Nooruddin Azizi, Minister of Industry and Commerce of the Islamic Emirate, has held talks with Andrei Yevgenyevich Kuznetsov, Belarus’s Minister of Industry, on increasing the level of trade between the two countries and purchasing diesel fuel and petrol from Belarus.

Azizi raised this issue during his visit to Uzbekistan in a meeting with the Belarusian Minister of Industry.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Azizi invited Belarusian investors to take advantage of investment opportunities in Afghanistan, particularly in the pharmaceutical sector.

The statement added that both sides agreed to establish a joint working team at the deputy-minister level to follow up on the issues discussed in the meeting, especially efforts to increase the volume of trade between the two countries.

The Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund (AHF) delivered critical assistance across Afghanistan in 2025, as the country faced ongoing humanitarian pressures including displacement, natural disasters and climate-related shocks, according to its latest annual report.

Operating in a context of limited resources and growing needs, the fund played a key role in ensuring life-saving aid reached vulnerable communities, including women, men and children affected by crises such as earthquakes and cross-border returns.

The AHF said its flexible funding mechanisms allowed for rapid response and anticipatory action, while also supporting longer-term humanitarian programmes aligned with the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan.

During the year, the fund allocated $73.5 million through eight targeted disbursements. The funding was directed toward both emergency situations and protracted humanitarian needs, enabling assistance to reach millions of people across the country.

Particular focus was placed on communities impacted by displacement, climate-related events and natural disasters, as humanitarian agencies sought to address the most urgent needs amid continuing economic and environmental challenges.

The spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Zabihullah Mujahid, has strongly denied claims that members of the administration maintain ties with Al-Qaeda.

Responding to media reports on an ongoing analytical project mapping over 1,200 IEA officials by the Middle East Institute, Mujahid issued an audio statement and described the allegations as inaccurate. He also said they were “firmly rejected.”

He said the Islamic Emirate has no need to maintain relations with transnational groups, adding that such claims misrepresent the current situation in Afghanistan.

Mujahid also argued that reports of this nature are intended to mislead public opinion and generate negative narratives about the Islamic Emirate.