UAE and Afghanistan sign treaty

The two nations sign an extradition treaty and agree to co-operate on criminal investigations.

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ABU DHABI // The UAE and Afghanistan yesterday signed an extradition treaty and agreed to co-operate on criminal investigations. The agreements were signed in Abu Dhabi by Dr Hadef bin Jua'an al Dhaheri, the Minister of Justice, and Dr Rangin Dadfar Spanta, the Afghan minister of foreign affairs, the state news agency, WAM, reported. The two countries also signed an agreements to provide "mutual legal assistance in criminal matters and assistance on civilian matters", WAM reported.

The extradition agreement will allow both countries to request that people suspected of a criminal offence be repatriated. Dr Dhaheri said the agreements emanated from "the UAE's keenness to enhance bilateral, regional and international co-operation on legal and judicial fields". The signing ceremony was attended by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, the Minister of Foreign Affairs. In June, the UAE pledged US$250 million (Dh918m) during an international donors' conference for reconstruction of Afghanistan, held in Paris, amid international concerns that security in Afghanistan was crumbling, leaving the country vulnerable to resurgent extremism.

* The National