Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, deputy foreign minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, says the use of bombs and chemical weapons during decades of war in Afghanistan has harmed the country's environment.

Speaking at a National Climate Change Conference in Kabul on Wednesday, Stanikzai called on the international community and countries involved in Afghanistan's wars to not politicize environmental issues and to cooperate with Afghanistan.

“Those harmful bombs, devices, chemical weapons, and explosives that were used here unfortunately still have visible effects. In many of our areas, landmines are buried, and their effects are being seen in the second generation today,” said Stanekzai.

He further stated that 80 percent of Afghanistan's forests have been destroyed due to the wars and stressed that to overcome the current crisis, the country’s water resources must be managed, as Afghanistan is already facing a water shortage.

He said: “You can see that across all of Afghanistan, the water levels are dropping, and Afghanistan is facing a water shortage. If we don’t control our water, and if things continue this way, it will be detrimental to us, and a day will come when we won’t have any water to drink anywhere in Afghanistan.”

Meanwhile, Muti-ul-Haq Khalis, head of the National Environmental Protection Agency, stated at the conference that climate change is a global phenomenon, and addressing it requires joint efforts and cooperation. He called on the world to assist Afghanistan.

Deputy Minister of Economy Abdul Latif Nazari also stated: “Sanctions should be lifted, and restrictions must be removed so that institutions and organizations can cooperate more easily with our agencies, including the National Environmental Protection Agency, without facing

problems in financial transactions.”

In the meantime, the head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, Roza Otunbayeva, said that UNAMA supports efforts to combat the effects of climate change in Afghanistan.

“I promise that UNAMA will support efforts to combat the effects of climate change. UNAMA plans to hold national and international meetings this year on climate change and its impacts in Afghanistan. I also urge UN agencies and NGOs to support these efforts with technical expertise and practical knowledge,” said Otunbayeva.

Currently, Afghanistan is the sixth most vulnerable country in the world due to climate change.

Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Amir Khan Muttaqi says the Islamic Emirate is committed to ensuring security of all organizations, facilitating travel, and ensuring transparency in their operations, and wants these organizations to continue their assistance.

Muttaqi made these remarks during the fourth coordination meeting between the IEA and relevant UN agencies, which was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday.

During the meeting, Muttaqi stressed that after four decades of war, the focus is now on the development of Afghanistan, and the IEA has various programs aimed at achieving the country's self-sufficiency.

He stated that recently, 33,000 acres of land was allocated for industrial parks, and effective actions have been taken against narcotics.

He also noted that work is ongoing on 400 irrigation dams, and assistance continues to be provided to returning migrants.

Muttaqi stated that Afghanistan needs support in areas such as permanent settlement for returning migrants from neighboring countries, alternative crops to opium poppy, access to climate change mitigation funds, mine clearance, and health, and that IEA is committed to full cooperation for continued assistance from international organizations.

Muttaqi also urged global organizations to elevate their humanitarian aid to semi-developmental levels and implement projects that promote Afghanistan's self-sufficiency, providing long-term benefits to the people.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says combating terrorism requires cooperation between Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, and other members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

In a press conference, Lavrov stated that a center for combating new threats could be established in 2025 with the participation of SCO member countries.

He stressed that India’s membership in the Quadrilateral group concerning Afghanistan is "the right thing to do."

"A center for combating new threats, including terrorism, drug trafficking, organized crime, and human trafficking, could be established in 2025 with the involvement of SCO member countries,” he said.

Lavrov added that SCO currently has a well-functioning anti-terrorist structure.

He noted, "The Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Moscow Format, which includes Afghanistan, can provide an opportunity for building trust and communication."

Earlier, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, Asim Munir, stated that Islamabad is seeking good relations with Afghanistan. However, according to him, the presence of certain "extremist elements" has caused disagreements between the two countries.