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Khalilzad discusses peace with Afghan women and Ulema
After wrapping up a four-day visit to Kabul, US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad said on Monday that he met with a broad-spectrum of Afghan society to hear their thoughts on the peace process.
Khalilzad tweeted: “Before I left Kabul, I met with a roundtable of women’s rights leaders & religious scholars to hear their candid thoughts regarding the state of affairs for Afghan women, including their essential place in a republic & inclusive peace process.”
“We share the fundamental view that women’s voices must be heard in the ongoing peace talks and the influential position women (and) ulema have in encouraging a just and durable peace for all Afghans,” Khalilzad tweeted.
Earlier Monday, the US Embassy issued a statement reporting that Khalilzad met with government and political leaders, civil society activists, and the diplomatic community during his visit to Kabul to discuss preparations for the upcoming Istanbul conference.
The US Embassy said in each engagement, Khalilzad underscored the importance for both sides to accelerate the peace process.
The US-proposed Istanbul Conference is expected to start on April 16 and will bring together a wide range of stakeholders.
However, late Monday, the Taliban told Ariana News the group was not ready to take part at the conference.
The group’s spokesman Mohammad Naeem said that if the conference is postponed and another date is set, they will hold discussions on whether to attend and will then “share the details of our decisions.”
This comes as the May 1 deadline for a full troop withdrawal looms.
But with less than three weeks to go, the US has still not decided on whether to withdraw all troops or to extend their presence in Afghanistan.
The troop withdrawal deadline was agreed to in February last year between the US and the Taliban, but without the Afghan government’s participation.
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Afghanistan now has unified central government: IEA defense minister
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
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.
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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