The Taliban says people in Afghanistan on previous government’s visas can stay for now

Associated Press
 August 5, 2024
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Afghanistan’s Taliban government said Monday it would allow people in the country on visas issued by the former Western-backed government to stay for now, but that they wouldn’t be allowed back in without documents from a Taliban-approved diplomatic mission.

The announcement by the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry on the social media platform X clarified its July 30 announcement that it would no longer accept documents from consulates and diplomatic missions abroad staffed by member of the former government.

The move is part of the Taliban’s efforts to gain control of Afghanistan’s representation abroad since returning to power in 2021.

The Taliban’s blacklisting of diplomatic missions in Canada, Australia and several European countries means that many people may have to travel hundreds of even thousands of miles to get documents issued, renewed, or certified.

Documents from missions in the UK, Belgium, Switzerland, France, Greece, Italy, Poland, Norway, Sweden, Canada, and Australia are invalid unless they are registered with the ministry in Kabul, the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry said.

The documents otherwise are “invalid due to administrative corruption, lack of transparency and lack of coordination,” the ministry said. It said the documents were in “clear violation of principles,” but did not elaborate on what those principles are.

The Taliban’s Foreign Ministry, which operates diplomatic missions in countries including Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey, said Monday that its “acceptable” diplomatic missions in Europe are the consulate general in Munich, Germany and the country’s embassies in the Netherlands, Spain, Bulgaria, and the Czech Republic.

A statement issued last week by a council representing ambassadors appointed by the previous government said those missions remain committed to providing consular services in collaboration with host country authorities.

“Regrettably, through their miscalculated and short-sighted actions, the Taliban have repeatedly created problems for Afghan refugees and citizens who reside outside their country,” the Coordination Council of Ambassadors and General Consulates of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan said in a statement.

The Taliban’s Foreign Ministry did not respond to questions about the number of Afghans affected by the decision. It said online consular services were not yet available.

In March 2023, the Taliban said they were trying to take charge of more Afghan embassies abroad. Their chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said the administration had sent diplomats to at least 14 countries.

Many Taliban leaders are under sanctions, and no country recognizes them as Afghanistan’s legitimate rulers.

Afghanistan’s seat at the United Nations is still held by the country’s former government, which was led by Ashraf Ghani, though the Taliban administration is seeking to claim that seat as well.

 

The Taliban says people in Afghanistan on previous government’s visas can stay for now
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Children displacement soars in Afghanistan due to climate change

The Save the Children organization has announced that during the first six months of the current calendar year, at least 38,000 people, predominantly children, have been displaced in Afghanistan due to climate change.

The organization reported an increase in internal displacement in Afghanistan compared to 2023, highlighting the plight of internally displaced persons.

According to the report, the number of internally displaced persons in the first six months of 2024 exceeds the total for the entire previous year.

The report identifies drought, rising temperatures, floods, landslides, rainfall, and storms as major factors contributing to displacement in Afghanistan.

According to Save the Children, Afghanistan had over 747,000 displaced children due to natural disasters last year, making it the country with the highest number of child displacements globally, with children constituting 50% of these refugees this year as well.

Afghanistan is recognized as the sixth most vulnerable country to climate change impacts globally, with international organizations consistently warning of increasing humanitarian crises resulting from this phenomenon.

Previously, Save the Children had reported that ongoing floods in Afghanistan have left 40,000 children homeless and claimed the lives of 200 children.

The situation in Afghanistan underscores the urgent need for global attention and support to mitigate the effects of climate change, particularly on vulnerable populations such as children, who are disproportionately affected by natural disasters. Immediate action and international cooperation are crucial to addressing these humanitarian challenges and ensuring the safety and well-being of Afghan children.

Children displacement soars in Afghanistan due to climate change
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Taliban suspends licenses of 17 local media outlets in Nangarhar province

The Afghanistan Journalists Center reported that the Taliban Ministry of  Communications and Information Technology has suspended the licenses of 17 local media outlets in Nangarhar province.

The ministry stated that the licenses of these media outlets were suspended due to non-payment of taxes.

According to the Afghanistan Journalists Center, the Taliban’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has warned that these media outlets will not be allowed to operate until they settle their “frequency tax” dues.

The Afghanistan Journalists Center expressed concern on Monday, August 5, over the suspension of activities of these media outlets and criticized the Taliban ministry’s decision as unfair. They urged Taliban authorities to reconsider their decision.

