Fasihuddin Fetrat, Chief of Staff of the Afghan Armed Forces, traveled to Qatar on Sunday to attend the Doha International Maritime Defense Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX 2026).

The Ministry of National Defense confirmed the visit through its spokesperson, Enayatullah Khwarazmi, via his X (formerly Twitter) account.

The Doha International Maritime Defense Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX) will take place January 19-22.

This year’s edition of DIMDEX is set to be its largest since the event’s launch in 2008, officials said.

The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has announced plans to transfer children from private orphanages to government-run facilities.

The initiative aims to ensure better services and provide a healthy education for children, the ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

The ministry also highlighted that the Islamic Emirate has established separate orphanages for boys and girls across all provinces, currently serving more than 10,000 children.

Qatar has taken part in a technical preparatory meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Ministerial Contact Group on Afghanistan, held at the OIC headquarters in Jeddah.

Qatar was represented at the meeting by Khalid Abdulaziz Al Khalifi, First Secretary at the Office of the Special Envoy to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

In his remarks, Al Khalifi said the meeting comes at a critical stage that requires a balanced and collective approach to the situation in Afghanistan. He stressed the importance of combining urgent humanitarian assistance with responsible political engagement, while respecting Afghanistan’s specific circumstances, in line with OIC principles and in support of the Afghan people’s aspirations for security, stability and development.

He noted that the meeting provided an important platform for exchanging technical assessments, coordinating efforts and developing practical recommendations to enhance the effectiveness and cohesion of the Ministerial Contact Group’s work.

Al Khalifi also highlighted Qatar’s role in hosting the United Nations-led Doha Process, saying it reflects Qatar’s firm belief that constructive dialogue is the most effective path to achieving peace.

He described the process as a significant step forward in international engagement on Afghanistan, offering a unified framework for dialogue and coordination among key stakeholders.

He added that the third round of the Doha Process resulted in the creation of two specialized working groups, one focusing on counter-narcotics and the other on the role of the private sector.

These groups aim to promote practical dialogue between Afghanistan’s caretaker government and the international community, address humanitarian and development priorities, and contribute to long-term stability.

Al Khalifi expressed Qatar’s hope that the meeting would produce practical and constructive outcomes that reflect the spirit of Islamic solidarity and advance a responsible, coordinated approach toward Afghanistan.