AFGHANISTAN: According to a UN official on Friday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has yet to extend an invitation to the Taliban government to a conference he is hosting next week with special envoys in Doha for Afghanistan from other nations.
According to Stephane Dujarric, a spokesman for the United Nations, “the Secretary-General has not extended an invitation to the de facto authorities.”
Last week, after remarks made by the deputy UN chief caused concern and misunderstanding, the United Nations had to emphasise that the meeting would not be centred on potential international recognition of the Taliban government.
Instead, the meeting scheduled for Monday and Tuesday in Qatar emphasises reviving “the international engagement around common objectives for a durable way forward on… Afghanistan,” according to Dujarric.
Guterres’ deputy, Amina Mohammed, said last week that the Doha summit “could find those baby steps to put us back on the pathway to recognition.” In August 2021, the Taliban took over after U.S.-led forces departed after 20 years of conflict.
The decision on whether to recognise the Afghan Taliban government by allowing them to send a UN ambassador to New York was agreed by the 193-member UN General Assembly in December to be postponed for a second time.
The Taliban administration’s ban on Afghan women working for the organization in Afghanistan was roundly denounced by the UN Security Council on Thursday, and the Taliban’s leaders were urged to “swiftly reverse” any restrictions on the rights of women and girls.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has yet to invite the Taliban leadership to a meeting he is hosting with special representatives on Afghanistan from other nations in Doha, Qatar, on May 1-2, a UN official said on Friday.
According to the Taliban, who adhere to a rigorous interpretation of Islamic law, women’s rights are respected. Taliban representatives claimed that the choice of female humanitarian workers is an “internal issue.”
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