KABUL(BNA): During a press conference held at the Government Media Information Center as part of the Emirati Institutions’ Review Program, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs outlined its achievements over the past year. The Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, highlighted that the Ministry now manages and oversees 39 Afghan diplomatic missions worldwide, which are fully operating under the Islamic Emirate’s leadership.
Mawlawi Muttaqi elaborated on the Ministry’s efforts to establish diplomatic ties and ensure Afghanistan’s representation in various countries. He noted that Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have officially removed the Islamic Emirate from their lists of banned groups, with Russia expected to follow suit soon.
Calling for the international community and the United Nations to assess Afghanistan based on its current realities, Mawlawi Muttaqi urged for a more pragmatic approach to diplomatic relations with the Islamic Emirate. He also dismissed allegations from Pakistani officials regarding the alleged financing of the TTP from within Afghanistan, firmly rejecting these claims.
Criticism was also directed toward diplomats who remained from the previous government and are accused of misusing embassy resources. In response to questions, Mawlawi Muttaqi reaffirmed the Islamic Emirate’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
The Minister further outlined the Ministry’s diplomatic successes, such as the formal acceptance of Islamic Emirate ambassadors by countries including China, the United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan. He also highlighted the successful deployment of Afghan diplomats to Malaysia, Turkey, Pakistan, Iran, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Qatar, and the UAE, with official recognition from the host nations.
Other notable achievements include high-level bilateral meetings with countries such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, Iran, Pakistan, China, Russia, Turkey, and several Central Asian nations. These efforts have paved the way for stronger regional cooperation.
In the realm of education and training, the Ministry secured 1,681 short-term training scholarships from China, the UAE, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan, alongside 1,174 educational scholarships from Russia, China, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, and Qatar.
Additionally, the Ministry has facilitated the certification of 283,210 official documents, issued 41,959 visas, and renewed 416,141 passports over the past year. The introduction of a new passport system at five airports, eight border crossings, and seven provincial branches is among other key achievements.
Mawlawi Muttaqi concluded by emphasizing that these initiatives reflect the Islamic Emirate’s ongoing efforts to foster international cooperation and development under stable governance.
Bakhtar
