Combating coronavirus: Afghan envoy thanks UAE for help in flying out the stranded

Abu Dhabi - There were quick approvals granted to fly out stranded Afghans stuck in Dubai and then daily operations of special flights started.

While containing the outbreak of Covid-19, Afghanistan has benefited immensely due to the timely support and assistance from the UAE, a top envoy told Khaleej Times.
There were quick approvals granted to fly out stranded Afghans stuck in Dubai and then daily operations of special flights started. Soon a third round of emergency aid too will land in Kabul from Abu Dhabi. "Afghanistan and the UAE have a very close relationship. The UAE is one of our primary partners. We look at the UAE as a neighbour who doesn't share borders. We are grateful that the UAE assisted Afghanistan generously," said Ahmad Sayer Daudzai, Charge d'Affaires, Afghanistan Embassy in Abu Dhabi.
Daudzai has been in-charge at the mission since February as former Ambassador Abdul Farid Zikria's term came to an end.
"Yes, I walked straight into the storm," Daudzai said in a candid chat at the mission.
"Even before the UAE had imposed travel restrictions, we implemented precautionary measures at the embassy and reduced our services to urgent cases."
And when the UAE airlines suspended services, Afghanistan managed to secure approvals within 24 hours for an evacuation flight.
"On March 25, when flights were grounded in the UAE, Afghanistan got approvals to evacuate the first batch of 63 stranded nationals.
On March 26 our national airline Ariana took off from Kabul to Dubai returned next morning with 63 passengers. We were one of the first countries to evacuate our nationals stuck in transit here."
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com