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Ghani, Erdogan Meet Behind Closed-Door in Turkey
President Ashraf Ghani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a closed-door meeting at the sideline of the OIC summit in Istanbul late on Wednesday.
According to a statement released by Ghani’s office, the two sides had discussed regional issues, Afghan peace process and expanding bilateral cooperation between their countries.
The statement said that President Ghani thanked his Turkish counterpart for his country’s support and cooperation with Afghanistan in different aspects, especially their contribution to the ISAF and now with the Resolute Support Mission.
Praising the Turkish Companies working in Afghanistan, Ghani has also urged Turkey to introduce government registered companies to Kabul, in order to take part in the implementation of infrastructural and construction projects.
On his part, President Erdogan has reaffirmed the continuation of Turkey’s support and partnership with Afghanistan and stressed in strengthening ties.
Erdogan has promised to increase educational cooperation with Kabul, adding that Ankara is ready to build Mawlana Jalaluddin Mohammad Balkhi university for women in Afghanistan.
In addition, both sides also talked about the Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process and its importance for regional peace and stability.
Both leaders have affirmed that the strategic cooperation among regional countries and connectivity is key to boost the economy. The leaders have mentioned the Lapis-Lazuli Transit, Trade and Transport Route as an achievement that aims to enhance regional economic cooperation and connectivity in the region.
On the Afghan peace process, President Ghani has reiterated that Kabul was always ready to negotiate for the end of the ongoing violence in Afghanistan. Adding, that Afghan government is ready to negotiate in two dimensions – negotiating with Pakistan and inter-Afghan dialogue with the Taliban.
The Turkish President has expressed his support for an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process, saying that his country is ready to work to improve the relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
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1402: Afghanistan fails to gain international recognition
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) spent this past solar year – 1402 – trying to gain international recognition and take up its seat in the United Nations.
Due to certain policies, and restrictions against Afghan women and girls, the international community has not only imposed sanctions on the government but has also worked to isolate the IEA.
Western consensus has been that the IEA needs to revise some policies including those relating to human and women’s rights.
But in addition to these problems, the Islamic Emirate made progress in diplomatic relations with some countries in 1402 – China being the first to send an official ambassador to Kabul. In turn, Beijing followed suit by welcoming the IEA’s ambassador.
Some Afghan embassies, however, that are still run by diplomats appointed by the previous government, slowly started forging ties with the IEA – including the Netherlands and Spain.
Over the past year, diplomats aligned with the Islamic Emirate also took control of the Afghan embassy and consulates in India.
In 1402, Turkmenistan removed the name of the Islamic Emirate from the list of sanctions and terrorist groups in that country.
In the meantime, Iran, Afghanistan’s western neighbor, became embroiled in a spat with the IEA over the issue of water rights from the Helmand River.
Relations with Pakistan also soured somewhat, as Islamabad has accused the IEA of letting Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) hideout in the country.
These tensions came to a head when Islamabad implemented the process of forced deportation of more than one million Afghan immigrants.
But analysts believe that the neighboring countries and the region have not been able to agree on a specific policy for interaction with the Islamic Emirate.
According to them, the realization of this agreement requires the implementation of conditions set by these countries and the international community, including the formation of an inclusive government, and respect for the rights of women and girls; and ethnic and religious minorities by the Islamic Emirate.
This year, the IEA’s cabinet remained a caretaker government, although dozens of former former government officials and politicians continued to return home.
However, the Islamic Emirate considers the year 1402 as full of achievements and emphasizes that in this year, progress has been made in all fields, especially in terms of expanding relations with other countries.
However, the spokesman of the Islamic Emirate considers the lack of global legitimacy to be driven by a few countries – countries which influence the UN.
The Islamic Emirate currently has 38 active diplomatic missions in countries. In addition, Azerbaijan recently said it wants to open an embassy in Kabul.
Experts say however, 1403 will be a telling year, in terms of whether the IEA is recognized as the legitimate government or not.
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Dozens of needy families in west Kabul receive Bayat’s Ramadan aid
Dozens of needy families in the western suburbs of Kabul have been given much needed food aid for Ramadan by Bayat Foundation.
Foundation officials said the campaign is conducted during the holy month of Ramadan in order to help those in need.
The aid packages include essential food items such as flour and oil.
Residents in the west of Kabul, who received the packages, welcomed Bayat Foundation’s initiative but appealed for more assistance from other organizations.
Bayat Foundation is considered to be a key charitable organization in the country and has done valuable work in the past twenty years. The foundation has assisted victims of natural disasters, implemented public benefit projects, and helped the needy in different seasons.
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1402, a difficult year for Afghan women and girls
As this solar year, 1402 draws to a close, the suspension of high school and higher education for girls continues, despite repeated calls to the Afghan government to reconsider this decision.
This year, Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) officials repeatedly said they plan to reopen schools above grade 6, and universities, to girls – once plans were finalized. However, nothing has come of this.
In many meetings, both in Afghanistan and outside the country, repeated requests were made to the IEA to provide education for everyone – and some officials of the Islamic Emirate even expressed their dissatisfaction over the decision.
Representatives of the United Nations and countries of the world have repeatedly emphasized that the right to education should be given to women and girls, but these requests were not accepted by the Islamic Emirate.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said: “Supporting the rights of women and girls is a central part of our foreign policy. Over the past three years, we have put forward concrete strategies, policies and programs to support women and girls around the world. It’s not just rhetoric, it’s action.”
Spokespersons of the Islamic Emirate said many times in interviews with the media that schools and universities for girls would reopen. However, they did not say when the wait for girls would end.
Now, almost three years after schools, above grade 6, were closed to girls, the hope is that in the new academic year there will be changes in the policy of the Islamic Emirate and the school bell will ring with a good news for girls.
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