The Afghanistan Journalists Center reported that since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in August 2021, the operations of private television station Enikas Radio and Nargis and Islah radios in Nangarhar province have been halted.

The center added that currently, 14 radios are active in this province.

The report stated that the Taliban has not yet halted the publications of these media outlets but has warned their owners that if they do not pay the obligatory taxes, their publications will be stopped.

This organization supporting media outlets mentioned that radios and local television stations in Nangarhar, as a first-class province, are obligated to pay an annual tax of 108,000 Afghanis. The center acknowledges that these media outlets owe back taxes ranging from one to ten years.

The suppression of independent media and restrictions on journalism have intensified in Afghanistan under Taliban rule, leading to concerns about press freedom and access to information.

The international community has raised alarms about the deteriorating situation of media freedom in Afghanistan and has called on the Taliban to uphold press freedoms and allow journalists to operate without fear of reprisals or censorship.

Taliban suspends licenses of 17 local media outlets in Nangarhar province
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Over 28,000 Afghan children suffer from malnutrition in recent months

Khaama Press

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) recently announced that over 28,000 children in Afghanistan are suffering from malnutrition.

This organization stated on Wednesday, August 7th, that 28,000 children have been affected by malnutrition in just the past seven months.

It is worth noting that UNICEF published these statistics on the final day of World Breastfeeding Week.

According to this organization, among these children, more than ten thousand are under six months old and are facing malnutrition.

In conjunction with August 1, marking the start of World Breastfeeding Week, UNICEF has stated that 52% of infants worldwide are not receiving healthy milk.

UNICEF, in a joint statement with the World Health Organization, released these statistics in honor of “World Breastfeeding Week.” The United Nations Children’s Fund added that improving breastfeeding rates could save the lives of more than 820,000 children annually.

Today marks the last day of World Breastfeeding Week. However, the importance of natural infant nutrition has led the World Health Organization and UNICEF to designate August 1 to August 7 as World Breastfeeding Week and World Breastfeeding Day.

UNICEF’s report highlights the urgent need for attention to child malnutrition in Afghanistan and the critical role breastfeeding can play in combating this issue.

Global efforts, such as those led by UNICEF and the WHO, underscore the importance of promoting breastfeeding to ensure infants receive the nutrition they need for healthy growth and development.

As awareness of this issue increases, communities and governments worldwide must support initiatives that encourage and enable breastfeeding, aiming to improve infant health and save lives.

Over 28,000 Afghan children suffer from malnutrition in recent months
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Canada provides over $2 million in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has announced that Canada has contributed approximately $2.2 million to the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund.

This agency expressed gratitude for the Canadian government’s aid to Afghanistan in a message posted on its X page on Wednesday, August 7.

OCHA has emphasized that since 2019, Canada has contributed a total of 15.8 million Canadian dollars to Afghanistan.

Previously, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) had issued a report warning about the organization’s budget shortage for continuing humanitarian activities in Afghanistan.

According to the agency, 23.7 million people in Afghanistan will need humanitarian assistance to survive this year.

Meanwhile, several aid agencies have attributed the increase in Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis to climate change, including increased heavy rains, floods, storms, and the return of Afghan refugees from countries like Iran and Pakistan.

The current dire humanitarian crisis highlights the urgent need for international support and collaborative efforts to address the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

As Canada and other nations step forward with assistance, it is vital to continue and expand these efforts to ensure that the millions in need receive timely and effective aid. Addressing the root causes, such as climate change and geopolitical challenges, will also be crucial in developing sustainable solutions to prevent future crises.

Canada provides over $2 million in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan
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Gandapur Criticizes Pakistan’s Facilitating US Operations in Afghanistan

Ali Amin Gandapur criticized Pakistan’s recent policies towards Afghanistan, saying that Islamabad should not expect good relations from Kabul.

The Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, during a meeting of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, said that Pakistan provided military bases to the United States, facilitating military operations against Afghanistan. 

Ali Amin Gandapur criticized Pakistan’s recent policies towards Afghanistan, saying that Islamabad should not expect good relations from Kabul.

The Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa added: “I know that you used to carry out operations here at America’s behest, you provided bases to be used against that neighboring country, which is both Pashtun and Muslim, and today you say that if any incident happens, you blame them or say it was planned from Afghanistan. With this in mind, what do you expect? For them to send you flowers?”

