Taliban meet with UN representatives and Afghanistan envoys in Doha
Representatives of the Afghan Taliban government have begun talks with UN representatives in Doha about future cooperation. On Sunday, preparatory talks were reportedly held, according to an UN spokesperson for the AFP news agency. The UN representatives allegedly came together first with Taliban representatives and diplomats from various countries.
The two-day meeting, organized by Qatar, is the third of its kind within about a year. However, it is the first time that representatives of the Taliban government have attended. In addition to UN representatives, more than 20 diplomats are participating in the meeting, including the US Special Representative for Afghanistan. The Afghan delegation is being led by Taliban spokesperson Sabihullah Mujahid.
The radical Islamic Taliban took power in Afghanistan again after the withdrawal of international troops in the summer of 2021 and declared a so-called Islamic Emirate. Their government is not recognized by any country in the world or any international organization. The country is internationally isolated and subject to sanctions.
The Taliban represent a particularly strict form of Islamic Sharia law. In particular, the rights of women and girls have been drastically curtailed.
At the talks in Doha, a stronger dialogue with Afghanistan and a better coordinated approach regarding the country are to be discussed. Economic issues and measures against drug trafficking are also expected to be addressed.
The Taliban were excluded from the first round of talks in May 2021. They did not participate in the second round in February 2022, and only their delegation was invited, while no other Afghan representatives were allowed to attend. This condition has now been met: Civil society groups from Afghanistan will not participate in the official meeting but will meet with UN representatives instead.
The UN representatives, currently engaged in discussions with the Taliban in Doha, are hoping to foster stronger international engagement with the Afghanistan government. Despite not being recognized globally, UN representatives are working closely with the Taliban Afghanistan envoy, Sabihullah Mujahid, to address economic issues and combat drug trafficking in Afghanistan.
