Abdullah lays foundation stone for first Cardiac Surgery Center for Children in Kabul

Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah on Tuesday laid the foundation stone for Indira Gandhi Child Health Hospital – First Cardiac Surgery Unit in Kabul.

At the foundation stone-laying ceremony, Abdullah said that the construction of this medical treatment center is a fundamental step towards the improvement of healthcare services in the country.

The project is expected to be completed in 12 months with the financial support of Italy.

“We thank Italy for this, this is an important step towards addressing cardiac patients in the country,” Abdullah said.

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CE Abdullah: Afghan Gov’t ready to negotiate with reconcilable oppositions

The Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah has addressed the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit at the outset of the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly and reiterated the government’s readiness to negotiate with the armed opposition groups.

Speaking at the summit, Abdullah said 40 years of conflict and has suffered as a result of mainly external strife, “imposed on us against our people’s will and wishes.”

“Our message is clear: we will defend our country and our people’s lives and rights as part of the constitutional order, but we stand ready to talk and negotiate with the reconcilable armed opposition who renounces violence and terror, and believes in a united, democratic, peaceful and economically prosperous future,” he said.

He declared that renewing commitment needs to go beyond rhetoric and empty pledge.

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CE Abdullah: Haqqani’s death won’t affect activities of his network

Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah says the death of Haqqani Network founder Jalaluddin Haqqani will not affect the activities of the militant group.

“I don’t think his death will affect the activities of Haqqani Network. His sons were leading the activities of the network recently,” Abdullah told reporters on Tuesday.

Following the issue, Javid Kohistani, a military analyst said that since 2007, Jalaluddin Haqqani had not been involved in group’s plans.

“Except issuing fatwas against the foreign military forces, he had no role in recent times and his son Anas Haqqani is leading the activities of the network,” Kohistani said, adding that the founder’s death will not have an impact on the going situation in the country.

Earlier today, the Taliban armed group in a statement confirmed that founder of the Haqqani Network has died due to the illness he was suffering from in recent years. In the statement, the Taliban also claimed that he was buried in Afghanistan. 

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Expo opens in Kabul showcasing local products

A four-day expo, jointly organized by the Afghan government and the private sector, opened in Kabul on Tuesday showcasing locally made products.

Goods manufactured by over 170 companies went on display including industrial products, agricultural produce, telecommunication goods and handicrafts.

CEO Abdullah Abdullah attended the opening of the expo and said the lack of land, shortage of electricity and the absence of regulated money lending services were the three main challenges in terms of investment in the country.

Abdullah said government has addressed these challenges to some extent and is committed to supporting the private sector.

“If we want to serve our people and lead our country out of the current situation and bring positive changes to people’s lives, then without supporting the private sector it is impossible,” said Abdullah.

A number of factory owners at the exhibition meanwhile said government has failed to provide the fundamental needs for investors and is unable to even safeguard the lives of business owners.

Organizers of the exhibition said such expos will play a vital role in highlighting and overcoming problems faced by the private sector. They asked government to address their problems and to find solutions.  

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Climate change will take a serious toll on Afghanistan by 2050

Afghanistan’s Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah on Wednesday warned that climate change will take a serious toll on Afghanistan by 2050.

Speaking at an international water management summit in Tajikistan he promised that his country will remain a good partner in terms of water management.

“Afghanistan will experience an increase of approximately 1.5 degrees Celsius in mean temperature and a doubling of population by 2050,” Abdullah said in his address to delegates.

Participants at the Sustainable Development conference said political, religious, linguistic and ethnic divisions need to be put aside in order for the world to maintain and manage its water resources properly.

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CE Abdullah urges Gov’t advisors not to meddle in ministers’ affairs

Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah says the influence of government advisors shouldn’t tarnish the performances of ministers and weaken the institutions, urging the advisers not to meddle in affairs of the ministers.

Addressing the Council of Ministers meeting, Abdullah said the ministers receiving vote of confidence from the parliament, and that ministers’ performances should not be “tarnished”.

He said the ministers who have performed well should be praised.

The Chief Executive’s remarks come days after President Ashraf Ghani minister of energy and water Ali Ahmad Usmani from his position amid his rising tensions with the minister.

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Abdullah sees election as key to solving problems

Abdullah Abdullah said election turnout will show the people’s support of “Jihad values”.

Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah said holding transparent and inclusive elections is the only way to overcome “current problems” in the country.

Addressing an event on the 26th anniversary of Mujahedeen’s victory in Panjsher province on Saturday, Abdullah called on the people to participate in elections.

Members of Jamiat-e-Islami party’s leadership and former Mujahedeen leaders also attended the event at a stadium in the province.

“Taking national identity cards, registering to vote and voting in parliamentary and district council and presidential elections is the duty of all of us and I hope that you fulfill this responsibility,” Abdullah said.

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Afghanistan, UN appeal for $430m to assist 2.8m vulnerable Afghans

The Afghan government and UNOCHA (The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) have appealed for $430 million this year to help the most vulnerable Afghans across the country.

The money will be used to assist 2.8 million people displaced by conflict or natural disasters with emergency shelters and food, to treat patients injured by conflict, to feed malnourished children or assist vulnerable families returning home after years in Iran or Pakistan.

“Life of hundreds of vulnerable children, women and men will be in danger without humanitarian assistance,” said Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah. “The country is being in war, last year more than 400 thousand people have been displaced.”

Abdullah, meanwhile, said that addressing the human rights situation is the responsibility of the government and not its policy.

Armed clashes in the past year were the highest in a decade and civilian casualties remained near record levels. More than two million people were directly affected by the conflict last year, 448,000 of whom had to abandon their homes to save their lives. More than 500,000 people arrived in Afghanistan in 2017, many of them after seeking refuge in Iran, Pakistan or other countries.

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Afghan CE leaves for Russia, India

Afghanistan’s Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah on Thursday left Kabul for Russia and India.
During visit to Russia, Abdullah will attend the 16th meeting of the council of heads of government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in the black resort town of Sochi.

He will deliver a speech on regional cooperation, trade, counter-terrorism and peace, according to a statement from Abdullah’s office.

Abdullah, who leads a high-level government delegation, will also meet with prime ministers of Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, secretary-general of SCO, and representatives from Iran, Belarus, Turkey, Azerbaijan and U.N. representative.

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Abdullah: Fight against terrorism needs to continue in Afghanistan

Afghan Chief Executive, Abdullah Abdullah has warned that the fight against terrorism needs to continue in Afghanistan; otherwise, the scope of this horror will also reach the United States.

“Fight should be continued against terrorism in Afghanistan. Those terror groups who are fighting in our country now are fighting against you all. I must say that the terrorist groups are supported in the region and have secure hideouts in the region,” CE, Abdullah said during his speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in U.S.

Abdullah called the U.S. new strategy toward Afghanistan effective and emphasized that the policy can bring Taliban group to the negotiation table.

“Part of the US strategy toward south Asia and Afghanistan, the political element aim is that those forces which are fighting against the government and people of Afghanistan will be persuaded to come to the negotiation table,” CE said.

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