Meanwhile, the chargés d’affaires of Afghanistan’s embassy in Islamabad, Sardar Ahmad Shakib, called the relations between Kabul and Islamabad vital for regional connectivity and welfare.

In an interview with a media outlet, Shakib said: “The relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan are crucial for regional connectivity and welfare. Positive relations between the two countries will lead to mutual benefits, improved trade and transit, and regional economic integration. Conversely, tensions will negatively impact both nations and the broader region.”

Additionally, some political and military analysts said that verbal tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan will negatively affect the improvement of bilateral relations.

“It is entirely up to Pakistan, its military, and the ISI to determine how to strengthen their relations with the Afghan people and ensure their security from Afghanistan and ours from Pakistan,” said Kamran Aman, a political analyst.

In recent months, Islamabad has repeatedly accused Kabul of insecurity in Pakistan, a claim that the Islamic Emirate has always denied, stating that it will never allow Afghan soil to be used against other countries, especially neighbors.

Gandapur Criticizes Pakistan’s Facilitating US Operations in Afghanistan
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Nazari: SIGAR Report is ‘Exaggerated’

The SIGAR report also said that the United States has provided nearly $232 million in aid to Afghanistan in the current year.

The Ministry of Economy has rejected the report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) regarding $21 billion in aid to Afghanistan, stating that this amount of money has not been made available to the citizens of the country. 

Abdul Latif Nazari, the technical deputy of the Ministry of Economy, called the recent SIGAR report exaggerated. Previously, the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction said in its quarterly report that the United States had allocated $20.7 billion to Afghanistan and Afghan refugees over the past three years.

Abdul Latif Nazari told TOLOnews: “From our perspective, the SIGAR report is exaggerated. Some of the aid that has no connection to the people of Afghanistan and has not been made available to our people is published in the name of Afghanistan; however, we want the aid to transition from humanitarian to developmental.”

In its 64th quarterly report, SIGAR clarified that $2.9 billion in humanitarian and development aid, the transfer of $3.7 billion in Afghan assets to a trust fund, and over $14 billion to Afghan refugees have been allocated.

The report said: “The United States remains the largest donor to the Afghan people. Since U.S. forces withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021, the United States has appropriated or otherwise made available $20.71 billion in assistance to Afghanistan and to Afghan refugees.”

Another part of this report shows that while drug production has decreased, its trade from Afghanistan continues. In response to this report, the Ministry of Interior has said that following the Islamic Emirate leader’s decree on eradicating drugs in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Interior has prioritized this matter and has begun practical steps to eradicate it.

“There is no exception in the fight against the cultivation, trafficking, production, import, hoarding, and storage of drugs in Afghanistan, and the police will firmly fight to eliminate this evil phenomenon,” said Abdul Mateen Qani, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior.

However, the Afghanistan Chamber of Industries and Mines does not consider the world’s aid to Afghanistan in the past three years sufficient. Sakhi Ahmad Paiman, the first deputy of the Chamber of Industries and Mines, said: “Real aid is the aid whose effectiveness we feel in Afghanistan. It is possible that the statistics and figures presented do not match the actual aid provided.”

The SIGAR report also said that the United States has provided nearly $232 million in aid to Afghanistan in the current year.

Nazari: SIGAR Report is ‘Exaggerated’
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SIGAR Reports $7 Billion in Aid to Afghanistan

SIGAR added that Afghanistan’s assets in the Swiss-based Fund for the Afghan People had reached $3.84 billion dollars by June this year.

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) said in its latest report that the international community has provided $7 billion dollars in aid to Afghanistan over the past nearly three years.

SIGAR, citing the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, said that about $2.9 billion dollars of this aid came from the United States, including humanitarian and developmental assistance.

According to the report, despite this aid, Afghanistan still faces an economic crisis. The report mentioned: “The UN requested $3.06 billion to fund humanitarian activities in 2024. As of July 12, the HRP was 23% funded, at $710 million. The United States is the single largest donor, having contributed nearly $232 million this year.”

“The aid given to Afghanistan over these three years, especially the 2.9 billion dollars from the US and other funds brought into Afghanistan, has been particularly effective in preventing the devaluation of the Afghan currency,” said Sayed Masoud, an economic analyst.

