Taliban recognition not a focus of Afghanistan meeting, says UN
A UN spokesperson stressed that recognition will not be discussed after comments by the deputy UN chief sparked concern and confusion.
A UN-convened meeting on Afghanistan next month will not focus on possible international recognition of the Taliban government, a UN spokesman stressed after comments by the deputy UN chief sparked concern and confusion.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will host a closed-door meeting of special envoys to Afghanistan from various countries in Doha on May 1-2. His deputy, Amina Mohammed, suggested on Monday that the meeting could “find those baby steps to put us back on the path to recognition”.
“The Doha conference on May 1-2 is not about recognition and we don’t want to create any confusion,” deputy UN spokesman Farhan Haq said Thursday. “The point of discussion … is to build a more unified consensus about the challenges ahead.”
The Taliban seized power in August 2021 as US-led forces withdrew after 20 years of war.
In December, the 193-member UN General Assembly approved for the second time the postponement of a decision on recognition of the Afghan Taliban government by allowing them to send a UN ambassador to New York.
Earlier this month, the Taliban began enforcing a ban on Afghan women from working for the United Nations after barring most women from working for humanitarian aid agencies in December. Since overthrowing the Western-backed government, they have also tightened controls on women’s access to public life, including banning women from university and closing most girls’ high schools.
The Taliban have said they respect women’s rights in accordance with their strict interpretation of Islamic law.