News (Consolidated) - UNSOM

KABUL - On behalf of the United Nations family in Afghanistan, I extend my greetings to all Afghans as they prepare to celebrate Eid-ul-Adha.This holiday is an opportunity to reflect on the universal values of peace, harmony and cooperation – all of which are at the heart of the Muslim faith…

KABUL - In his message for the International Day for Disaster Reduction (IDDR), the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, has called for greater efforts in ensuring that all persons with disabilities have the highest possible levels of safety and the greatest possible chance to contribute…

BAMYAN - According to a newsletter from Secretariat of Minister’s Council, the President of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai has appointed Mr Ghulam Ali Wahdat as the Governor of Bamyan province.The newsletter describes that on the request of Independent Directorate for Local Governance, the President…

KABUL - The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) strongly condemns an attack on a mosque today which killed the Governor of Logar Province, Arsala Jamal, and reportedly wounded several civilians. The Governor was killed this morning when an explosive device, reportedly affixed to…

NEW YORK - Marking the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has noted that while poverty levels around the world have fallen, that progress has been uneven.“Our impressive achievement in cutting poverty by half should not blind us to the fact…

KABUL - Amid cheerful applauses and motivational clapping, the musicians and singers from Afghanistan and some regional countries mesmerized a considerably big audience of mostly young Afghans in Kabul during a two-day “Afghanistan’s Peace Musical Festival” 2013.The festival—organized on 19 and 20…

KABUL - The Government of Japan signed an agreement on Tuesday to provide $20 million to a United Nations-supported programme to improve literacy in Afghanistan, which has one of the lowest literacy rates in the world.The third phase of the Enhancement of Literacy in Afghanistan ( ELA) programme…

BADGHIS - Pistachio yield in Badghis, Afghanistan’s leading province for pistachio cultivation, has declined by 50 per cent, officials have reported.Covering about 30,000 hectares of land, pistachio forests in the province are faced with various threats that have adversely affected their cultivation…

KABUL - A United Nations-supported mine action programme in Afghanistan made significant progress by clearing over 1,900 hazardous areas – covering 112 square kilometres of land – during the Afghan year of 1391 ending on 20 March 2013, according to a report released on Tuesday.The ‘ Annual Report…

KABUL - The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan, Ján Kubiš, met with the Chairperson of the Independent Election Commission (IEC) of Afghanistan, Dr. Ahmad Yusuf Nuristani, on 24 October to discuss preparations for the 2014 elections, including issues emerging at the end…

KABUL - Over 200 women’s rights and civil society activists marched today in one of the busiest and most crowded areas of the capital, Kabul, to raise awareness about sexual harassment and other forms of sexual violence against women and girls in public places.The participants of the march –…

KABUL - Following last year’s strong economic growth driven by “an exceptional agriculture harvest and rapid expansion of the services sector,” Afghanistan is facing a slowdown in growth this year mainly due to uncertainty surrounding the ongoing political and security transitions, according to a…