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UNAMA chief says in farewell speech ‘Afghans will not be abandoned’

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Reflecting on her two years as Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General to Afghanistan, Deborah Lyons said Thursday that UNAMA’s mission in the country is necessary for a number of reasons, including that the country is “too important to the international community to be forgotten”.

In a statement to mark the end of her term in the country, Lyons said: “First, we have a historical legacy. The United Nations has had a political, human rights, humanitarian, and development presence in Afghanistan since the late 1980s. We have had some successes and some failures and as a result of the latter we have a moral responsibility to remain.

“Second, we need to address the needs of the most vulnerable Afghans through humanitarian assistance and support to their basic human needs.

“Third, Afghanistan is too important to the international community to be forgotten. UNAMA will remain as a credible observer and reporter on events on the ground and a reliable link between the Afghan people, the de facto authorities, and the international community.

“As such it will also continue as a symbol that the Afghan people will not be abandoned again by the world,” Lyons said.

She said however that as she leaves Afghanistan, her “heart breaks in particular for the millions of Afghan girls who are denied their right to education, and the many Afghan women full of talent who are being told to stay at home instead of using those talents to rebuild a society that now experiences far less conflict but in some ways as much fear as before.”

She said it was ironic that “now that there is space for everyone to help rebuild the country half of the population is confined and prevented from doing so.”

Lyons stated that she is convinced that the best hope lies in an engagement strategy that demonstrates to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) authorities that a system that excludes women, minorities, and talented people will not endure, and that at the same time it is possible to construct a polity that is both inclusive and Islamic.

In conclusion she said: “It has been said that when a traveler visits Afghanistan, the country confiscates their soul, and they must return now and then to see themselves. I leave with that saying very much in my mind.”

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Afghanistan and Kazakh FMs discuss boosting ties in phone call

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Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Murat Nurtleu, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, discussed the need to strengthen bilateral ties during a phone call on Thursday, Afghanistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

Hafiz Zia Ahmad Takal, the head of public relations at Foreign Ministry, said that the two sides also discussed strengthening bilateral relations, expanding trade and transit, and enhancing the level of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Muttaqi described Kazakhstan as one of the key countries in Central Asia and expressed hope that both nations would continue working together for the development and prosperity of the region by utilizing the existing potential.

He emphasized the importance of Afghanistan’s relations with Kazakhstan and reaffirmed his commitment to expanding cooperation in various sectors.

The Kazakh Foreign Minister also called for increased engagement at the level of foreign ministries. He further announced that he would pay an official visit to Kabul in the near future.

Nurtleu stated that his country is ready to invest $500 million in the construction of the Torghundi–Herat railway project in Afghanistan.

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UNFPA warns that funding cuts in Afghanistan threaten lives of millions

UNFPA said health workers in these areas—often difficult to access and underserved—continue to provide essential services with unwavering dedication, despite mounting challenges.

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Drastic funding reductions to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) are endangering the lives and well-being of millions in Afghanistan, where access to maternal and reproductive healthcare remains a lifeline for women and girls in one of the world’s most acute humanitarian crises.

On a recent visit to Afghanistan, UNFPA’s Deputy Executive Director Andrew Saberton, visited clinics in Kabul, Bamiyan and along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border to assess the impact of the funding shortfall.

What he witnessed, he said, was both inspiring and alarming.

In a remote village clinic in Bamiyan, teenage girls received vital reproductive health education and basic menstrual hygiene kits—an experience that left them hopeful and empowered, UNFPA said in a statement.

Women, some heavily pregnant and others carrying newborns, walked for hours to reach these clinics, seeking the maternal care they desperately need.

UNFPA said health workers in these areas—often difficult to access and underserved—continue to provide essential services with unwavering dedication, despite mounting challenges.

“I saw and understood the devastating impacts that the massive cuts to UNFPA will have in one of the world’s greatest humanitarian crises,” Saberton said during a briefing in New York.

“It’s a crisis that may be off the radar of the news, but it remains one of the most serious globally.”

UNFPA had been providing critical maternal health services across the country, including family planning, psychosocial support, and mobile healthcare—resources that are vital in a country with one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world.

Severe Funding Reductions

The United States recently announced cuts of $330 million to UNFPA globally, with $102 million directly affecting operations in Afghanistan.

These funds would have supported essential services such as family health and mobile outreach, particularly in remote areas.

The consequences are dire. UNFPA estimates that 6.9 million women and children will be impacted.

Of the 900 clinics currently supported by the organization in Afghanistan, only around 400 will be able to continue operations under the reduced budget.

Despite the setbacks, UNFPA has no plans to scale back its presence. “UNFPA will be staying to deliver,” Saberton emphasized.

“But we cannot sustain our response without help. We need urgent support to keep these services running and to protect the dignity, health, and lives of Afghan women and newborns.”

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1.3 million Afghans repatriated since November, Pakistan says

In total, Pakistan has hosted over 2.8 million Afghan refugees who crossed the border during 40 years of conflict in their homeland.

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The Pakistan government has repatriated approximately 1.3 million Afghan refugees in its deportation drive since November 2023, Parliamentary Secretary Mukhtar Ahmad Malik said on Wednesday, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported.

Responding to a question raised by lawmaker Anjum Aqeel Khan during a parliamentary session, Malik said around three million Afghan refugees were residing in Pakistan. “Of these, 813,000 hold Afghan Citizen Cards (ECC) while 1.3 million possess Proof of Registration (PoR) cards,” he was quoted as saying.

He highlighted that Afghan nationals who wish to enter Pakistan for medical treatment, education, or business purposes are welcome to do so provided they obtain a Pakistani visa and carry valid documentation with them.

Earlier this year, the country’s interior ministry asked all “illegal foreigners” and ACC holders to leave the country before March 31, warning that they would otherwise be deported from April 1.

Authorities subsequently started deporting thousands of Afghan nationals from all parts of the country.

In total, Pakistan has hosted over 2.8 million Afghan refugees who crossed the border during 40 years of conflict in their homeland.

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