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Positive news coming on Afghan girls’ education in next two weeks: EU envoy
EU’s special envoy to Afghanistan said on Thursday he was told by officials of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) that there will be positive news on girls education in the next two weeks.
Thomas Niklasson told reporters in Kabul that he heard from several acting ministers that the IEA’s policy is still education for all.
“We were informed that there is a program and the details are being finalized,” Niklasson said. “We were told… that the Afghans would have positive news in the next two weeks.”
The envoy said that there are some issues where if progress is made further, “we could do more and we could engage more and we could provide more of assistance and be more flexible on some issues.”
He said that one of the key issues was the rights of girls to education.
In March, IEA backtracked on an announcement that high schools would open for girls, saying they would remain closed until a plan was drawn up in accordance with Islamic law for them to reopen.
On the issue of inclusive governance, Niklasson stated that “we are not calling for former Afghan leaders to come back and take over the country.”
“We are not calling for quotas whether it is about ethnic minorities or ethnic groups or men or women. Although, of course, we would find it reasonable that substantial number of the people in government would be women,” Niklasson said.
He said that Afghans should have a chance to say on who rules the country and what policies should be put in place.
“We do not call for an immediate national assembly or a Loya Jirga to decide on power sharing, if that happens it may very well be a very good thing,” Niklasson said. “What we ask for or what we suggest in any case is more of a dialogue or the establishment of a dialogue between the de facto authorities and people.”
The General Examination Authority held a ceremony in Kabul on Sunday to honor the top ten achievers of the 2026 Kankor university entrance examination, which was attended by several senior officials of the Islamic Emirate.
Speaking at the event, Abdul Baqi Haqqani, head of the General Examination Authority, said it has consistently worked to ensure a transparent examination process and uphold fairness by awarding candidates based on merit. He added that Afghanistan requires both modern and religious education systems.
Abdul Salam Hanafi, Administrative Deputy Prime Minister, said the Islamic Emirate has utilized available resources to support the development of education and higher learning. He called on students to remain committed to contributing to the country’s reconstruction and future development.
Around 117,000 candidates took part in the 2026 Kankor examination, with more than 74,000 gaining admission to higher education institutions across the country.
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OIC, Muslim World League discuss support for Afghanistan on sidelines of Islamabad conference
Senior officials from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Muslim World League (MWL) have discussed ways to strengthen cooperation and support Afghanistan amid ongoing humanitarian and development challenges.
The meeting between OIC Assistant Secretary-General Ambassador Tarig Ali Bakheet and MWL Secretary-General Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa was held on Saturday on the sidelines of the 9th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women, which began on Sunday in Islamabad with the participation of delegates from 57 OIC member states.
During the meeting, the two sides reviewed prospects for expanding bilateral cooperation and agreed to launch several joint programs aimed at serving Islamic causes and broadening areas of joint work.
They also exchanged views on recent developments in Afghanistan, discussing ways to support the Afghan people in overcoming humanitarian and development challenges. Both sides emphasized the importance of coordinated Islamic and international efforts to provide necessary assistance and sustain relief and humanitarian initiatives.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Ambassador Bakheet conveyed the OIC’s appreciation for the Muslim World League’s efforts, under the leadership of Al-Issa, in promoting moderation and balance and serving the causes of the Muslim Ummah.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has expressed its condolences following the death of Qatar’s former Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who died at the age of 74, extending sympathies to the Qatari government, the family and the people of Qatar.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Islamic Emirate said it received the news of Sheikh Hamad’s death “with utmost sorrow and grief,” adding the Quranic phrase: “Indeed, we belong to Allah, and to Him we shall return.”
The statement conveyed condolences to the Government of the State of Qatar, the family of the late Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, and the “fraternal Qatari people” over the loss.
The Islamic Emirate also prayed for Allah to grant the former emir His boundless mercy, admit him to the highest level of Paradise, and bestow patience and abundant reward upon his family and loved ones.
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani served as emir of Qatar from 1995 until 2013. He was widely credited with transforming Qatar into a major regional and global player through rapid modernization, economic development and an increasingly active foreign policy before voluntarily handing power to his son, the current Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in 2013.
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