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Moscow calls for ‘comprehensive solution’ to Afghan economic problem
Hosting representatives of several regional countries for talks on Afghanistan, Moscow on Wednesday called for a “comprehensive solution” to the economic crisis in the country.
“We have to provide a comprehensive solution to the Afghan economic issue. In our opinion, the main responsibility for this rests with the collective West, those who drove the country for 20 years to the current deplorable state as well as shamelessly continue economically suffocating the country by holding the frozen national assets of Afghanistan,” Zamir Kabulov, Russia’s special representative for Afghanistan, said at the Moscow format meeting.
“The steps proposed by the West to alleviate the situation such as establishing the trust fund or printing banknotes are for demonstration purposes only. They seek first to get rid of responsibility, and on the other hand to maintain control leverages on the emerging governance system in the country. We again urge the United States and their allies to unconditionally unlock national financial assets of Afghanistan,” Kabulov said.
Kabulov said that Russia, in bilateral interaction, with the current authorities in Afghanistan, attaches priority to the development of political, economic ties and contributing to the intra-Afghan settlement.
China's envoy said that the past year was a year of failures for the United States.
"For the United States, the past year has been a year of repeated failures and yet more evil actions. The current movement symbolizes the complete failure of the US strategy on Afghanistan, the complete failure of Western democracy on a country and the complete failure of hegemonism. Instead of taking primary responsibility in Afghanistan’s reconstruction, the United States, in turn, shamelessly seized the $7 billion assets of Afghan central bank, and suspended all the development aid,” China’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong, said.
Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran’s special representative, said that Iran opposes the return of US to Afghanistan, adding regional countries should play their role in addressing the current situation in Afghanistan.
He also called for the formation of an inclusive government in Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s envoy said that “the interim government of Afghanistan has not made the kind of progress that the international community would ideally expect.”
“The international community has consistently urged the interim Afghan government to promote greater political inclusivity. Unfortunately, there is little to show on this count. Despite assurances by the Afghan interim government, the rights of women and girls also appear to have regressed, not progressed. The footprint of terrorist organizations in Afghanistan has yet to fully eradicate,” said Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan’s special envoy for Afghanistan.
Eight Afghan migrants died after a speedboat carrying migrants capsized off Greece's eastern island of Rhodes on Friday, the Associated Press reported.
Greek authorities said that the capsizing was the result of the boat’s maneuvering to evade a patrol vessel.
A total of 18 migrants — 12 men, three women and three minors — all Afghan nationals, were rescued, Greece's coast guard said Saturday. The dead were also from Afghanistan, it said.
Some migrants remained hospitalized, with one in critical condition, authorities said.
Two Turkish citizens, ages 23 and 19, were arrested as the suspected traffickers. The boat sank after capsizing, the coast guard said.
The sinking off Rhodes was the second deadly incident involving migrants in the past week.
Seven migrants were killed and dozens were believed missing after a boat partially sank south of the island of Crete over the weekend — one of four rescue operations during which more than 200 migrants were rescued.
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Norwegian Chargé d’Affaires meets with IEA deputy foreign minister
Welcoming the diplomat’s visit to Kabul, Stanikzai underscored the importance of political relations between Afghanistan and Norway, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
The Norwegian Chargé d’Affaires for Afghanistan, Per Albert Ilsaas, on Saturday met with IEA’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs, Sher Muhammad Abbas Stanikzai, in Kabul.
Welcoming the diplomat’s visit to Kabul, Stanikzai underscored the importance of political relations between Afghanistan and Norway, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
In addition to focusing on bilateral political, humanitarian, and other pertinent issues, the two sides expressed hope that continued engagement would lead to constructive solutions to related issues.
This comes two weeks after the Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi expressed disappointment regarding the decision by the Norwegian government to downgrade diplomatic relations with Afghanistan.
Balkhi said in a post on X that such decisions should not be linked with internal affairs of other countries.
“Diplomatic engagement is most effective when it fosters mutual understanding and respect, even amidst differing viewpoints,” he stated.
“Access to consular services is a fundamental right of all nationals. We strongly urge all parties to prioritize this principle in the spirit of international cooperation,” he added.
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A new polio vaccination campaign is set to launch in Afghanistan
Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only two countries in the world where polio has not been eradicated.
The “Afghanistan Polio-Free” organization announced that a new round of polio vaccinations will begin on Monday, December 23, in various provinces of Afghanistan.
The organization did not specify which provinces will be targeted or how long the vaccination campaign will last.
Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only two countries in the world where polio has not been eradicated.
On December 4, 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a statement reporting a 283% increase in polio cases in Afghanistan. According to the WHO, the number of positive environmental samples for wild poliovirus type 1 in Afghanistan in 2024 reached 84, compared to 62 cases in 2023.
The Ministry of Public Health claimed in November 2024 that no new cases of polio had been reported in Afghanistan for the year.
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