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UN Security Council mission to visit Afghanistan
By Arul Louis
United Nations, Jan 12 (IANS) A Security Council mission is to visit Afghanistan in a show of support to the war-torn nation, Council President Kairov Umarov has said.
Kazakhstan will organise and lead the Council mission to Afghanistan, which would be the first in seven years, Umarov told reporters on Thursday.
“We think it is important for the Security Council members to get an update on the ground (in Afghanistan),” he added.
A date and other details of the visit have not been finalised although his country has been working on it since he took over the presidency, said Umarov, who is also the Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan.
All the 15 members of the Council participate in the missions, which give them a first hand look at the situation in a country or region.
Afghanistan, which is a neighbour of Kazakhstan, is receiving attention at the Council under his presidency.
Next week Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov is to preside over a high-level Council meeting on January 19. Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani and ministers of other countries are also expected at the meeting, Umarov had said earlier.
Asked Thursday about a meeting that the members of the Council had on Tuesday with US National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, Umarov said that the official presented Washington’s strategy for Afghanistan.
It was very much in line with what Kazakhstan wanted and there was general support for the strategy among other members of the Council also, he said.
The approach to Afghanistan is more comprehensive, he said.
There is a need for an integrated approach to solving the problems in Afghanistan, he said. “We have changed the paradigm to development going hand in had with security.
Other countries should also participate in finding a solution, he said.
An important need for Afghanistan is connectivity to the other countries in the region, Umarov said. They should be able to perceive Afghanistan as not a threat but an attractive partner, he added.
The Council has undertaken four missions to Afghanistan since 2001 and the last one was in June 2010.
(Arul Louis can be reached at [email protected])
–IANS
al/in
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.