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UN officials urge Western nations to engage with Afghanistan to avert instability
Two senior United Nations officials have urged Western nations to engage with Afghanistan, warning that isolating the country could fuel instability with consequences extending beyond its borders.
“The lesson of the recent past is that ignoring Afghanistan is not a good thing to do,” UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih told The Associated Press during a joint visit to the country with UN Development Programme Administrator Alexander De Croo.
Despite ongoing challenges, Salih said engagement is the best way to encourage positive policies and maintain stability. “Without it, we may well risk instability, with all the implications of that instability,” he said, citing extremism, drug trafficking, crime and refugee movements.
Afghanistan continues to face overlapping crises after decades of conflict, including natural disasters, climate change and a surge in returning refugees. Nearly six million Afghans have returned since 2023, mainly from Pakistan and Iran, with another two million expected this year, according to the UN.
The influx has placed additional pressure on communities already struggling with widespread poverty, while deep cuts in international aid have further strained essential services. De Croo said 422 health centres had closed over the past year because of funding shortages, leaving more than three million people without access to basic healthcare.
Although no Western country has formally recognised the Islamic Emirate government since it returned to power in 2021, the officials said Afghanistan has made progress in several areas, including security, anti-corruption efforts and reducing opium production.
“I wouldn’t close my eyes to the fact that there is progress,” De Croo said, noting that drug production has fallen by around 95%. However, he warned that continued international support is needed to provide farmers with alternative livelihoods and prevent a resurgence in poppy cultivation.
The restrictions imposed on Afghan women and girls remain a major obstacle to closer international relations. Both officials said they raised the issue with IEA authorities and stressed that constructive engagement offered the best chance of encouraging meaningful reforms.
“It is vital to remind the world that the price of inaction far outweighs action,” Salih said. “You cannot ignore Afghanistan, and what happens in Afghanistan does not necessarily stay in Afghanistan.”
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IEA condemn attacks on Saudi airports amid rising regional tensions
It urged all parties involved to refrain from violence, prevent further escalation and take necessary measures to protect civilians.
The Islamic Emirate’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed concern over recent attacks on Riyadh and other airports in Saudi Arabia, describing the reported civilian casualties as deeply regrettable.
In a statement issued on Monday, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson for the ministry, said that any attack threatening the lives and safety of civilians is condemnable.
The ministry warned that escalating violence and the widening scope of the conflict could jeopardize the security and stability of the entire region.
It urged all parties involved to refrain from violence, prevent further escalation and take necessary measures to protect civilians.
According to Saudi officials, one person was killed and 12 others injured in Saturday’s attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
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EU pledges continued humanitarian aid for returning Afghans
The two officials discussed humanitarian assistance for returnees, their reintegration into society and measures to address their longer-term needs.
The European Union has reaffirmed its commitment to providing humanitarian assistance to returning Afghans, with a focus on reintegration, employment opportunities and sustainable solutions to the challenges they face.
The commitment was reiterated during a meeting between Afghanistan’s Minister of Refugees and Repatriation, Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, and the EU’s newly appointed representative to Afghanistan, Nicola Bellomo, according to a statement from the ministry.
The two officials discussed humanitarian assistance for returnees, their reintegration into society and measures to address their longer-term needs.
Bellomo praised the Islamic Emirate’s handling of the return of millions of Afghans, saying the process had been managed successfully despite the challenges posed by the return of approximately eight million people.
He said the EU would continue providing humanitarian assistance to Afghans and expressed its readiness to cooperate on creating employment opportunities and addressing the difficulties faced by returnees.
Abdul Kabir said the Islamic Emirate was working towards sustainable solutions for returning Afghans, noting that 80 townships had been designated to accommodate them.
He also called on the EU to support the construction of residential townships, stressing the need to provide adequate housing and assistance to vulnerable returnees, particularly women and those without family support.
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Mujahid accuses Pakistani military circles of sabotaging talks with Afghanistan
Mujahid reiterated that Afghanistan does not interfere in Pakistan’s internal affairs and would not allow its territory to be used to create insecurity in Pakistan or any other country.
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for Afghanistan’s Islamic Emirate, has accused certain Pakistani military circles of repeatedly undermining negotiations and efforts to resolve differences between Kabul and Islamabad through dialogue.
Speaking to Ariana News in response to recent remarks by Pakistan’s prime minister, Mujahid said the Islamic Emirate did not blame Pakistan’s political leadership, which he claimed was willing to resolve bilateral differences. However, he alleged that certain military circles had repeatedly obstructed progress towards negotiations and mutual understanding.
Mujahid reiterated that Afghanistan does not interfere in Pakistan’s internal affairs and would not allow its territory to be used to create insecurity in Pakistan or any other country.
He said the Islamic Emirate had taken effective measures to prevent Afghan territory from being used for such purposes, but alleged that certain circles in Pakistan continued to pursue policies of insecurity and aggression, undermining diplomatic efforts.
Commenting on recent developments in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Mujahid said the situation there and Pakistan’s internal affairs were unrelated to Afghanistan.
He stressed that Afghanistan did not want insecurity in any country and urged the countries concerned to address their internal challenges through appropriate channels, reiterating that the Islamic Emirate would not interfere in their domestic affairs.
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