US envoy discusses Taliban deal with re-elected Afghan President Ghani
February 20, 2020, 11:00 am

US envoy discusses Taliban deal with re-elected Afghan President Ghani

US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad. (File photo AFP)

US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Wednesday discussed a US deal with Taliban militants on a weeklong reduction in violence, meeting the day after Ghani was declared a winner of a disputed presidential poll.

Ghani’s main rival, Abdullah Abdullah, who came in second, rejected the result and vowed to form his own government, threatening new political turmoil as the United States strives to seal a US troop withdrawal deal with Taliban militants.

The Afghan presidential palace in a statement quoted President Ghani as telling Khalilzad he had held “effective” meetings with local leaders on how the Afghan government would handle the peace process.

The US-Taliban deal was struck in protracted negotiations in the Qatari capital Doha and was announced on Friday after a meeting between US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Ghani and US Defense Secretary Mark Esper in Munich.

Khalilzad, who has led talks with the Taliban on a US troop withdrawal agreement, briefed Ghani on the steps that will be taken after the reduction in violence agreement comes into force, the presidential palace statement said.

Afghanistan’s acting interior minister had said on Tuesday that the accord would come into force in the next five days, even as clashes between the Taliban and Afghan security forces continued.

The statement following the Khalilzad-Ghani meeting did not mention the Afghan president’s re-election, which is being disputed by a number of Ghani’s political opponents. The United States has not yet formally congratulated Ghani on his re-election for five more years as president.

The United Nations on Wednesday said it would “encourage the electoral management bodies to address the candidates’ understandable desire to have clarity on decisions taken related to audits and recounts.”

The European Union said it considered the election process to have reached a conclusion.

source: Reuters

Iran attempting further arms deliveries to Houthis, says Pentagon ADNOC Signs Deal on Exclusivity in China Market

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”