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Russia says it is building ‘full partnership’ with IEA
Russia is moving to establish what it calls a “full-fledged partnership” with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) and is urging other regional countries to expand cooperation with Kabul, a senior Russian security official said.
Sergei Shoigu, who is secretary of Russia’s Security Council, was quoted by Interfax as saying that Moscow considers cooperation with Kabul important for regional security and development.
Shoigu said Russia is developing a “pragmatic dialogue” with the IEA authorities that covers security, trade, cultural exchange and humanitarian assistance.
He made the remarks during a meeting with counterparts from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a 10-member regional bloc that includes China, India, Iran, Pakistan and several Central Asian states.
He also suggested reviving the SCO’s contact group on Afghanistan to improve regional coordination on Afghan-related issues.
Shioigu said that Russia considers the return of third-country military infrastructure to Afghanistan or the deployment of new military facilities in neighboring states unacceptable.
“Our fundamental approach is that the United States and its allies must acknowledge full responsibility for their 20-year presence in Afghanistan and assume the main burden of its post-conflict reconstruction,” he said. “We consider the return of third-country military infrastructure to Afghanistan or the deployment of new military facilities in neighboring states unacceptable.”
Russia formally lifted its ban on the IEA in April 2025, removing the group from its list of terrorist organizations after previously outlawing it in 2003.
Moscow has increasingly engaged with the IEA since its takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, following the withdrawal of US-led forces after two decades of war.
Russian officials argue that closer cooperation is necessary due to shared security concerns, including the threat of militant groups operating across a wide region from Afghanistan to the Middle East.
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Afghanistan received more than $11 billion in humanitarian aid over the past five years
Afghanistan has received more than $11 billion in humanitarian assistance since the Islamic Emirate returned to power in August 2021, according to United Nations figures cited by the BBC.
Despite the substantial aid, the gap between humanitarian needs and available funding remains wide, with the United Nations warning that millions of Afghans continue to require assistance.
The decline in international funding, a growing number of people in need and the return of millions of Afghan migrants from neighboring countries have added pressure to the country’s humanitarian situation.
Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis deepened following the collapse of the previous government in August 2021. The depreciation of the national currency, the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs and reductions in some international support programs further strained the economy and living conditions.
UN data shows that Afghanistan received about $5.2 billion in humanitarian assistance in 2021, followed by around $3.8 billion in 2022 and nearly $2 billion in 2023.
For 2024 and 2025, the United Nations appealed for more than $3 billion to address humanitarian needs in Afghanistan. However, funding fell short of the amounts requested.
The assistance has largely been directed toward food, healthcare, support for returnees and other urgent humanitarian needs.
The United Nations continues to classify Afghanistan as one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, stressing that sustained international support remains essential for millions of Afghans who continue to need assistance.
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Afghanistan expresses condolences over deadly Indonesia earthquake
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has expressed deep sorrow over a powerful earthquake that struck eastern Indonesia, killing at least 53 people and forcing around 5,000 others to evacuate.
A magnitude-7.7 earthquake struck Flores Island and surrounding areas on Saturday, blocking roads and triggering landslides, Indonesian authorities said.
In a statement, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs conveyed its sympathy and condolences to the government and people of Indonesia over the casualties caused by the earthquake.
It also wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the incident.
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Afghan commerce minister meets Uzbek deputy prime minister in Termez
Afghanistan’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, Nooruddin Azizi, met with Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Jamshed Khojaev in the city of Termez to discuss expanding economic cooperation and joint investment.
The meeting, held on Saturday at the Termez Trade Center, focused on cooperation in the electricity, mining and agriculture sectors, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce said in a statement.
Uzbek officials expressed interest in investing in various sectors in Afghanistan. The Afghan delegation welcomed the interest and emphasized its readiness to create the necessary conditions for expanding economic cooperation and joint investment.
Mohammad Yousuf Wafa, governor of Balkh, and Abdul Ghaffar Bahr, Afghanistan’s ambassador to Tashkent, also attended the meeting.
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