Bruno Lemarquis, the Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General, Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Afghanistan, has said that residents of Bamyan province are facing serious challenges due to drought and the impacts of climate change.

During his visit to Bamyan, Lemarquis praised the resilience and ability of the province’s people to cope with life’s difficulties, but said they continue to face numerous challenges.

He identified water resource management, access to education for girls and boys, access to healthcare services, and the return of migrants from Pakistan and Iran as among the main challenges facing Bamyan.

Lemarquis also said the province’s infrastructure does not meet the needs of its people and that its level of infrastructure development remains low.

He called on the international community not to forget Afghanistan so that assistance and fundamental development projects can be carried out in Bamyan and other provinces of the country.

Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai has called for greater efforts to tackle child malnutrition, saying access to education for both girls and boys is essential to preventing the growing crisis.

In a post on X on Wednesday, Karzai cited a recent UNICEF report warning that about 3.7 million children under the age of five in Afghanistan are at increasing risk of malnutrition. He urged the relevant authorities and international organizations to take serious and comprehensive measures to curb the crisis and protect children’s health.

Karzai said safeguarding children’s health, as the country’s future human capital, requires coordinated action by responsible institutions and international partners.

He also said providing education for all children and young people, regardless of gender, is a fundamental condition for preventing malnutrition. Expanding access to education and developing a skilled workforce, he added, would help reduce the effects of illiteracy, improve

Afghanistan’s economy, and enable the country to meet its needs without relying on foreign assistance.

Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Doha on Wednesday to convey condolences from the leadership of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) following the death of former Qatari emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Afghan Foreign Ministry said.

Muttaqi also held talks with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan Al Thani, and Minister of State at the Foreign Ministry Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al Khulaifi, the ministry said in a statement.

During the meetings, Muttaqi extended condolences to the Qatari officials over the death of the former emir.