited “significant limitations” on the prosecutor’s ability to carry out investigations and obtain evidence.
The ruling also brings an end to the investigation into alleged crimes committed by the Islamic State group’s affiliate in Khorasan Province (ISKP).
The prosecutor’s office has appealed the decision, according to statements provided to the Associated Press and Reuters.
The decision comes amid strained relations between Washington and the Hague-based court. The United States previously imposed sanctions on 13 current and former ICC staff members over investigations into alleged crimes by US personnel and arrest warrants issued against Israeli officials.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had earlier said that President Donald Trump would never allow the ICC to prosecute Americans. In an October statement, Rubio also warned that Washington would continue efforts to dismantle the court until Americans were no longer at risk of prosecution.
It remains unclear whether the latest ruling will affect the US position towards the ICC. The United States is not a member of the court and does not recognise its jurisdiction.
Under the court’s founding statute, however, the ICC can prosecute individuals accused of serious international crimes committed on the territory of its member states.
The investigation into Afghanistan began in 2020.
In 2021, the then ICC prosecutor, Karim Khan, announced that his office would deprioritise investigations into US forces, citing difficulties in obtaining evidence.
Khan was removed from his position earlier this year following allegations of sexual misconduct.
Uzbekistan and Belgium have discussed the situation in Afghanistan and regional efforts to develop a common approach towards the country.
Uzbekistan’s Special Representative of the President for Afghanistan, Ismatulla Irgashev, held talks with Belgium’s Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Matthias Kende, according to Uzbekistan’s Foreign Ministry.
During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on the latest developments in Afghanistan and discussed issues related to bilateral cooperation on the Afghan track.
Kende praised Uzbekistan’s efforts to promote a consolidated regional position on Afghanistan.
The meeting was held in a constructive atmosphere, with both sides reaffirming their interest in strengthening practical dialogue between Tashkent and Brussels.
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