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Obama stresses on financial assistances of donor countries to Afghanistan

Published

8 years ago

July 10, 2016

(Last Updated On: October 24, 2022)

President Barack Obama has considered the financial assistances of the donor countries to Afghanistan a strong message of enduring commitment.

President Obama’s final NATO summit wrapped up as a testament to stalled progress he sought on two fronts at his first alliance meeting seven years ago: a bolstered commitment to Afghanistan to allow the U.S. to wind down its role there, and the pursuit of “a constructive relationship with Russia,” as he put it in 2009.

Instead, the alliance is preparing for a mission in Afghanistan that will continue into a third decade, and its leaders detailed on Saturday an increased military presence in Eastern Europe in a bid to thwart continued Russian aggression.

” NATO will do more also to fight against terrorist networks. Every ally already contributes to the campaign against ISIL. Building on my decision to largely maintain the current U.S. troop presence in Afghanistan into next year, 39 nations, including the U.S., have committed more than 12,000 troops to NATO’s training mission. And, in addition, some 30 nations have pledged upwards of $900 million to help sustain Afghan forces which is a very strong message of our enduring commitment to Afghanistan.”

Afghan security forces will carry on fighting against the Taliban, Islamic State and other terrorist groups with the support of the international community’s train, advise and assist mission.

The president acknowledged that history will record him as the first to serve two full terms with the nation at war.

But because U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have shifted from combat to training and assisting local forces against militant groups, they are “fundamentally different” from when he took office, Obama said. He acknowledged that against terrorist groups, the end of a conflict might not be as discrete as it once was, citing the example of Gen. Douglas MacArthur meeting with Japanese Emperor Hirohito at the end of World War II.

“Because they’re nonstate actors, it’s very hard for us ever to get the satisfaction of MacArthur and the emperor meeting and a war officially being over,” Obama said.

He did reiterate to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani that the U.S. was open to reconciliation talks with the Taliban, should the latter be open to returning to the negotiating table.

‘‘It was a clear message for the militants to lay down arms and join the peace process. Otherwise, the international community is committed to fighting them,’’ said Gen. Dawlat Waziri, spokesman for the Afghan Defense Ministry.

The support for the Afghan government would potentially affect the Taliban’s operational leadership. Waziri added, “The Taliban are losing hope as they learn that we are capable of fighting them.’’

The reality on the ground belied his optimism. The Taliban controls more territory in the country than it has since the U.S.-led invasion 15 years ago, according to U.N. estimates. And more than 5,500 Afghan troops were killed last year in combat with the Taliban that revealed significant shortcomings among Afghan security forces.

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Iranian official: Only vulnerable points of Afghanistan’s border will be walled and fenced

Published

10 hours ago

May 6, 2024

Ariana News

(Last Updated On: May 6, 2024)

An Iranian security official has said that the entire border of Iran with Afghanistan will not be fenced, rather barriers will be created only at vulnerable points.

Iranian army has announced that the plan to create barriers at the border with a four-meter concrete wall, barbed wire and fence will be implemented within three years.

“In some northwestern and eastern borders, there are threats from the other side of the borders that we are countering,” said Qassem Rezaei, Iran’s deputy police commander.

He added that drug trafficking, human trafficking, and even terrorist infiltration may take place through these borders.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Interior of Iran Ahmad Vahidi has announced that over 1.3 million illegal foreign nationals have returned to their country in the past year.

He added that illegal citizens should leave Iran as they are not allowed to stay.

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Hanafi meets WHO regional director, stresses need for cooperation

Published

19 hours ago

May 6, 2024

Ariana News

(Last Updated On: May 6, 2024)

Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs Abdul Salam Hanafi on Sunday met with WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Hanan Balkhy, and called for the organization’s cooperation including in the establishment of clinics in remote areas and training of specialists.

According to a statement released by his office, Hanafi pointed out that since the Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan regained power, there has been progress in various fields, including the fight against drug production and trafficking, the roundup and treatment of drug addicts, the eradication of corruption and nationwide security.

He asked the WHO to hand over Afghanistan’s seat to the representative of the Islamic Emirate and restore Afghanistan’s membership in meetings of the executive board and leadership meetings of the Mediterranean region.

Hanafi also called for the cooperation of international organizations in providing alternative livelihoods for poppy farmers and in providing assistance to flood victims.

While stressing that the eradication of polio is one of the priorities of the Islamic Emirate, Hanafi asked the WHO to activate polio diagnosis laboratories and supply vaccines, establish a cancer treatment center, prevent malnutrition among children and provide safe drinking water.

According to the statement, WHO official Balkhy said in the meeting that the health issue is non-political and one of the priorities of the organization.

She pointed to the achievements of the Islamic Emirate in various fields and expressed hope that better conditions will be provided for Afghans in the health and education sector.

Balkhy explained that WHO, together with other international organizations and the European Union, has a three-year project that includes the establishment of health centers in different provinces of Afghanistan.

She also expressed her appreciation for the efforts of the Islamic Emirate in the fight against polio and added that she will discuss the issue of providing alternative livelihoods for Afghan farmers with the WHO and other relevant organizations.

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OIC summit urges IEA to respect girls’ right to education

Published

21 hours ago

May 6, 2024

Ariana News

(Last Updated On: May 6, 2024)

The 15th summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Gambia on Sunday called on the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) to respect Afghan girls and women’s right to education and work.

In a declaration, OIC described the right to education and work as the fundamental rights of Afghan girls and women, and called for more communication with the IEA authorities on these issues.

Additionally, the participants emphasized the need for more efforts to address the challenges related to ethnic groups, drugs, terrorism, and social issues to ensure inclusive governance and sustainable peace and stability in Afghanistan.

“We also emphasize the need to make more efforts to address the challenges associated with ethnic groups, terrorism, drugs and social aspects for inclusive governance to achieve sustainable stability,” the declaration said.

Delegations from the 57 OIC member states attended the conference, organized by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation under the theme “Enhancing unity and solidarity through dialogue for sustainable development.”.

The summit was also attended by an IEA delegation.