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Qatar, Indonesia sign scholarship pact for Afghan students
Al Khater affirmed Doha’s unwavering support for Afghanistan and spoke about Qatar’s $75 million pledge to support the country
Qatar and Indonesia have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that provides Afghan students scholarships to study in Indonesia.
Qatar’s Minister of State for International Cooperation Lolwah bint Rashid Al Khater signed the MoU with Indonesia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Lestari Priansari Marsudi.
According to a statement issued by the Qatari Foreign Ministry, the MoU aims to establish a cooperation framework to build human capacities of the Afghan people by providing scholarships to study in the Republic of Indonesia.
The scholarship program is part of the two countries’ broader shared vision and mission to support education and development projects in Afghanistan locally and globally, with a particular focus on creating opportunities that empower Afghan youth to build a brighter and more prosperous future in their country, Al Khater said.
She also affirmed Doha’s unwavering support for Afghanistan and spoke about Qatar’s $75 million pledge to support the country.
Al Khater said the MoU would boost the Qatar-Indonesia mutual commitment to establish a framework of cooperation to help build human capacities of the Afghan people by providing scholarships for Afghan students to study in Indonesia.
She also said Qatar would continue to provide humanitarian and development assistance to the Afghan people, in partnership with Indonesia and other countries in the fields of health, food security and capacity building.
Indonesia’s minister of foreign affairs, Marsudi in turn said that the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan underscores the urgent need for education, especially for Afghan women and girls.
She pointed out that currently there are more than 20 Afghan students benefiting from scholarships in Indonesia and that the signing of the MoU will enable more Afghan students to pursue higher education at Indonesian universities.
She also pointed out that Indonesia provided this year 10 million polio vaccine doses and humanitarian aid to the Afghan people affected by natural disasters, in addition to its cooperation with a local non-governmental organization to organize a psychosocial project that includes 400 Afghan women, providing them with the opportunity to participate in social life and enabling them to overcome their challenges.
Affirming her belief in the importance of creating a favorable environment for Afghan women and providing further job opportunities, Marsudi highlighted her country’s readiness to help develop a business model for Islamic microfinance that is appropriate for Afghanistan.
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has emphasized the continuation of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, stating that the ongoing provision of such aid plays an important role in ensuring regional security.
Speaking at the international conference “Peace and Trust” in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, Tokayev described addressing complex humanitarian challenges and the reconstruction of Afghanistan as a necessity.
“To ensure regional security, we consider it essential to continue providing assistance to Afghanistan, including by strengthening international efforts to address complex humanitarian issues and the reconstruction of this country. Kazakhstan remains committed to supporting the people of Afghanistan through humanitarian aid, educational projects, trade development, and food security initiatives,” he said.
Meanwhile, experts believe that sustainable improvement of the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan requires broad cooperation from the international community and support for the country’s economic development.
“Investment can be defined as one of the fundamental drivers of the economic cycle, and whenever Afghan traders do not take their money out of the country and instead invest domestically, it naturally leads to greater growth and dynamism in Afghanistan’s economy,” said Abdul Zahoor Modabber, an economic analyst.
As the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan continues, reports by international relief organizations indicate that millions of citizens of the country are in urgent need of food, health, and livelihood assistance.
The reduction in funding for aid organizations, the impacts of climate change, and the return of migrants have increased concerns about a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the country.
The Islamic Emirate has announced that it will not participate in the upcoming meeting of special envoys of regional countries on Afghanistan, scheduled to be held in Tehran, despite having received an invitation.
In a statement, Zia Ahmad Takal, Head of Information and Public Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the Islamic Emirate has maintained continuous and active engagement with all regional countries through various organizations, regional formats, and bilateral mechanisms, achieving notable progress in promoting mutual understanding and regional cooperation.
The statement added that Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs believes regional cooperation should be advanced by strengthening existing mechanisms and formats within the region.
Tehran is set to host the meeting next week, with special envoys from Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, China, and Russia expected to attend.
Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani, Minister of Interior of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, said during a visit to Khost province on Friday that any government which rules through fear cannot be considered a true government.
“A government is one that is loved by its people, one that serves them with respect and compassion, and from whose behavior people learn ethics and sincerity,” he said.
Haqqani also stressed that Afghans who opposed the Islamic Emirate in the past should be tolerated and treated in a way that helps eliminate hostility and animosity, paving the way for national cohesion.
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