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Travel ban waiver necessary for engagement with IEA: China
Extending travel ban exemptions for leaders of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) is necessary for world’s engagement with the government, China’s ambassador to the United Nations has said.
A UN Security Council waiver allowing 13 IEA leaders, including Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, to travel abroad expired last Friday, after member states failed to agree on a possible extension in the exemptions.
Zhang Jun, the Permanent Representative of China to UN, said that engagement with IEA is “very much necessary since Afghanistan is at a critical stage.”
“We cannot say that we want the Afghanistan government to do something but meanwhile we do not give them any chance to have access to the international community and we cut off their linkage with other countries. That is not reasonable,” Zhang said.
He said that China wants IEA to make efforts on ensuring the rights of women and girls, but it is “not right” to isolate the Afghan government because of the concerns in this regard.
China and Russia have called for an extension, while the United States and Western nations have sought a reduced list of IEA officials allowed to travel, claiming IEA has failed to ensure women’s rights and form an inclusive government.
“Chinese seek their own economic interests in all countries and do not involve themselves in political and military affairs. They are not at a level to have presence in a country. They are only interested in taking Afghanistan’s resources,” said Sayed Ishaq Gelani, leader of National Solidarity Movement of Afghanistan.
Anas Haqqani, a senior member of IEA, said that pressuring IEA failed over the past 20 years, and instead the world should step up engagement with the new government.
“The world still intends to confront us, it creates conspiracies, it disrupts our security. This is very disappointing. But our door of engagement is still open to them,” Haqqani aid.
The United States and allied nations have proposed granting the travel waiver to a lower number of IEA officials and limiting their travel only to Qatar, where US officials have routinely held talks with IEA delegates in recent months.
China and Russia, however, advocated allowing all 13 officials of IEA, which seized power in Afghanistan a year ago, to continue to travel.
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IEA supreme leader says vice and virtue law must be enforced
Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada, the supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate, has ordered that the Law on Promoting Virtue and Preventing Vice must be enforced in order to preserve Afghanistan’s Islamic system.
The Kandahar media center said Monday that the IEA leader met with military and civilian officials, the Ulema Council, businessmen, and security forces in Spin Boldak in Kandahar on Sunday, where he also delivered a speech.
He said that great sacrifices were made over 20 years to attain the Islamic system and efforts should be made to preserve it.
He added that this can only be done through obedience, piousness, and following the advice of religious scholars.
The leader of the Islamic Emirate told scholars present to fully cooperate with the relevant departments in implementing the Law on Promoting Virtue and Preventing Vice and to explain to people every day in their mosques issues related to faith, belief, and prayer.
He also advised military and civilian officials in Spin Boldak district not to have disputes, to maintain full coordination and cooperation with each other, be committed to carrying out their responsibilities, and obey their superiors.
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IEA, Chinese company signs deal for Kapisa dam feasibility study
The Ministry of Energy and Water on Sunday signed an agreement for feasibility, geophysics and geotechnical studies of the Baghdara Dam in Kapisa province with Metallurgical Corp of China (MCC), the contractor of Mes Aynak copper mine.
The agreement was signed between Abdul Latif Mansoor, Acting Minister of Energy and Water, and Song Wen Bing, director of MCC.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mansoor highlighted the importance of the Baghdara Dam project in providing the electricity needed for the Mes Aynak project in Logar province and emphasized that the implementation of the Baghdara Dam project will be a milestone in joint cooperation between Afghanistan and China.
He also emphasized the expansion and development of cooperation between China and Afghanistan and assured the Chinese ambassador and MCC officials that the environment is favorable for investment in Afghanistan and the Islamic Emirate is committed to cooperate in this regard.
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Most families borrow money to buy food in Afghanistan: WFP
The World Food Programme (WFP) has said that three out of four Afghan families borrow money to buy food.
On average, a family’s debts are AFN 38,200 (nearly $560), according to the organization.
WFP has warned that as winter worsens in Afghanistan, millions face extreme hardship, with one in four families struggling to get enough food.
The organization said that for many families, WFP is their last hope but due to the funding crisis, most will not receive any food in the coming months.
“For the coming six months, WFP in Afghanistan urgently requires nearly US$680 million across all its activities, including to help the most vulnerable, food insecure families across the country survive the harsh Afghan winter,” it said.
WFP said that it has helped 10.5 million people across Afghanistan with food and cash to nourish children, boost the local economy and empower communities.
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