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Sweden to lead EU outreach to IEA as bloc weighs Afghan deportations
The talks – expected to focus on deportation procedures – are being prepared jointly by Sweden and the European Commission.
Sweden has confirmed it will play a key role in facilitating renewed European Union engagement with Afghanistan’s Islamic Emirate authorities, as Brussels intensifies efforts to coordinate the return of Afghan nationals from member states.
The move follows reports that an IEA delegation could travel to Brussels in the coming months for sensitive, technical-level discussions with EU and national officials.
The talks – expected to focus on deportation procedures – are being prepared jointly by Sweden and the European Commission.
Sweden’s Migration Minister, Johan Forssell, confirmed Stockholm’s involvement, stating that Sweden would work with the Commission to invite a technical delegation from Kabul to continue dialogue in Brussels.
The discussions are expected to include representatives from the Commission, the EU’s diplomatic arm – the European External Action Service – and a small group of member states, including Belgium and Sweden.
The initiative was reportedly prompted in part by Belgium’s migration authorities and builds on a joint EU-Belgian mission to Kabul earlier this year, which laid the groundwork for further engagement with Afghanistan’s rulers.
EU officials have meanwhile increasingly acknowledged the need for limited, pragmatic engagement – particularly on migration management.
A spokesperson for the European Commission confirmed that preparations are underway for follow-up talks after the Kabul visit, though it remains unclear whether the EU executive will formally host the meeting in Brussels.
The outreach reflects growing pressure within the bloc to adopt a more coordinated approach to Afghan returns.
In late 2025, Belgium led an initiative backed by 19 EU countries calling for stronger cooperation on deporting Afghan nationals convicted of crimes, highlighting divisions within the EU over migration policy and the legal and ethical complexities of returning individuals to Afghanistan.
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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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