Kazan to host fifth meeting of Moscow Format Consultations on Afghan situation: Russian Foreign Ministry
K
azan will play host to the fifth meeting of the Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan on September 29, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday.
Zakharova informed that the participants in the meeting will discuss current developments in Afghanistan, intra-Afghan reconciliation, efforts to ensure security in the region and post-conflict reconstruction in Afghanistan.
Addressing a press briefing on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum on Thursday, Zakharova said, "I would like to confirm that, on September 29, 2023, Kazan will host the fifth meeting of the Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan, which will involve key concerned regional players."
She added, "The meeting participants are to discuss current developments in Afghanistan, intra-Afghan reconciliation, efforts to ensure security in the region and the country's post-conflict reconstruction. A joint statement is to be adopted based on the outcome of the event."
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said Taliban-appointed acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has been invited to this meeting, TOLO News reported.
Mujahid said the Taliban welcomes any meeting that benefits Afghanistan, adding that the participation of Afghanistan in international meetings is "crucial."
He added, "Afghanistan's participation in international meetings is crucial. If not, the meeting won't produce the desired results since the position of Afghanistan and the Afghan system is significant and directly influences the decisions", TOLO News reported.
According to some political analysts, holding such meetings is beneficial for the current situation in Afghanistan.
Significantly, women in Afghanistan have faced numerous challenges since the Taliban returned to power. Girls and women in Afghanistan have no access to education, employment and public spaces.
Meanwhile, the World Food Programme has stated that USD 1 billion is required to avert a humanitarian disaster in Afghanistan, Khaama Press reported. The organisation also stated that it could potentially provide food assistance to one in every ten Afghan citizens in need.
In a statement posted on X, the WFP warned about the budget gap in Afghanistan. According to the World Food Programme, 10 million Afghans have been deprived of humanitarian assistance this year, reported Khaama Press.
Further, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has warned in its most recent report about the decline and discontinuance of health services for those in need in Afghanistan due to budget constraints. Many humanitarian organisations have warned of funding cuts and a developing humanitarian disaster in Afghanistan as poverty and hunger worsen.
Afghanistan, a country heavily reliant on aid, lost Western donor support after the Taliban's return to power following the US and NATO pullout in August 2021, according to the Khaama Press.
The economy of Afghanistan went into a steady decline, forcing Afghans to seek humanitarian aid to survive, according to reports.
Taliban has remained under international isolation due to widespread human rights violations.
✔️ Kazan to host fifth meeting of Moscow Format Consultations on Afghan situation: Russian Foreign Ministry
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