Latest News
U.S. Announces $125 Million Humanitarian Assistance for Afghans
The United States has announced an amount of nearly $125 million in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, U.S. Embassy in Kabul said.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the U.S. Embassy said that the country has allocated the amount for the needs of vulnerable Afghans inside Afghanistan, including internally displaced persons, conflict and flood-affected communities, and Afghan returnees.
“This brings the total U.S. funding in this fiscal year to the Afghan humanitarian response to nearly $190 million, including for Afghan refugees in the region,” the statement said.
The United States urges all countries to make or increase their contributions to the UN humanitarian appeal for Afghanistan, which is currently only 27 percent funded.
The statement further said that additional support from the entire international community is essential to meet the urgent needs of large number of vulnerable people in Afghanistan.
The United States remains committed to supporting the most vulnerable Afghans and stands with the Afghan people in their dedication to helping create an Afghanistan in which all its citizens have the opportunity to live in peace and dignity, the statement added.
“The additional U.S. funding announced today (Saturday) will support life-saving activities that provide emergency food, nutrition, clean drinking water, sanitation and hygiene, emergency health, disaster preparedness, and risk reduction, shelter, protection, humanitarian coordination and logistics, and non-food items and relief commodities,” the Embassy said.
“It also supports refugee repatriation grants, education, livelihoods and other efforts to promote long-term integration of returning refugees,” added.
Latest News
Afghanistan’s problems caused more damage to Pakistan than 3 wars with India: Durrani
Islamabad’s special envoy for Afghanistan Asif Durrani said on Wednesday that Pakistan has suffered more due to Afghanistan’s internal situation than Pakistan has suffered in three wars with India in terms of blood spilt and finances drained.
Durrani said at a one-day International Conference titled “Pakistan in the Emerging Geopolitical Landscape”, which was organized by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) and the German Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), that over 80,000 Pakistanis died in the two decades of the War on Terror and that his country was still counting its dead and injured.
“After the withdrawal of NATO forces, it was hoped that peace in Afghanistan would bring peace to the region. However, such expectations were short-lived,” he said.
He also stated that attacks by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant group on Pakistan’s border areas increased by 65 percent, while suicide attacks increased by 500 percent.
“The TTP’s enhanced attacks on Pakistan while using Afghan soil have been a serious concern for Pakistan. Another worrying aspect is the participation of Afghan nationals in these attacks,” he said.
Durrani also said Pakistan had suffered geopolitically since the Soviet Union invaded the neighboring country.
“The post-9/11 world order has negatively impacted Pakistan. Apart from losing 80,000 citizens’ lives, including 8,000 law enforcement agency personnel, the country’s economic opportunity cost is estimated at $150 billion,” Durrani said.
Talking about the future outlook for Pakistan in the regional context, Durrani said that while “our eastern neighbor is likely to continue with its anti-Pakistan pursuits, the western border poses an avoidable irritant in the short to medium term.”
However, he said Pakistan can overcome its difficulties with Afghanistan, including the TTP challenge.
Latest News
Afghanistan now a ‘nexus for diplomatic endeavors’, says IEA
In the wake of dozens of meetings between high-ranking Islamic Emirate officials and visiting officials from foreign countries, and other diplomatic advances, the IEA said on Thursday that in the current geopolitical landscape, Kabul now “serves as a nexus for diplomatic endeavors and political deliberations pertaining to global affairs”.
In a series of posts on X, the IEA’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said diplomatic missions and political delegations from various nations, including Russia, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, the European Union, and others, “are evident in the capital, highlighting its strategic importance in fostering Islamic cooperation”.
He said: “Recently, the honorable Minister of Transport of the Islamic Emirate, Mr. Hamidullah Akhundzada, led a significant delegation to Termez, Uzbekistan, for essential discussions aimed at enhancing bilateral relations.
“These discussions encompass a wide range of topics, from trade facilitation to security assurances, indicating a focused effort by the Islamic Emirate to strengthen and broaden its international engagements, thereby ensuring sustained development and stability.
“These initiatives, characterized by diligence and effectiveness, underscore Afghanistan’s enduring commitment to diplomatic engagement and its pivotal role in regional and global affairs,” he said.
Mujahid added that these initiatives “also emphasize the vital connection between diplomatic efforts and economic prosperity, promising favorable outcomes for Afghanistan’s socio-economic landscape.”
He pointed out that despite ongoing challenges, Afghanistan “remains steadfast in its pursuit of prosperity and resilience, defying pessimistic projections and charting a course towards political and economic renewal.”
He said: “Continued efforts are essential to fostering inclusive growth and impactful initiatives, thus advancing Afghanistan’s journey towards sustainable development and increased influence on the global stage.”
Latest News
Mullah Baradar discusses creation of railway with Kazakh deputy PM
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, deputy prime minister for economic affairs has met with Erik Zhumangarin, the Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, and discussed the establishment of a railway network from Kazakhstan to Pakistan through Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, the deputy PM’s office said in a statement.
During the meeting, Baradar emphasized the need to sign agreements to solve the banking problems of traders from both countries, the creation of Afghan-Kazakh joint companies, and the facilitation of visas for Afghan traders.
According to the statement, the Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan said that the Kazakh government intends to establish a joint chamber of industry and commerce and a joint trade and labor group between the two countries, and is ready to cooperate with Afghanistan in the sectors of e-governance, industry, higher education, education, health, and banking.
-
Sport5 days ago
Afghanistan Champions League kicks off with grand opening ceremony
-
Latest News4 days ago
Pakistan’s frontiers minister stresses ‘dignified’ return of Afghan refugees
-
Regional3 days ago
Iranian president lands in Pakistan for three-day visit to mend ties
-
Climate Change4 days ago
Massive river flooding expected in China, threatening millions
-
Latest News4 days ago
Chinese keen to invest in Panjshir-Kabul water conduit project
-
Latest News2 days ago
Rashid Khan named AWCC’s brand ambassador
-
World4 days ago
Two Japan navy helicopters crash, one body found, 7 missing
-
Sport3 days ago
Kolkata beat Bengaluru by one run in IPL as Kohli fumes at dismissal