Kabul Housing & Construction: Work has started on the B4 residential complexes under the “Sulh” Housing Project in Kabul’s Fifth Macroryan area, aimed at easing the city’s housing shortage amid population growth and weak public services, with officials also pointing to efforts to complete delayed projects from the previous administration. Trade Facilitation: India and Afghanistan’s Joint Working Group reviewed measures to strengthen bilateral trade and economic cooperation, focusing on customs and data-sharing, visa facilitation for Afghan traders, banking cooperation, and regulatory coordination for pharmaceuticals and agriculture, alongside investment promotion and cargo connectivity. EU Development Finance: The EU allocated €10 million to the Aga Khan Foundation for Afghanistan’s BRIDGE program (36 months) targeting climate resilience and agricultural livelihoods, economic growth and employment, and community resilience for displaced people, returnees, women, and youth across 10 provinces. Mining & Investment Push: Taliban officials renewed calls for foreign investment tied to Afghanistan’s reported $1 trillion mineral wealth, including interest from the US, while questions remain over who controls mining contracts and how revenues are managed. Regional Disruption & Risk: Nepal’s Himalayan floods—linked to glacier and bedrock collapse—highlight cascading disaster risks that can also affect hydropower and transport routes, a lesson relevant for Afghanistan’s infrastructure planning and resilience efforts. Security & Illicit Trade: US and Sri Lankan anti-narcotics authorities seized 463 kg of crystal meth in Colombo from a shipping container linked to a Pakistani network, underscoring ongoing regional logistics risks for trade corridors.