Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, Minister of Refugees and Repatriation, has met with Arafat Jamal, head of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office, to discuss the situation of Afghan migrants and efforts to address their problems.

The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation said in a statement on Friday that Jamal said the problems of Afghan migrants, including forced deportations, will be discussed in October on the sidelines of an international meeting in Switzerland.

Jamal also said UNHCR and Iran have agreed to hold a tripartite meeting on Afghan migrants. The meeting is expected to take place in Kabul soon, with representatives from Iran, the United Nations and the Islamic Emirate attending.

He said the United Nations has also launched new efforts to address the problems of Afghan migrants and has prepared plans to mobilize the financial resources needed to assist them.

Mawlawi Abdul Kabir welcomed the tripartite and quadripartite meetings on Afghan migrants, calling them important and effective. He said the Islamic Emirate supports efforts to address the problems of migrants and returnees.

He added that several programs have already been implemented to support Afghan migrants and returnees, while efforts are underway to secure further cooperation.

Jan Egeland, Secretary-General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), says he met the Islamic Emirate leaders in Kabul and Kandahar to call for the resumption of education for girls beyond primary school.

Egeland said that with each passing year, thousands of female teachers and health workers are leaving the labour market, while no new graduates are entering to replace them.

He described the situation as a serious concern for Afghanistan and said the NRC would continue working for the resumption of education for women and girls at all levels, in accordance with Afghan traditions.

Egeland also questioned the absence of diplomats and international envoys from Afghanistan, saying they should be present in the country and work alongside humanitarian organizations to advance women’s rights.

“You cannot do that from abroad,” he said.

Former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad says the September 11 attacks fundamentally changed U.S. national strategy, making the fight against terrorism its central focus for years.

In a post marking the anniversary of the attacks, Khalilzad said the U.S. suffered significant losses during the subsequent war on terror, including service members who were killed or sustained life-changing injuries.

He said the U.S. achieved major successes in the fight against terrorism, including reducing al-Qaida to the point of near-eradication.

Khalilzad, however, said the intense phase of the war on terror has receded and Washington now needs to broaden its focus to address emerging global challenges.

He pointed to China’s rise, the rapid development of artificial intelligence, and uncertainties involving Europe, Russia, India and the wider Middle East as key challenges shaping the new era.

Khalilzad warned that major powers have historically remained focused on their “last war” while failing to prepare for emerging threats and conflicts.

He said the U.S. should avoid repeating that mistake while maintaining the necessary measures to ensure that the war on terror remains in the past.