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Solidarity Committee calls for urgent action as global aid to Afghanistan plummets
The Solidarity Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) has issued a pressing call to the Swedish government, urging immediate and long-term action to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
In a statement released during its annual meeting, the SCA warned that Afghanistan is on the brink of catastrophe.
“The people of Afghanistan are suffering severely from poverty and oppression,” the organization said, citing mass forced returns from Pakistan and Iran, with hundreds of thousands of refugees flooding back into a country already stretched beyond capacity.
With half of Afghanistan’s population in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and millions lacking access to healthcare, education, and clean water, the situation is rapidly deteriorating.
The effects of climate change, including recurring droughts and floods, have further exacerbated living conditions, while international sanctions and the diplomatic isolation of the taliban-led government continue to harm ordinary civilians.
The SCA strongly condemned the Islamic Emirate’s restrictions on women’s education and participation in public life, calling them “a violation of their most fundamental rights.”
The organization emphasized that the IEA must take responsibility for the Afghan people and prioritize the expansion of essential services, especially in health and education, while ensuring respect for the rights of girls and women.
The committee also expressed alarm over recent aid cuts, particularly by the United States.
The solidarity committee urged Sweden to take the lead in supporting Afghanistan through three key actions:
Develop an urgent plan to help mitigate the crisis and provide direct humanitarian support; formulate a long-term strategy to enable Afghans to escape poverty through secure livelihoods and reliable access to education and healthcare; and to work actively to reopen international dialogue and break the stalemate in engagement with Afghanistan’s authorities.
“Sweden cannot stand idly by,” the statement concluded. “Our country has long stood for human rights, gender equality, and international solidarity — principles that must now be upheld through decisive action in Afghanistan.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan announced on Tuesday the release of American citizen Dennis Coyle from prison.
According to the ministry, Coyle’s mother had written to the leader of the Islamic Emirate demanding amnesty and the release of her son on the occasion of Eid. The Supreme Court considered time served sufficient and decided to release him.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that this action was carried out on the basis of humanitarianism and good faith, and it believes that such measures can strengthen trust between countries. The ministry also expressed hope that both countries, in the future, can find solutions to remaining issues through mutual understanding and constructive dialogue.
The Islamic Emirate also expressed appreciation for the cooperation of the United Arab Emirates in this matter.
Separately, for Coyle’s release, an American delegation, including Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan, met on Tuesday with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate.
The meeting was also attended by Saif Mohammed Al-Ketbi, Ambassador of the UAE in Kabul, and a member of the prisoner’s family.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Muttaqi stated that the Islamic Emirate has not detained any citizen of any country to achieve political objectives; rather, detentions were the result of legal violations, and individuals were released after completing judicial procedures.
At the meeting, Khalilzad praised the action of the Islamic Emirate and emphasized the importance of continuing discussions on all issues between the two countries, expressing hope for further progress in the future.
Muttaqi also stressed that Kabul and the UAE should provide standard consular services to their citizens, and that the Afghan government is fully prepared in this regard.
He thanked Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, for their constructive role in facilitating the release of the prisoner and referred to the UAE as a close friend of Afghanistan.
Earlier, Muttaqi had also praised the role of the State of Qatar in facilitating information exchange between the Islamic Emirate and the prisoner’s family.
Additionally, the UAE ambassador expressed his country’s readiness to play a role in humanitarian institutions and called such developments beneficial for everyone.
The United Kingdom has announced an additional £3 million (AFN 257 million) in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, aimed at supporting people affected by natural disasters and other shocks.
Richard Lindsay, in a post on X, said the funding will be used to provide essential nutrition supplies and related support to vulnerable populations.
The new allocation brings the UK’s total bilateral assistance to Afghanistan for the current financial year to £154 million (AFN 13.18 billion).
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