Taliban Refuses to Attend, Dialogue on Afghanistan Initiated by UN Ends

Illustration of the Taliban. (Twitter/@HabibiSamangani)

JAKARTA - A United Nations-sponsored conference on Afghanistan to increase dialogue with the Taliban rulers ended after government representatives did not attend.

The Taliban-led Afghan Foreign Ministry refused to attend the meeting in Doha, when the UN rejected their request to act as Afghanistan's sole official representative, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday, reported by Reuters, February 20.

Secretary General Guterres said that such conditions were unacceptable because it was tantamount to recognizing the Taliban as the legitimate government in the country.

The meeting in the Qatari capital was attended by Afghan civil society groups and delegates from at least 25 countries.

"It is regrettable that the Taliban chose not to participate in this round, but we sincerely hope they will and that there are opportunities in the future to engage," said Kanni Wignaraja, the UN Development Program's Asia regional director.

Secretary-General Guterres, speaking at a press conference ending the two-day meeting, said he would begin the process to appoint a UN envoy to coordinate engagement between Afghanistan's Taliban government and the international community.

The new envoy will look for ways to work more effectively with the Taliban, Guterres said, adding he hopes better engagement with the Taliban will encourage their participation in future meetings.

Meanwhile, the Afghan Foreign Ministry, in a statement issued before the meeting, said the international community's approach was characterized by "unilateral coercion, accusations and pressure."

A Taliban spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

It is known that the Taliban regained control in Kabul in August 2021, when multinational forces led by the United States withdrew after 20 years of war and the Western-backed government collapsed. However, the Taliban government is not recognized by the UN.

Aid budgets have been slashed, as donors face an international crisis, as well as concerns over Taliban restrictions on female Afghan aid workers.

On the other hand, the UN says that two-thirds of Afghanistan's 43 million people need humanitarian assistance.