Latest News
Talks teams to focus on agenda proposals as negotiations resume
Talks between the technical committees of the Afghanistan Republic’s team and the Taliban’s team around agenda-related proposals officially started in Doha on Saturday in what has become known as the “second round” of peace talks.
As the talks started, the leadership of the High Council for National Reconciliation in Kabul approved the guidelines for the second round of talks.
However, if the Afghan Republic’s team needs to make a decision, they will seek the cooperation and guidance of the council’s leadership.
“In this meeting, the country's political leaders and members of the council committee discussed the latest developments in the peace talks, the visit of the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to Doha, the beginning of the second round of talks and the negotiating guidelines for the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan,” said Mujib Rahimi, senior advisor to the council’s chairman Abdullah Abdullah and director of strategic communications at the HCNR.
“The first issue on the agenda of the Afghan government's negotiating team is a ceasefire,” Sharifa Zurmati, a member of the negotiating team said.
Sources from the HCNR meanwhile said that US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad also proposed a possible three-month ceasefire during his last visit to Kabul.
Sources said such a ceasefire would be based on the withdrawal of US troops.
“A three-month ceasefire, if agreed, would certainly be a great help to the Afghan people,” said Ishaq Gailani, senior adviser to the HCNR.
The Afghan foreign ministry has also launched a diplomatic campaign to gain global support for the success of the peace process.
“It is a priority of the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to involve the countries of the region and neighboring countries in strengthening regional consensus, strengthening economic relations and strengthening political and security stability in Afghanistan,” said Gran Hewad, the ministry’s spokesman.
The second round of peace talks in Qatar comes amid ongoing violence in the country - an issue seen by many as an obstacle in the way of peace.
Latest News
Suhail Shaheen meets with Chinese ambassador to Qatar
The head of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) political office in Doha, Suhail Shaheen, met with China’s ambassador to Qatar late Monday for talks on bilateral relations, good neighborliness, and trade and investment opportunities between the two countries.
“About the Wakhan road, the export of Afghanistan's fresh fruit to China, the reconstruction of cold stores, China's assistance in the field of medical equipment to the Ministry of Health and good neighborliness between the two countries were discussed,” Shaheen said in a voice message.
China and the Islamic Emirate have been rapidly expanding relations in recent months.
Experts, meanwhile, have said that other countries need to engage with the IEA, as China is doing, in order for Afghanistan to come out of isolation.
Shaheen also met with Katharina Ritz, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation to Afghanistan.
He discussed numerous issues including humanitarian assistance, health sector challenges and climate change.
Both sides emphasized that ICRC activities need to be expanded, considering the needs of the people.
Latest News
IFRC reports over half of Afghanistan’s population needs urgent humanitarian aid
Afghanistan ranks among the most vulnerable countries globally to climate change and disaster risks
The International Federation of Red Crescent (IFRC) has reported that Afghanistan continues to face prolonged and complex humanitarian crises.
IFRC said in a report published on Tuesday, that about 23.7 million people, more than half of Afghanistan’s population, are in urgent need of humanitarian aid.
According to the IFRC, natural disasters, the growing impact of climate change, population displacement, economic challenges, and food insecurity are the main factors contributing to Afghanistan’s ongoing humanitarian crisis.
Afghanistan ranks among the most vulnerable countries globally to climate change and disaster risks.
The country is also prone to earthquakes, with nearly 400 tremors recorded in the last three years, including significant quakes, such as the 6.3 magnitude in Herat Province in October last year.
The compounding effects of disasters in the country have exacerbated the already fragile situation in Afghanistan, the IFRC’s report read.
These successive disasters have pushed more Afghans into poverty and heightened their vulnerability.
In addition, Afghanistan’s economic crisis is widespread, with more than half of households experiencing an economic shock.
The country’s economy is heavily dependent on foreign aid and remittances, which have declined significantly since the political change in 2021.
This has resulted in high levels of unemployment, challenging people’s coping mechanisms and thwarting the already fragile economy’s ability to adapt to shocks, the report read.
The IFRC said more than 85 percent of the country’s population is now living below the poverty line.
Latest News
Maldives recalls envoy to Pakistan over meeting with Afghanistan envoy
The island nation’s foreign ministry said the much publicized meeting had not been sanctioned by the government
The Maldives government has recalled its top diplomat in Pakistan after he had an unauthorized meeting with an Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan envoy in Islamabad.
The island nation’s foreign ministry said the much publicized meeting between the Maldives High Commissioner Mohamed Thoha and IEA envoy Sardar Ahmad Shakeeb on Friday had not been sanctioned by the government.
Maldives media reported that the foreign ministry stated: “Consequently, appropriate action has been taken by the government of Maldives.”
Thoha’s name has also been removed from the website of the Maldives mission in Islamabad, and an official source told AFP that he had been recalled.
Since regained control of Afghanistan in August 2021, no country has yet officially recognized the government.
However, the IEA has been making inroads into the diplomatic arena and has official missions now stationed in a number of regional countries.
-
Business5 days ago
Private sectors of Afghanistan, Kazakhstan sign contracts worth $100 million
-
Sport5 days ago
Rashid Khan retained by Gujrat Titans ahead of IPL 2025 auction
-
Latest News4 days ago
DAB plans to set up electronic payments in Afghanistan
-
Regional5 days ago
Iran preparing strike on Israel from Iraqi territory within days, Axios reports
-
Regional4 days ago
Seven killed, dozens injured in blast in Pakistan’s Balochistan province
-
Sport2 days ago
Afghanistan to tour Zimbabwe for all-format series
-
Latest News3 days ago
Uzbekistan, EU envoys meet to discuss Afghanistan
-
Latest News4 days ago
UN expert calls for comprehensive, rights-focused action plan for Afghanistan