Shafaqna English- A United Nations-sponsored conference on Afghanistan in Doha aimed at improving dialogue with the country’s Taliban rulers has ended. Despite the Taliban’s absence, and hurdles in the way of an envoy, the secretary-general said the meeting was productive.
The two-day meeting which ended on Monday (19 Feb. 2024) in Doha brought together member states and international envoys to Afghanistan to discuss an array of issues facing the country. But the Taliban didn’t attend because its demands were not met. The meeting in Doha also aimed at a more coordinated response to tackle issues in Afghanistan.
The meeting of special envoys for Afghanistan from 25 countries as well as Afghan civil society members, including women, and representatives of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the European Union, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization was productive according to the UN’s official. Participants of the meeting, however, say hurdles remain in the way of an envoy.
Geopolitical tensions and regional groupings halted agreement on the job description of the envoy and the composition of a contact group that the Secretary General suggested.
Guterres: Taliban’s conditions to attend UN’s meeting unacceptable
Taliban snubs an invitation to a two-day meeting of international envoys to Afghanistan in Doha. The Taliban has set unacceptable conditions for attending a United Nations-sponsored meeting about Afghanistan in the Qatari capital, Doha, UN’s Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says.
“I received a letter [from the Taliban] with a set of conditions to be present in this meeting that were not acceptable,” Guterres said at a news conference on Monday.
“These conditions denied us the right to talk to other representatives of Afghan society and demanded a treatment that would, to a large extent, be similar to recognition,” the UN chief added.
Biggest point of contention between international community and Taliban are bans imposed on women
The Taliban took over Kabul in August 2021 after United States and NATO forces withdrew following two decades of war.
However, no country recognises it as Afghanistan’s government, and the UN has said that recognition is almost impossible while bans on female education and employment remain in place.
The biggest point of contention between the international community and the Taliban are the bans imposed on women and girls.
Another point of contention is appointment of a UN’s special envoy in Afghanistan, which Taliban opposes
Another point of contention is the appointment of a UN’s special envoy in the country, which the Taliban opposes.
On Monday, Guterres said there needed to be “clear consultations” with the Taliban to have clarification of the envoy’s role and who it could be to “make it attractive” from the Taliban’s point of view. He said it was in the Taliban’s interests to be part of the consultations.
Many governments, international organisations and aid agencies have cut off or severely scaled back their funding for Afghanistan in response to the Taliban policies, causing a serious blow to the country’s struggling economy.
Guterres said there had been discussion of a contact group
Guterres said there had been discussion of a “contact group”, with a “limited number of states able to have a more coordinated approach in the engagement with the de facto authorities”.
He said this could include permanent members of the UN’s Security Council, neighbouring countries and relevant donors but it would be “up to member states to decide how to create it”.
“I believe it would be a way to have coherence in the way the international community is engaging with the de facto authorities of Afghanistan,” he said.
Guterres to start process to appoint a UN’s envoy to coordinate engagement between Taliban and international community
Guterres, speaking at a press conference concluding the two-day meeting, said he would start the process to appoint a UN envoy to coordinate engagement between Afghanistan’s Taliban administration and the international community.
The new envoy would find ways to work more effectively with the Taliban, which holds power in Kabul, Guterres said, adding that he hoped improved engagement with the Taliban would encourage their participation in a future meeting. A Taliban’s Spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Sources: AL Jazeera, Reuters, Dohanews, kabulnow