DOHA: The interim administration of the Taliban in Afghanistan engaged in discussions with representatives from various countries, including the US and UK, in Qatar on Wednesday. Acting Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi led a delegation to Doha, where they met with officials from the US, UK, Netherlands, Spain, South Korea, Italy, Australia, and Canada, among others.
According to Anadolu Agency, an official from the interim Foreign Ministry said that the talks covered a wide range of subjects. The discussions focused on the recent progress made by the Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan (IEA) in politics, economy, security, good governance, and countering drug-related issues. During the meeting, Afghanistan’s interim officials from the Treasury and Red Crescent organization also presented information about their respective work.
Deputy spokesman Hafiz Zia Ahmad, in a post on the platform formerly known as Twitter, stated that the talks were “all-round detailed discussions,” and that the Afghan delegation provided detailed answers to the questions and concerns raised by the ambassadors from various countries.
Meeting Between US and Afghan Taliban’s Delegations
In addition to these discussions, Doha hosted a two-day meeting over the weekend between Afghan officials and a 15-member US delegation led by Thomas West, the US special representative for Afghanistan. These meetings reflect the Taliban’s ongoing efforts to engage with different nations despite their government not yet being recognized internationally.
During his visit to Qatar, Foreign Minister Muttaqi also met with Mutlaq Al-Qahtani, Qatar’s special representative for Afghanistan at the Gulf nation’s Foreign Ministry. The two sides held talks on various political, economic, and trade matters. Ahmad shared that Qahtani expressed his satisfaction with the current situation in Afghanistan and emphasized the importance of the region and the world engaging constructively with the country and seizing existing opportunities.
Since reclaiming power in August 2021, the Taliban has been using its political office in Qatar, established in 2013, to hold meetings with envoys from different nations.
