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New Afghan Ambassador presents credentials to UN Secretary General

The new Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations, Ambassador Mahmoud Saikal, presented his credentials today to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Ambassador Saikal is a senior Afghan diplomat and international development specialist with over two decades of experience with governments, international organizations, private sector and civil society.
According to the UN press release Saikal has served as Special Representative and Senior Advisor to the Chief Executive of Afghanistan, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, Ambassador of Afghanistan to Australia and New Zealand, First Secretary and later Counselor Minister Plenipotentiary at the Embassy of Afghanistan in
Ambassador Saikal was instrumental in the negotiation of various agreements, including the 2014 agreement on the formation of the National Unity Government of Afghanistan, the “Joint Declaration on Regional Peace and Stability” a track II initiative launched in Kabul in 2013, the “Afghanistan Compact” which was launched at the London International Conference on Afghanistan in 2006, as well as the 2006 Afghanistan-NATO Declaration, which set out the Framework for Enduring Cooperation in Partnership.
He was deeply involved in the promotion of regional cooperation, resulting in Afghanistan’s membership in South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC), strengthening Afghanistan’s membership in Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), and formulation of the process of Regional Economic Cooperation Conferences on Afghanistan (RECCA).
Ambassador Saikal has a Master’s Degree in International Development from Deakin University of Melbourne, as well as two bachelor degrees from the University of Sydney and the University of Canberra. He graduated with First Class French Baccalaureate from Lycee Esteqlal of Kabul.
Born on 1 January 1962, Ambassador Saikal is married with two children.

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Muttaqi to Pakistani envoy: Trade and transit obstacles benefit no one

Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq met on Saturday and discussed bilateral relations, political and economic cooperation, security and transit, said Zia Ahmad Takal, head of public relations at Foreign Ministry in a statement.
In this meeting, Muttaqi emphasized that obstacles to trade and transit are not in anyone’s interest and that certain issues should not be linked together.
He added that the process of Afghan refugees returning from Pakistan should be carried out gradually and with dignity.
According to the statement, Pakistan’s special representative also acknowledged that ensuring security in Afghanistan benefits both Pakistan and the region.
He committed to introducing measures to facilitate the visa issuance process for Afghan citizens.
Mohammad Sadiq also stated that practical steps will be taken to resolve existing trade and transit challenges.
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IEA announces resumption of consular services in Norway

The Afghan embassy in Oslo will resume consular services on coming Monday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul announced Saturday.
The ministry said in a statement that the resumption of consular services in Norway was a “positive step.”
In August last year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul declared the consular services of Afghan missions in 14 Western countries including Norway to be invalid.
The statement cited corruption, lack of transparency and non-coordination with the ministry as reasons for the closure.
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Eighteen injured after dispute between two brothers in Helmand

Eighteen people were injured following a dispute between two brothers in Afghanistan’s southern Helmand province on Friday, local officials said.
The incident occurred in the Old Bazaar area of Gereshk district and the people were injured when the son of one of the two brothers threw a hand grenade, the provincial department of information and culture said.
Two of the injured people are said to be in critical condition.
Officials did not say what caused the dispute.
One person has been arrested in connection with the incident.
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