Hadi meets Taliban's UN representative in Qatar to discuss aid to Afghanistan

KUALA LUMPUR: The Prime Minister's special envoy to the Middle East Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang met with Afghanistan's permanent representative to the United Nations to discuss possible aid to the war-torn country.

He met with Sheikh Mohammed Suhail Shaheen during a working visit to Qatar, where he also met with several Qatari dignitaries to discuss Malaysia's readiness to help rebuild Afghanistan.

In the four-day working visit which started on Jan 31, he also discussed with the Qatari government and key stakeholders in Doha issues of mutual interest and new opportunities.

"Apart from rebuilding war-torn Afghanistan, we discussed coordination of humanitarian aid missions and new doors of cooperation in economy, education, and welfare between both countries.

"The four-day working visit under PM's orders which ended today also saw discussions on issues of mutual interest between the Qatari government and key stakeholders," he said in a statement today.

The statement said during the visit, Hadi met Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Khalid Khalifa Abdul Aziz Al-Thani, Trade and Industry Minister Sheikh Mohamed Hamad Qassim Al-Abdullah Al-Thani, Assistant Foreign Minister Lolwah Rashid Al-Khater, Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) director general Khalifa Jassem Al-Kuwari and World Union of Islamic Scholars (IUMS) president Sheikh Dr Ahmed Raissouni.

While there, he also visited the new Malaysian embassy in Qatar and met with Malaysians residing there in a simple get together held at the embassy.

Hadi thanked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaacob, Wisma Putra, the Qatari Foreign Affairs Ministry, Malaysian embassy and the Qatari embassy in Malaysia for their assistance throughout the visit.

Upon his return today, he is now undergoing compulsory quarantine at home, as required by the Health Ministry.