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Norway urges support for U.N. fund to aid Afghans
Norway on Tuesday urged other countries to contribute to a United Nations fund by providing cash directly to Afghans so they can survive the winter, its foreign minister told Reuters.
With the Afghan economy "imploding", the United Nations set up the fund last month to provide direct help for local households, bypassing the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan [IEA] and drawing on donor funds frozen since it took power in August.
Norway has pledged 200 million Norwegian crowns ($23 million) to the fund, which is managed by the U.N. Development Programme (UNDP), Reuters reported.
"We encourage other countries to do the same, to pitch in to avoid a pressing humanitarian crisis and a potential famine," Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt said in an interview ahead of a U.N. Security Council meeting on Wednesday.
Norway was also funneling cash to aid women's organisations in Afghanistan, she said, and Norway's humanitarian aid to the country would total 325 million crowns this year.
Norway will take over the U.N. Security Council presidency from January, read the report.
"I hope the discussion in the Security Council tomorrow will contribute to give some attention to the situation in Afghanistan ... to mobilise more funds," Huitfeldt said.
"(The fund's) purpose is to build a bridge between a humanitarian effort and something more long-term, in order for people to support themselves," she added.
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Saar: Revival of US military presence in Afghanistan discussed
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UAE president meets with Afghan Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani
President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Tuesday met with Sirajuddin Haqqani, Afghanistan’s Minister of Interior, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.
The meeting was held at Qasr Al Shati in Abu Dhabi, and the two sides discussed recent developments in Afghanistan.
They also explored ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation to serve the mutual interests of both nations, particularly in development-related areas.
The two officials reviewed efforts to support Afghanistan’s reconstruction and stability, aiming to foster development and prosperity for the Afghan people.
Haqqani hailed cooperation between the UAE and Afghanistan and commended the UAE for its humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people.
The IEA’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid stated Abdul Haq Wasiq, the General Director of Islamic Emirate’s Intelligence, is accompanying Haqqani.
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Khyber Pakhtunkhwa officials to visit Kabul in hope of finding solutions to disputes
In the hope of settling ongoing disputes, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur said he hopes to send a delegation to Afghanistan within two weeks to seek solutions to Pakistan-Afghanistan issues.
“The federal government talked about negotiations with Afghanistan over bilateral issues, but there’s no success. Now, the dialogue with Kabul will be held at the provincial level.
“A delegation of our [KP] government will meet Afghan officials within two weeks,” Gandapur was quoted by Dawn as saying.
He also said that a delegation of tribal elders from the province would also engage with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
He said he was hopeful that the IEA government would cooperate with the KP teams.
Pakistan has continued to blame Afghanistan for allowing Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to carry out attacks on KP soil from Afghanistan.
However, the IEA has repeatedly said they will not allow any group to plan or conduct attacks against another country from Afghanistan.
Gandapur meanwhile said he hopes the issues Pakistan has with Afghanistan would be resolved through negotiations.
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