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UN Refugee Agency notes engagement with IEA has been ‘positive’
Filippo Grandi, the head of the United Nations Refugee Agency has said while the humanitarian response in Afghanistan is extremely urgent, engagement between the UN and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) on the humanitarian aid front “has been relatively positive”.
In an interview with the Washington Post, Grandi said: “The humanitarian response in Afghanistan is extremely urgent because winter has set in. It’s snowing very heavily in vast parts of Afghanistan, and the needs are growing exponentially.”
Grandi pointed out that while 3.5 million people are displaced within Afghanistan, most were displaced prior to the IEA coming into power.
“They actually were already displaced when the Taliban (IEA) took over in August. They were displaced by years of conflict between the previous government and the Taliban. And it’s–the question is that after the 15th of August, the situation has deteriorated further, in so many different ways–more than half of the population on the brink of famine, a very big percentage, I would say 80 percent of the health system paralyzed and unable to work, huge water problem, compounded by an endemic drought that climate change is making even worse. Seventy percent of the teachers are not being paid,” he said.
He said he and his UN colleagues have been visiting Kabul quite regularly since the takeover of the IEA “and I think this engagement is important. At the moment, it is, you know, very much on the humanitarian side. And on that front, I have to say engagement has been relatively positive, constructive.
“In fact, humanitarian organizations, UN, NGOs, Red Cross, and others, have more access to more areas of Afghanistan now than they have had for years, because that conflict that I spoke about that displaced so many people is actually–isn’t happening right now, has ended with the takeover of the Taliban (IEA). That has opened up many areas that were previously very insecure,” he said.
“It’s interesting. There is a figure that is very seldom quoted. We estimate that 170,000 displaced people, especially among the most recently displaced have actually returned to their homes since August. Now this may sound counter intuitive, but it is because many areas are more secure now than they have been in a long time. And this, we need to take advantage of this,” he said.
He also said the IEA is facilitating the humanitarian work being done by the UN and its partners and aid agencies, adding that “the pattern usually has been one of cooperation”.
“But of course, the challenges remain very big.” He said there were issues that the UN did not agree with but noted that “there is a space for dialogue”.
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IEA should respond to Pakistan’s security concerns with concrete actions: Andrabi
Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Hussain Andrabi says both Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Sadyr Japarov, the President of Kyrgyzstan, who visited Islamabad on Thursday, expressed their mutual commitment to a peaceful, stable Afghanistan with a sustainable future for the Afghan people.
Speaking in a press conference on Friday, Andrabi stated that both sides agreed that the Islamic Emirate must fulfill its obligations toward the international community and take concrete steps against terrorist groups to address Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns.
This comes while the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has repeatedly emphasized that no terrorist groups operate from Afghan territory and that it will not allow anyone to use Afghan soil against any country.
The Islamic Emirate has also stated that Pakistan’s security concerns are an internal issue of that country, and Pakistan itself must take measures to prevent any security incidents.
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Malaysia’s PM calls peaceful solution to Afghanistan-Pakistan tensions
Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has voiced deep concern over escalating tensions between the Afghanistan–Pakistan during a telephone conversation with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Anwar said he emphasized Malaysia’s concerns regarding regional stability and urged all parties to pursue a peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomatic engagement to prevent further escalation.
His remarks follow media reports indicating heightened tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan after a series of attacks in October.
During the call, the two leaders also exchanged views on several aspects of Malaysia–Pakistan bilateral relations.
Anwar also briefed Sharif on the ongoing flood situation in Malaysia and similar challenges facing neighboring countries, including Indonesia and Thailand.
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Afghanistan makes major strides in cutting drug trafficking, says Putin
Putin stated that Afghan authorities have “substantially reduced” opium cultivation and are “seriously confronting” drug-related threats from within their borders.
Russian President Vladimir Putin says Afghanistan has taken “active and effective” steps to curb drug trafficking, noting a significant drop in opium production across the country. He made the remarks during an exclusive interview with India Today during his India trip, highlighting what he described as “visible progress” in Afghanistan’s internal security efforts.
Putin stated that Afghan authorities have “substantially reduced” opium cultivation and are “seriously confronting” drug-related threats from within their borders. He added that Afghanistan has also made important advancements in the fight against terrorism.
Responding to a question about why Russia officially recognized the Islamic Emirate, the Russian president said Afghanistan had been engulfed in civil conflict for many years, but the current authorities now hold control over the country. “This is the reality, and it must be acknowledged,” Putin emphasized.
He further noted that maintaining contact with Afghanistan’s leadership is crucial for shaping events inside the country. “If you want influence, you must engage with the people in charge — and that is exactly what we are doing,” he said.
Putin’s remarks come as several regional powers continue to recalibrate their diplomatic strategies toward Afghanistan, focusing on stability, counterterrorism, and economic cooperation.
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