Latest News
World Bank board backs using $1 billion in frozen Afghan funds for aid
The executive board of the World Bank on Tuesday approved a plan to use more than $1 billion from a frozen Afghanistan trust fund to finance urgently needed education, agriculture, health and family programs, the bank announced.
The plan, which will bypass sanctioned Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) authorities by disbursing the money through U.N. agencies and international aid groups, will provide a major boost to efforts to ease the country's worsening humanitarian and economic crises, Reuters reported.
The approach "aims to support the delivery of essential basic services, protect vulnerable Afghans, help preserve human capital and key economic and social services, and reduce the need for humanitarian assistance in the future," the bank said in a statement.
Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) was frozen in August when the IEA overran Kabul as the last U.S.-led international troops departed after 20 years of war.
According to the report foreign governments ended financial aid constituting more than 70% of government expenditures while the United States led in the freezing of some $9 billion in Afghan central bank funds.
The funding cuts accelerated an economic collapse, fueling a cash crunch and deepening a humanitarian crisis that the United Nations says has pushed more than half of Afghanistan's population of 39 million to the verge of starvation, read the report.
The World Bank statement said that as a first step, ARTF donors will decide on four projects worth about $600 million that will support "urgent needs in education, heath and agricultural sectors, as well as community livelihoods."
There will be a "strong focus on ensuring that girls and women participate and benefit from the support," the statement continued.
Ali Reza Begdeli, Iran's former deputy foreign minister for consular affairs, has been appointed as the country's new ambassador to Kabul, Mehr news agency reported on Sunday.
The outlet added that the post of the Iranian presidential special representative in Afghanistan has been removed and, as before, the special representative for Afghanistan will act directly under the supervision of the foreign minister.
It is worth mentioning that Hassan Kazemi Qomi previously served as Iran's ambassador and presidential special representative in Afghanistan.
The 28th meeting of the foreign ministers of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) member states will be held in Iran’s northeastern city of Mashhad next week.
Spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry Esmaeil Baqaei said on Sunday that the upcoming meeting will be attended by the ministers and senior officials of ECO, directors of the regional specialized departments of the organization, and the secretaries general of a number of multilateral economic organizations.
The meeting will be chaired by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, Iranian local media reported.
Iran is holding the rotating presidency of ECO in 2024.
The Tehran-headquartered ECO was established by Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey in 1985.
The main purpose of the organization is to promote economic, technical, and cultural cooperation among the member states.
In 1992, the organization was expanded to include seven new members, namely Afghanistan, Republic of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Latest News
Daesh claims responsibility for Baghlan attack
A provincial police official, said that several people were arrested in connection with the incident, and that an investigation has been launched.
The Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K), also known as Daesh, has claimed responsibility for a gun attack that left 10 people dead at a Sufi shrine in northern Baghlan province.
The interior ministry spokesman Abdul Matin Qani confirmed that a gunman opened fire on Sufis taking part in a weekly ritual at the Sayed Pasha Agha shrine in a remote area of Nahrin district.
Abdul Ghayoor Khadim, a provincial police official, said that several people were arrested in connection with the incident, and that an investigation has been launched.
Afghanistan beat UAE by 8 wickets in U19 tri-nation series
Iran appoints new ambassador to Afghanistan
COP29’s $300 billion deal ‘insufficient’ to fight climate change
Iran to Host ECO Ministerial Meeting next week
Climate change: Importance of COP29 for Afghanistan
China to offer Afghanistan tariff-free trade
Private sectors of Afghanistan, Kazakhstan sign contracts worth $100 million
Pakistan bans entry to parks, zoos as air pollution worsens
Gurbaz ton guides Afghanistan to seal ODI series over Bangladesh
Trump, Putin speak as Biden plans to lobby Trump to stick with Ukraine
Climate change: Importance of COP29 for Afghanistan
Saar: Pakistan defense minister’s remarks on Afghanistan discussed
Tahawol: Australia pays compensation to victims of war crimes in Afghanistan
Tahawol: Expanding ties & cooperation with Iran discussed
Saar: Calls for improving Afghanistan’s relations discussed
-
Latest News5 days agoTajikistan trumps Afghanistan 3-1 in football friendly
-
Latest News4 days agoEU marks International Children’s Day, says it supports Afghan children
-
Latest News5 days agoAfghanistan wants relations with countries not opposed to Sharia law: Haqqani
-
Sport3 days agoAriana News to broadcast IPL auction live and exclusively in Afghanistan
-
Latest News2 days agoU.S. House approves bill on evacuation of Afghan allies
-
World3 days agoUS vetoes UN Security Council resolution on Gaza ceasefire
-
Regional3 days agoPakistan’s ex-PM Imran Khan gets bail in state gifts case, his party says
-
Latest News5 days agoIEA implements ‘significant reforms’ in Afghanistan’s education curriculum