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Married couple hold concert to promote women’s rights
Afghan singers Wajiha and Farid Rastagar held a concert on Thursday, the first day of Eid-ul-Fitr, in Kabul to promote the protection of women's rights during peace talks.
Wajiha and Farid Rastagar, both well known and popular, say that the message being sent out, by way of holding the concert, was one of preserving and strengthening the achievements of women over the past 20 years.
A number of women and civil society activists who attended the concert also stressed that there would be no peace without preserving the achievements of women.
The singers meanwhile emphasized that women's achievements and civil liberties should not be sacrificed in peace talks.
“We wanted to send the message that under no circumstances do we retreat, we are here and we are always present and in no way can they diminish our presence,” said Wajiha Rastagar.
“Our songs send a message to our people and our opponents to come and make peace with us because we have no choice but to hold hands and bring peace to the country,” said Farid Rastagar.
A number of women and civil activists who attended the concert also stressed that there would be no peace without preserving the achievements of women.
“We want to show our activity alongside our brothers in any field,” said Muzhda, a participant.
“We want to play a role in the peace talks and we want our achievements not to be ignored so that they do not value us when the Taliban come,” said Tahmena, another participant.
The participants say that they have made many sacrifices in the last two decades to consolidate their role in society and will not allow anyone to deal with their destiny.
This comes after the couple was not allowed to hold a concert during Ramadan month in Herat province.
The couple said earlier that the provincial officials prevented them from holding the concert due to security reasons.
The action sparked an outcry among social media users who criticized provincial officials for their decision.
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Suhail Shaheen meets with Chinese ambassador to Qatar
The head of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) political office in Doha, Suhail Shaheen, met with China’s ambassador to Qatar late Monday for talks on bilateral relations, good neighborliness, and trade and investment opportunities between the two countries.
“About the Wakhan road, the export of Afghanistan's fresh fruit to China, the reconstruction of cold stores, China's assistance in the field of medical equipment to the Ministry of Health and good neighborliness between the two countries were discussed,” Shaheen said in a voice message.
China and the Islamic Emirate have been rapidly expanding relations in recent months.
Experts, meanwhile, have said that other countries need to engage with the IEA, as China is doing, in order for Afghanistan to come out of isolation.
Shaheen also met with Katharina Ritz, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation to Afghanistan.
He discussed numerous issues including humanitarian assistance, health sector challenges and climate change.
Both sides emphasized that ICRC activities need to be expanded, considering the needs of the people.
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IFRC reports over half of Afghanistan’s population needs urgent humanitarian aid
Afghanistan ranks among the most vulnerable countries globally to climate change and disaster risks
The International Federation of Red Crescent (IFRC) has reported that Afghanistan continues to face prolonged and complex humanitarian crises.
IFRC said in a report published on Tuesday, that about 23.7 million people, more than half of Afghanistan’s population, are in urgent need of humanitarian aid.
According to the IFRC, natural disasters, the growing impact of climate change, population displacement, economic challenges, and food insecurity are the main factors contributing to Afghanistan’s ongoing humanitarian crisis.
Afghanistan ranks among the most vulnerable countries globally to climate change and disaster risks.
The country is also prone to earthquakes, with nearly 400 tremors recorded in the last three years, including significant quakes, such as the 6.3 magnitude in Herat Province in October last year.
The compounding effects of disasters in the country have exacerbated the already fragile situation in Afghanistan, the IFRC’s report read.
These successive disasters have pushed more Afghans into poverty and heightened their vulnerability.
In addition, Afghanistan’s economic crisis is widespread, with more than half of households experiencing an economic shock.
The country’s economy is heavily dependent on foreign aid and remittances, which have declined significantly since the political change in 2021.
This has resulted in high levels of unemployment, challenging people’s coping mechanisms and thwarting the already fragile economy’s ability to adapt to shocks, the report read.
The IFRC said more than 85 percent of the country’s population is now living below the poverty line.
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Maldives recalls envoy to Pakistan over meeting with Afghanistan envoy
The island nation’s foreign ministry said the much publicized meeting had not been sanctioned by the government
The Maldives government has recalled its top diplomat in Pakistan after he had an unauthorized meeting with an Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan envoy in Islamabad.
The island nation’s foreign ministry said the much publicized meeting between the Maldives High Commissioner Mohamed Thoha and IEA envoy Sardar Ahmad Shakeeb on Friday had not been sanctioned by the government.
Maldives media reported that the foreign ministry stated: “Consequently, appropriate action has been taken by the government of Maldives.”
Thoha’s name has also been removed from the website of the Maldives mission in Islamabad, and an official source told AFP that he had been recalled.
Since regained control of Afghanistan in August 2021, no country has yet officially recognized the government.
However, the IEA has been making inroads into the diplomatic arena and has official missions now stationed in a number of regional countries.
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