Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi met with Akbar Ali Pasnani Special Representative of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) to Afghanistan on Thursday.
The two sides discussed stocks of topics during the meeting. The special representative of the AKDN expressed his deep condolences over the brutal terror attack which took place near the entrance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, resulting in the death of scores of servicemen and innocent civilians.
Pasani thanked the Islamic Emirate authorities for insuring security for non-governmental aid organizations, providing much-needed life-saving support to vulnerable families across the country during these difficult times.
Muttaqi asked the international aid organizations to enhance their coordination and interactions with the Afghan government across areas in the future as well.
AKDN has been functioning in most parts of Afghanistan with a wide range of services aimed at improving the living conditions of people in the rural and urban parts of the country.
AKDN began working in Afghanistan in 1996, distributing food aid during the civil war. Since 2002, the aid organization along with its partners has committed over $1 billion in development assistance to the country.
AKDN’s development work now spans the humanitarian, economic, social, and cultural fields. The economic projects cover over 240 cities and towns in the country’s 34 provinces. The organization’s social development and humanitarian works are focused on 61 districts in seven provinces, impacting over three million people. Its cultural programs, which operate in Kabul, Herat, Balkh and Badakhshan, have restored over 90 historic buildings.
AKDN works to strengthen Afghan institutions and the public sector, engaging communities and local leadership. In the private sector, it supports the Chamber of Commerce, business associations and entrepreneurs. Local civil society organizations are also strengthened as critical partners, for example, extending community savings programs to further districts.
AKDN is one of the few international organizations which maintained its agencies operational in Afghanistan since the Taliban seized power in August 2021. The aid organization’s continued support has been of paramount importance for the lives of thousands of vulnerable families across the country.