SIGAR added that Afghanistan’s assets in the Swiss-based Fund for the Afghan People had reached $3.84 billion dollars by June this year.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Economy called the continuation of aid crucial under the current conditions and stressed that Afghanistan’s assets should be released and made available to the country’s citizens.

Abdul Latif Nazari, the Deputy Minister of Economy, said: “International community aid to Afghanistan is important. We are trying to use this aid to strengthen infrastructure.”

The SIGAR report also said that opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan has decreased by more than 85% in 2023.

“Our request to the Islamic Emirate is to provide us with seeds instead of opium so that our lands can be cultivated,” said Nematullah, a farmer.

The SIGAR report also mentioned that international engagement of the interim government has increased in the past three months, citing travel of Islamic Emirate officials to other countries.

SIGAR Reports $7 Billion in Aid to Afghanistan
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Rising Heat in Kabul Exacerbates Air Pollution and Health Issues

Residents of the capital told TOLOnews that air pollution in recent days has posed challenges for them.

With the increase in heat, some residents of the capital have reported an increase in air pollution and respiratory diseases.

Residents of the capital told TOLOnews that air pollution in recent days has posed challenges for them.

“Recently, the weather has become very hot, and air pollution has also increased significantly. The reason might be the old cars, whose numbers have increased compared to the past,” Mohammad Haroon, a resident of the capital, told TOLOnews.

“The use of old cars with low-quality fuel, and also due to frequent power outages, people are using generators, all of which have polluted the air,” said Bilal, another resident of Kabul.

Meanwhile, officials at the National Environmental Protection Agency have said that the main factors of air pollution in Kabul city are worn-out vehicles and the production of electricity. This agency, in coordination with the General Directorate of Traffic and Kabul Municipality, is working on reducing air pollution.

Toofan Jebran, the head of air pollution control and waste management at the National Environmental Protection Agency, said: “The Kabul Traffic Department observes their checkpoints once a month, and the documents of cars that produce smoke are registered so that their problems can be resolved.”

Air pollution in Kabul has various causes and has become a challenge for the residents of the capital.

Some environmental experts believe that increasing green areas and controlling large production factories can lead to an improvement in the air quality in Kabul city.

“There was a green belt in Kabul, and efforts were made to maintain it to some extent, but it is not clear whether it has continued or if it has been irrigated. If the green belt of Kabul and other major cities is revived, this problem will be reduced,” Najibullah Sadeq, an environmental expert, told TOLOnews.

This comes after the National Environmental Protection Agency previously criticized the halt of 32 projects in the field of climate change in the country and emphasized the resumption of these projects.

Rising Heat in Kabul Exacerbates Air Pollution and Health Issues
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UNDP Dep. Representative: Efforts Being Made Despite Limited Budget

Some residents of Kabul said that the implementation of these projects has created job opportunities for dozens of women.

The deputy resident representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Afghanistan said that although their budget is limited, they strive to help in the areas of economic development, education, and energy for Afghanistan.

The deputy representative of UNDP for Afghanistan said that the organization has implemented several projects in the areas of greenhouse construction, health aid at a medical center, support for women entrepreneurs, and bridge construction.

Doel Mukherjee, the deputy representative of the UNDP in Afghanistan, said: “The demand is higher, and the resources are limited, but we are trying to talk with our development partners to attract support for economic, educational, and energy development for Afghanistan. We are present with various programs in 34 provinces of the country.”

According to Mukherjee, their programs in the coming years will focus on livelihood provision, support for the private sector, banking, and support for women, especially those who are head of their households.

The UNDP deputy representative said: “The UNDP works on economic recovery and progress. From providing solar resources to training women to maintain and use solar energy, all are part of this organization’s programs. Support for small businesses and companies has been provided, and simultaneously, last week we offered training on the Islamic taxation system.”

Some residents of Kabul said that the implementation of these projects has created job opportunities for dozens of women.

Malik Zamari, a resident of Paghman district in Kabul, said: “We ask the aid organizations to help us because during the forty years of wars, no organization has worked here.”

Gul Agha, a resident of Paghman district in Kabul, said: “Our bridge was destroyed, this was fixed. Three thousand homes use this road. It was fixed. Secondly, a green pond was constructed, and tailoring was set up.”

Previously, the United Nations Development Program said that it has supported more than 75,000 women-led small businesses in Afghanistan and created job opportunities for 900,000 people.

UNDP Dep. Representative: Efforts Being Made Despite Limited Budget
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