ICRC hints at stepping up health activities Afghanistan

KABUL(Pajhwok): Inteational Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) head Peter Maurer has hinted at expanding cooperation with Afghanistan.

During separate meetings, he exchanged ideas on ICRC operation in Afghanistanwith President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah late on Monday.

Ghani and Maurer exchanged views on the importance of inteational humanitarian law at a time of constantly evolving conflict actors and methods.

The ICRC was willing to explore the possibility of stepping up its health activities in Afghanistan,Maurer was quoted as saying in a statement from Ghani’s office.

At a separate meeting with the visiting official, Abdullah praised ICRC operation in Afghanistan and welcomed the aouncement by Maurer that the humanitarian organisation would increase its budget for Afghanistan by 10 percent this year to a total of $90 million.

Maurer, who arrived in Kabul on Monday afteoon on a five-day visit, urged parties to the conflict to respect the inteational humanitarian law, especially the protection of medical missions.

pr/mud