Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, said on Sunday that a secure Afghanistan represents a significant opportunity for all, both economically and politically.

Speaking at a graduation ceremony in Kandahar, Baradar emphasized that the Islamic Emirate supports political and economic participation for the country’s comprehensive development. He noted that over the past four years, this participation has been strengthened through consultation with scholars, academic experts, and professional staff.

Baradar highlighted that Afghanistan’s current political authority is stable and balanced compared to the past. Parallel political movements and opposing factions that previously challenged national decisions have been removed. Administrative participation, transparency, economic infrastructure development, public services, and national satisfaction have all improved.

He called on countries to engage constructively with the Islamic Emirate, leveraging Afghanistan’s potential within the framework of regional and international cooperation.

Baradar also assured citizens that the Emirate will uphold everyone’s rights and property, urging the public to support the government in maintaining security and rebuilding the nation. He further urged scholars to guide people with wisdom and patience, avoiding harsh or sarcastic language.

U.S. President Donald Trump has again criticized the U.S. abandonment of military equipment in Afghanistan, saying the decision damaged America’s global standing, while claiming the country is now regaining respect on the world stage.

Speaking in an interview with Fox News following a recent attack in Venezuela that led to the arrest of President Nicolas Maduro, Trump contrasted the current state of U.S. military power with what he described as the situation after the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan.

“We have a country now that is respected,” Trump said. “I rebuilt the military in my first term, and they gave a little chunk of it away — but it was a lot. They gave it to Afghanistan so stupidly.”

Trump argued that the pullout made the United States appear weak internationally, saying, “Compare this to Afghanistan, where we were a laughingstock all over the world. We are not a laughingstock anymore.”

He went on to assert that the U.S. military is now stronger than ever, claiming it possesses unmatched capabilities and equipment. “Now we have the greatest military in the world by far. We have the greatest military equipment in the world by far,” he said.

Trump has repeatedly criticized the manner of U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, which occurred under President Joe Biden’s administration.

The Biden administration has defended the decision, arguing that the withdrawal ended a two-decade-long war and followed an agreement negotiated during Trump’s presidency.

The United Nations Security Council is due to meet on Monday after the U.S. attacked Venezuela and deposed its long-serving autocratic President Nicolas Maduro, a move that U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres views as setting “a dangerous precedent.”

Colombia, backed by Russia and China, requested the meeting of the 15-member council, diplomats said. The U.N. Security Council has met twice – in October and December – over the escalating tensions between the United States and Venezuela.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Washington would run Venezuela “until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.” It is unclear how Trump plans to oversee Venezuela.

“This is a colonial war aimed at destroying our republican form of government, freely chosen by our people, and at imposing a puppet government that allows the plundering of our natural resources, including the world’s largest oil reserves,” Venezuela’s U.N. Ambassador Samuel Moncada wrote to the U.N. Security Council on Saturday.

He said the U.S. had violated the founding U.N. Charter, which states: ” All members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.”

The U.S. military action overnight constitutes “a dangerous precedent,” Guterres’ spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

“The Secretary-General continues to emphasize the importance of full respect – by all – of international law, including the UN Charter. He’s deeply concerned that the rules of international law have not been respected,” Dujarric said.

The Trump administration has for months targeted suspected drug trafficking boats off the Venezuelan coast and the Pacific coast of Latin America. The U.S. ramped up its military presence in the region and announced a blockade of all vessels subject to U.S. sanctions, last month intercepting two tankers loaded with Venezuelan crude.

In October, the U.S. justified its action as consistent with Article 51 of the founding U.N. Charter, which requires the Security Council to be immediately informed of any action states take in self-defense against armed attack.

“This is not regime change this is justice,” U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz posted on X on Saturday. “Maduro was an indicted, illegitimate dictator that led a declared Narco-terrorism organization responsible for killing American citizens.”