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Three ministerial candidates present their plans to parliament

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Nominee ministers for foreign affairs, finance and interior, on Monday presented their operational strategies to the Wolesi Jirga, or Lower House of Parliament, for their votes of confidence.

Acting foreign minister Haneef Atmar said if there is no peace agreement reached between the Afghan team and the Taliban in Qatar, national and regional consensus will be jeopardized, and even if the peace process is successful, the threat of terrorism will not end in Afghanistan.

“The issue of peace is a serious need, and if this process does not succeed, the national and regional consensus will be jeopardized and the system and the country will be damaged, and if we find peace with the Taliban, still the threat of terrorism will remain,” Atmar told MPs.

He also stated that peace and stability in Afghanistan would be in the best interests of the region and the world.

However, he stated that “Afghanistan will be faced with terrorism threats” even if a peace deal is reached with the Taliban.

Atmar stated that regional and global cooperation in respect of the Afghan peace process was needed and that assistance from stakeholders in fighting terrorism was also necessary.

He said economic growth was also dependent on regional and foreign cooperation especially in terms of transit and trade connectivity.

Atmar said the international community’s assistance to Afghanistan needs to become responsible and effective.

“We will not let anyone undermine our national sovereignty,” he said.

Acting interior minister Massoud Andarabi and acting finance minister Abdul Hadi Arghandiwal also presented their strategies to MPs.

Arghandiwal said if he wins a vote of confidence as finance minister, he will increase domestic revenue to 400 billion Afghanis by 2025 and declare Afghanistan as economically independent in the same year.

Arghandiwal said under his reform program, the finance ministry will be able to collect $700 million in the short-term from the international community.

He also said that the construction of hydro-electric dams, investment in the agricultural sector, and mining were areas that would be prioritized under his leadership.

Arghandiwal stated that the problem of corruption in the country is a major challenge that requires serious action. He also said more than 1,000 people have been referred to the Attorney General’s Office on charges of corruption in customs and other revenue sectors.

Meanwhile, Massoud Andarabi, the nominee and acting minister for interior, told members of the Wolesi Jirga that the Taliban had increased violence across the country by changing their tactics.

Andarabi said targeted assassinations, attacks on district centers and roadside bombs are key tactics now being used by the Taliban.

He added that security forces had responded to all Taliban action in Helmand and Kandahar provinces.

Meanwhile, some lawmakers have criticized some of the nominees and accused them of being corrupt, saying they are “old faces”.

MPs have however decided that once all 10 ministerial candidates have presented their operational plans, lawmakers will vote by ballot on Thursday to determine the fate of the candidates.

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Needy families in Nangarhar receive Ramadan aid from Bayat Foundation

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On the occasion of Ramadan, Bayat Foundation delivered food aid to dozens of needy families in Afghanistan’s eastern province of Nangarhar this week.

The organization’s officials said that the aid packages include flour, rice, and cooking oil, which was distributed to the needy after a transparent assessment.

“Bayat Foundation helps thousands of families across Afghanistan every year. Fortunately, today this Ramadan aid was distributed to hundreds of families in Jalalabad. This aid includes flour, rice, and cooking oil,” Attaullah Sahil, a representative of Bayat Foundation in Nangarhar, said.

Appreciating Bayat Foundation’s assistance, officials of the Nangarhar Department of Economy called on other charities to help the needy during the holy month of Ramadan.

“These families are very deserving families who were selected after conducting a survey in the presence of representatives of the Department of Economy and Bayat Foundation. All families are deserving, and they include widows, the disabled and the poor,” Mohammad Asif Rahmani, a representative of the Nangarhar Department of Economy, said.

Recipients welcomed the Ramadan aid from Bayat Foundation, saying that those in need require more help.

Haider, an aid recipient, said: “We are very poor people. There are no job opportunities. Thank you very much to Bayat Foundation for helping us.”

Mohammad Zaman, another aid recipient, said: “During this Ramadan, I was facing difficulties. I could not find sustenance. Bayat Foundation helped us. May God help it.”

Bayat Foundation has helped the needy not only during the holy month of Ramadan, but also during natural disasters, and has continued to cooperate with government institutions in various sectors, especially health and education.

 

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IEA controls power in Afghanistan, security prevails: Araqchi

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Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araqchi, has said that the Islamic Emirate controls power in Afghanistan and security prevails across the country.

Speaking in an interview with Khabar Online, Araqchi said that before the Islamic Emirate took over, different parts of Afghanistan would be governed by different groups.

“The reality is that now there is a power in Afghanistan that has consolidated its rule over the past three and a half years, and unlike in the past, when every corner of Afghanistan was in the hands of different people, this is not the case now. Security and rule prevail. We must address the issues and resolve them for our national interests,” Araqchi said.

The Islamic Emirate welcomed the remarks saying that it indicates an understanding of the realities in Afghanistan.

“This actually means a correct understanding of the realities in Afghanistan. It is a fact that there is a single political governance in Afghanistan that has complete control over Afghanistan,” Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate, said.

Araqchi also added in his interview that there are issues in Afghanistan that are related to Iran’s national interests, so he traveled to Kabul to discuss them with the officials of the Islamic Emirate.

He mentioned water rights, presence of Afghan refugees in Iran and Daesh as issues that need to be discussed between the officials of the two countries.

The Iranian diplomat said that Tehran, like other countries, has not recognized the Islamic Emirate, but despite sanctions, trade is taking place between the two countries in high volumes.

Separately, Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs, Abdulsalam Hanafi, said in a meeting with the acting ambassador of Afghanistan to Iran recently that Afghanistan and Iran have long-standing religious, historical, cultural and economic relations, and the embassy officials should make every effort to strengthen them.

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Uzbekistan sends essential food aid to Afghanistan

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Marking the new solar year, 1404, and the holy month of Ramadan, Uzbekistan this week delivered almost 200 tons of food aid to Afghanistan via Balkh province.

This is in line with Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s directive that humanitarian aid be sent to Afghanistan, Kun.uz reported.

The essential food items were handed over in Hairatan border town in a ceremony attended by Uzbekistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Ismatulla Irgashev; Surkhandarya governor Ulugbek Kosimov; representatives from relevant ministries; Balkh provincial governor Muhammad Yusuf Vafo; and other officials from both countries.

The aid package consists of flour, wheat, pasta, vegetable oil, sugar, instant meals, red beans, and mung beans.

Additionally, a bilateral meeting was held in Mazar-e-Sharif, where discussions focused on advancing future cooperation. During the talks, special attention was given to the construction of the Imam Bukhari Mausoleum in Afghanistan, a project supported by Uzbekistan.

Afghan officials expressed gratitude to the president and people of Uzbekistan for their assistance, Akipress reported.

At the end of December, Uzbekistan sent humanitarian aid containing food and medicine to Afghanistan, as well as a “health train”.

Uzbek doctors conducted free medical examinations of the population in Balkh province between December 25 and December 30.

 

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