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Muttaqi and Akhund meet UAE delegation, discusses bilateral relations
Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met on Wednesday with a delegation from the United Arab Emirates led by Ali Mohammed bin Hammad Al Shamsi, Chairman of the UAE’s Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security.
The foreign ministry said that during the meeting, held in Kabul, they discussed economic cooperation and bilateral relations.
According to the Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi, Muttaqi said that the UAE was in a very good position and could play a role as a gateway for Afghanistan to trade with the world.
“The UAE is in a good position and will serve as a gateway for Afghanistan to increase our exports,” Muttaqi said.
Referring to trade relations between the two countries, Hammad Al Shamsi also mentioned his country’s cooperation and investment in the economic, education, technical and agricultural sectors.
This comes amid ongoing negotiations between Qatar, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates for the management of Kabul Airport and four other Afghan airports.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has said that the United Arab Emirates is also interested in participating in the management of the airports, and that companies from the three countries may reach a joint agreement on the management of the airports.
Afghan Prime Minister Mullah Akhund on Wednesday also met with Al Shamsi, and discussed bilateral relations, said Mohammad Naeem, Islamic Emirate political office spokesperson.
Al Shamsi said in the meeting with Akhund that the UAE is ready to invest in land ports in Helmand and Kandahar, and a railway and solar power system in Afghanistan, said Naeem. Deputy prime ministers Baradar and Hanafi as well as foreign minister Muttaqi were also at the meeting, Naeem said.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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