NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday announced a new round of support of 20,000 tons of wheat to Afghanistan.
Shipments will be sent through the Port of Chabahar in Iran.
The announcement was made at the first meeting of the India-Central Asia Joint Working Group on Afghanistan.
India said it will extend wheat assistance to the war-torn nation in cooperation with the Government. UN World Food Program.
After the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021, India announced to support 50,000 tons of wheat for the people of Afghanistan as they are reeling from a severe food crisis.
The shipments are then sent to Afghanistan by land via Pakistan.
Islamabad granted the transit facility after nearly months of discussions.
“The parties acknowledge the current humanitarian situation and agree to continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan,” the statement said.
‘Afghan land should not be used for terrorism’
At the meeting, India as well as five Central Asian countries also affirmed that Afghanistan’s land must not be used for any terrorist activities and called for the formation of a “truly inclusive” political structure in Kabul. , respecting the rights of all Afghans, including women and minorities.
A joint statement said the meeting emphasized the importance of forming a “true representative and inclusive political structure” that respects the rights of all Afghans and ensures the equal rights of women, girls and members of minority groups, including the right to access education.
In December, India joined several other leading countries in criticizing the Taliban’s decision to ban women from university in Afghanistan.
The statement said officials at the discussions discussed regional threats to terrorism, extremism, radicalization and drug trafficking, and considered the possibility of coordinating these efforts. efforts to combat these threats.
They said they stressed that “Afghan territory should not be used to shelter, train, plan or finance any act of terrorism and reaffirm that there is no terrorist organization, including those designated by UNSC resolution 1267, to be provided with refuge or authorized to use the territory of Afghanistan”. Afghanistan”.
In addition to the host country India, the meeting was attended by special envoys or senior officials from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Country Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the United Nations World Food Program (UNWFP) also joined the meeting.
(With input from PTI)
Shipments will be sent through the Port of Chabahar in Iran.
The announcement was made at the first meeting of the India-Central Asia Joint Working Group on Afghanistan.
India said it will extend wheat assistance to the war-torn nation in cooperation with the Government. UN World Food Program.
After the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021, India announced to support 50,000 tons of wheat for the people of Afghanistan as they are reeling from a severe food crisis.
The shipments are then sent to Afghanistan by land via Pakistan.
Islamabad granted the transit facility after nearly months of discussions.
“The parties acknowledge the current humanitarian situation and agree to continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan,” the statement said.
‘Afghan land should not be used for terrorism’
At the meeting, India as well as five Central Asian countries also affirmed that Afghanistan’s land must not be used for any terrorist activities and called for the formation of a “truly inclusive” political structure in Kabul. , respecting the rights of all Afghans, including women and minorities.
A joint statement said the meeting emphasized the importance of forming a “true representative and inclusive political structure” that respects the rights of all Afghans and ensures the equal rights of women, girls and members of minority groups, including the right to access education.
In December, India joined several other leading countries in criticizing the Taliban’s decision to ban women from university in Afghanistan.
The statement said officials at the discussions discussed regional threats to terrorism, extremism, radicalization and drug trafficking, and considered the possibility of coordinating these efforts. efforts to combat these threats.
They said they stressed that “Afghan territory should not be used to shelter, train, plan or finance any act of terrorism and reaffirm that there is no terrorist organization, including those designated by UNSC resolution 1267, to be provided with refuge or authorized to use the territory of Afghanistan”. Afghanistan”.
In addition to the host country India, the meeting was attended by special envoys or senior officials from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Country Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the United Nations World Food Program (UNWFP) also joined the meeting.
(With input from PTI)
