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Qatar-Afghanistan Joint Labour Committee meeting held in Doha

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A Qatar-Afghanistan Joint Labour Committee meeting was held in the Qatari capital of Doha on Wednesday, where the two sides discussed various issues including developments in the labor sector, local media reported.

Qatar’s Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Labour Sheikha of Qatar Najwa bint Abdulrahman al-Thani and Head of Labour Deployment Department at the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of Afghanistan, Mohammad Ameen Anees, co-chaired the meeting, Gulf Times newspaper reported.

The committee discussed the latest developments in the labour sector between the two countries, alongside other relevant matters outlined in the agenda, according to the newspaper.

This comes after the Islamic Emirate Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs held a meeting last week to discuss plans around the deployment of Afghan workers to foreign countries.

The meeting, chaired by Minister Abdul Manan Omari, was attended by senior IEA officials, including Amir Khan Muttaqi, the foreign minister.

According to a statement issued by the ministry on Saturday, the discussion focused on facilitating the process of sending Afghan workers abroad and creating better conditions for laborers within Afghanistan.

Sending Afghan workers to Qatar and other Gulf nations was a pledge of the previous government but was never implemented.

The IEA now seeks to revive and expand these plans amid a worsening unemployment crisis.

 

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Afghanistan’s economy is ‘normal’, says finance ministry

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Afghanistan’s Ministry of Finance said Wednesday that after a comprehensive assessment of various sectors, the country’s economic situation is in “its normal state”.

According to a statement issued by the ministry, a meeting was convened to assess financial trade, foreign humanitarian aid, the value of the afghani (AFN), and the impact of changes in foreign policies on the economy.

It was found that the import and export process is functioning smoothly, the banking sector remains stable, national revenues are being collected transparently, and essential government expenditures are being made regularly without any delays.

The ministry attributed the decrease in the value of the AFN against foreign currencies, particularly the US dollar, to widespread negative propaganda.

"Overall, all domestic economic factors are maintaining the value of the Afghan currency in a normal state,” the statement read.

Modest recovery

The Afghan economy is showing signs of moderate growth, but still faces significant headwinds, including fiscal constraints, trade imbalances, and a limited capacity for public investment, according to the World Bank’s latest Afghanistan Development Update.

The World Bank stated that Afghanistan has seen a modest GDP growth of 2.7% over the past two years - growth driven by private consumption. The update stated the economy had recouped only about 10% of past economic losses, indicative of the slow and fragile nature of the recovery.

“Afghanistan's long-term growth prospects depend on tapping into the substantial potential of the domestic private sector and improving the overall business environment,” said Faris Hadad-Zervos, World Bank Country Director for Afghanistan in the update, which was issued last month.

“Key to this is increased investment, providing access to finance to small businesses, and supporting educated and skilled women entrepreneurs so their businesses can thrive. Without this, the country risks prolonged stagnation with limited prospects for sustainable development,” he added.

The World Bank also stated that the partial recovery, coupled with falling food prices, has contributed to a gradual improvement in household welfare.

But most Afghan households continue to struggle to meet basic needs and poverty remains widespread, the report read.

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IEA seeks dignified relations with all countries, including the US: Muttaqi

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Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi says the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) seeks dignified relations with all countries, including the United States, where mutual respect is preserved.

Muttaqi, in an interview with BBC, said: "Currently, if the US wants to engage with Afghanistan politically and economically, we have no problem. We want dignified relations with the United States and with all countries—relations in which the dignity of both sides is preserved."

Muttaqi emphasized that IEA will not allow Afghanistan to become a battleground for negative competition between powerful countries again.

He added IEA aims to make Afghanistan a hub for connecting regional countries, and added the suspension of US aid to Afghanistan will also have an impact.

"The aid has not only been cut from Afghanistan, this relates to the US internal policy regarding how it engages and interacts with other countries; however, it certainly has an impact, and we hope that the negative effects will not be severe and perhaps these issues will not be permanent,” he added.

Muttaqi stated that the request for the arrest of the supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate and the head of the Supreme Court by the International Criminal Court is "unjust and oppressive," but it will not affect Afghanistan's relations with the world.

Muttaqi also said the absence of an IEA representative at the recent International Conference on Girls' Education in Muslim Communities cast doubt over the gathering and that the conference had not been beneficial to Afghanistan.

The outcome of the conference, which was jointly hosted by the Muslim World League (MWL) and Pakistan government, was however welcomed by the General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

The OIC Secretary-General later commended the Declaration that was issued by delegates, especially the provisions calling for providing educational opportunities for girls in Muslim communities around the world, raising awareness about the importance of girls' education, and calling for the commitment of Islamic countries to develop supportive policies.

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Ancient Fort of Bost now boasts its own library

Also known as Qala-e-Bost, the Fort dates back more than 3,500 years. It is located near Lashkargah city in the southern province of Helmand.

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In the hope of promoting the culture of reading books, Helmand’s department of information and culture has installed a public library at the site of Afghanistan’s historic Fort of Bost.

The library, which contains about 3,000 books, is housed in a shipping container that’s been placed next to the Fort’s famous 11th century decorative arch.

Visitors to the Fort can make use of the library and read the books on site. They have welcomed the initiative but say they would like to see a more permanent structure being built for the library.

They also said they hope the Fort complex is one day fully restored.

Helmand provincial officials have said an assessment has been carried out to determine the work that needs to be done to restore the Fort and its surrounding structures. They say restoration work could start next year.

Also known as Qala-e-Bost, the Fort dates back more than 3,500 years. It is located near Lashkargah city in the southern province of Helmand.

This historical landmark was once a thriving urban center and now stands as a testament to the region's rich cultural and architectural heritage.

The impressive ruins tell stories of a bygone era, featuring remnants of intricate carvings and ancient structures that showcase the artistry of the people who once inhabited this area.

The arch is part of the remains of an ancient mosque.

The structures meanwhile include remains from periods of ancient Iranian, Greco-Roman, and ancient Indian domination

From the ruins excavated it is believed that a strong fortress was constructed to protect the town, the irrigated farm land, and the trade route from invading armies.

It was constructed of mud and baked brick; its most notable feature was a deep well in the center of the mound, with seven galleries encircling its shaft.

As of April 2008, it has been possible to descend into this ancient shaft, which has a spiral staircase leading to the bottom.

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