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MSF warns of sharp rise in severe child malnutrition in Southern Afghanistan

The organization noted that more than 1,500 severely malnourished children were admitted to its feeding center at Boost Provincial Hospital in Helmand,

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Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has warned of a sharp increase in severe acute malnutrition among children in southern Afghanistan, saying growing numbers of critically ill patients are arriving too late to receive timely treatment.

According to MSF, admissions to its inpatient therapeutic feeding centers in Helmand and Kandahar between January and April 2026 were more than 30 percent higher than the average recorded during the same period over the previous three years. Most of the affected children were under the age of one.

MSF said the worsening crisis has been driven by a combination of severe funding cuts to humanitarian programs, prolonged drought, food insecurity, and disruptions to medical and food supplies. The organization warned that the closure or suspension of hundreds of health facilities has weakened early detection and treatment services for malnutrition.

“Children are reaching us far too late, often in critical condition with preventable medical complications,” said Ana Lilia Banda, MSF’s medical coordinator in southern Afghanistan. She stressed that restoring outpatient and inpatient nutrition services is essential to prevent avoidable child deaths.

The organization noted that more than 1,500 severely malnourished children were admitted to its feeding center at Boost Provincial Hospital in Helmand during the first four months of 2026—more than double the number recorded during the same period in 2022. In Kandahar, more than 570 children received inpatient treatment, while over 300 patients had to be referred to other health facilities because of limited capacity.

MSF also highlighted the growing impact of maternal malnutrition, saying many mothers lack adequate food, making it difficult to properly breastfeed and care for their infants.

The organization has called on international donors, Afghan health authorities, and humanitarian organizations to urgently restore funding for nutrition programs, ensure an uninterrupted supply of therapeutic food and essential medicines, and expand lifesaving services to prevent the crisis from worsening.

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Afghanistan embassy in Malaysia marks five years of IEA rule

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The Embassy of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in Malaysia on Tuesday held a ceremony to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the Islamic Emirate’s return to power. The event was attended by Malaysian government officials and diplomats, religious scholars, members of royal families, representatives of international and Islamic organizations, Afghan traders and Afghans living in Malaysia.

Naqibullah Ahmadi, the acting head of the embassy, described the anniversary as the result of the courage and sacrifices of the Afghan people and highlighted progress over the past five years in security, stability, economic growth, infrastructure and public services.

He emphasized balanced engagement with the international community and called for expanded cooperation between Afghanistan and Malaysia in trade, transit, agriculture, mining and investment.

Meanwhile, Dato’ Ahmad Azam Abdul Rahman, Special Adviser to Malaysia’s Foreign Minister, congratulated Afghanistan on the fifth anniversary of the victory and emphasized the continuation of relations between the two countries.

He expressed Malaysia’s readiness to share its experience in Islamic banking, halal certification, public health, agriculture, mining and good governance.

The ceremony also featured a video presentation highlighting developments in Afghanistan over the past five years. The event concluded with prayers for lasting peace, prosperity and national unity in Afghanistan.

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Qatar’s ambassador visits Panjshir for first time, discusses development projects

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Panjshir’s media office says that Mirdif Al-Qashouti, Qatar’s ambassador to Afghanistan, has visited Panjshir for the first time, following efforts by the provincial administration to attract investment and development projects.

Mohammad Agha Hakim, the governor of Panjshir, described relations between Afghanistan and Qatar as important during his meeting with the Qatari ambassador and called for increased investment by Islamic countries and Arab businessmen in the province.

Highlighting Panjshir’s potential in horticulture, agriculture and mining, he said apples, cherries, grapes and walnuts are among the province’s key products and that investment opportunities are available in these sectors. According to him, mining operations are currently underway at around 600 mines, while around 2,000 additional mines have been identified.

The Qatari ambassador described Afghanistan as a brotherly country and a longstanding friend of Qatar and reaffirmed his country’s support for Afghanistan. He said Qatar is committed to implementing various projects in Panjshir and plans to invest in establishing companies to process the province’s fresh and dried fruits.

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MoU signed to establish joint-stock company to boost investment in Afghanistan

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A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment and the Chamber of Industries and Mines to establish a joint-stock company aimed at financing major economic and infrastructure projects and promoting investment in Afghanistan.

The agreement was signed on Tuesday at the Government Media and Information Center in the presence of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs.

Speaking at the ceremony, Baradar said the new company would provide a structured mechanism for mobilizing private capital to finance large-scale economic and infrastructure projects.

He said the private sector has a key role to play in Afghanistan’s economic growth, particularly in boosting domestic production, creating jobs, expanding exports and financing major development projects.

Baradar said the company would pool the capital of traders, industrialists and investors under an organized, transparent and legal framework, allowing their combined resources to be used for major projects.

He also said the Islamic Emirate had created a secure environment for investors and industrialists and was working to streamline administrative procedures, provide legal and economic facilities, and remove barriers to investment.

Baradar called on traders, industrialists and investors to pool their resources and jointly invest in Afghanistan’s economic development. He also urged government institutions to provide comprehensive support to the private sector.

Under the agreement, the joint-stock company will focus on implementing infrastructure projects across various sectors and is expected to create new opportunities for investment in the country.

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