"Considering the importance of the visit, we ask you to find an exceptional opportunity to vaccinate the president and the delegation accompanying her (4-5 people) so that the vaccination is done by the end of March," the president's office director Tiit Riisalo wrote to the Health Board's deputy-chancellor Maris Jesse.

Riisalo explained in the letter that according to the covid rules of the command of the NATO mission on the ground, it is practically feasible to organize a visit to Kabul only with a delegation whose members have received covid vaccination at least 14 days before the start of the visit. "As of now, the visit is planned for the first half of April," Riisalo added.

During the president's visit, it is planned to discuss the situation in the area and the Estonian Defense Forces in Afganistan.

Estonia currently has a four-member demining team, an infantry group with a support element, military police, health center medics and a staff officer within the NATO-led training and counseling mission Resolute Support in Afghanistan.

Former President Toomas Hendrik Ilves visited Afghanistan in October 2010. In addition, former Prime Minister Andrus Ansip and several Estonian Defense Ministers and former Foreign Minister Urmas Paet have repeatedly visited Afghanistan.

Estonia also holds the United Nations Security Council's portfolio for Afghanistan jointly with Norway this year.

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