KABUL (Pajhwok): Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, hailing his visit to Qatar as a success, says Gulf countries have promised to support Afghanistan's development.

A high-level delegation of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), led by the foreign minister, has returned to Kabul from the five-day trip to Doha.

In Doha, the visiting team held productive talks with representatives from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and envoys of European countries.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman quoted Muttaqi as saying these countries had promised support for Afghanistan's health, economic and commercial sectors.

The foreign minister said:“It was our first meeting with the Gulf states. It is an achievement that we didn't have before.”

Representatives of European countries also pledged to help Afghanistan deal with its health issues and economic challenges.

Muttaqi added:“Afghan businessmen are living in the Gulf states. We shared their problems with representatives of those countries.”

Talks between the IEA delegation and EU envoys focused on the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, higher education and capacity building.

The delivery humanitarian assistance and scholarships for Afghan students also came up for discussion, the MOFA spokesman said.

The IEA delegation assured the EU that the use of Afghan soil would never be allowed against any country, the spokesman concluded.

pr/mud

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