Balkh Governor Calls for Expanded UNAMA Cooperation to Address Local Challenges
Mawlawi Abdullah Mukhtar, the Taliban-appointed governor of Baghlan province, met with Rubin, head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) office for the North and Northeast zones, to request enhanced developmental cooperation and practical attention to the problems faced by the residents of the province.
According to Faruqi Khpelwak, spokesperson for the governor of Baghlan, the meeting focused on the basic needs of the people, implementation of development projects, and increasing international aid. He added that both parties also discussed ways to better coordinate the attraction and management of assistance.
The governor of Baghlan urged UNAMA to engage in practical cooperation in areas including education, healthcare, support for refugees, agriculture, flood risk reduction, reconstruction of roads and bridges, care for orphans and persons with disabilities, and creating employment opportunities for orphaned families. He also emphasized reopening the UNAMA office in Baghlan and increasing visits by UN officials to the province.
The spokesperson cited UNAMA officials as saying that despite financial constraints, the organization strives to share the needs of Baghlan’s people with relevant agencies and to mobilize further assistance.
In conclusion, both parties stressed the continuation of cooperation and more effective coordination regarding international aid. This comes amid ongoing demands from some Baghlan residents for transparency in aid spending and tangible responses to their problems from the Taliban administration and international partner organizations.
