Regional and international countries have held nearly 30 meetings over the past year to discuss political, security, and human rights situation of Afghanistan. One of these meetings was the third Doha meeting, hosted by the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Afghanistan Regional Cooperation Initiative
On January 29, 2024, representatives and ambassadors from more than ten countries participated in the “Afghanistan Regional Cooperation Initiative” meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul.
Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, described the meeting as focused on examining ways of regional cooperation based on mutual regional interests and respecting governance methods.
He stated during the meeting, “The security, stability, and development of Afghanistan benefit the region, and there should be no cooperation in regional insecurity.”
The Doha Meetings
The second and third Doha meetings were among the most important regional meetings about Afghanistan, held in the Qatari capital with representatives from various countries.
Second Doha Meeting
The second Doha meeting on Afghanistan took place on February 18-19, 2024, with representatives from over thirty countries and international organizations.
Key issues discussed at the second Doha meeting included consultations on Afghanistan, increasing international engagement in a coherent and structured manner, appointing a UN special representative for Afghanistan, identifying fundamental features for constructive and principled engagement, and global concerns about the policies of the Afghan Interim Government. However, no representative from the Afghan Interim Government was present at this meeting.
The UN Secretary-General said at the end of the second Doha meeting, “In fact, I received a letter with a set of conditions to be present in this meeting that were not acceptable. These conditions first of all denied us to talk to other representative of the Afghan society and demanded a treatment that would to a large extent be similar to recognition.”
Third Doha Meeting
Unlike the second Doha meeting, the third Doha meeting included an Islamic Emirate representative after extensive consultations. The third Doha meeting was led by the UN Deputy Secretary-General for Political Affairs, and Zabihullah Mujahid led the Afghan Interim delegation.
Zabihullah Mujahid said that the international community pledged to make efforts to provide alternative crops for opium, and humanitarian assistance. Mujahid said, “All countries, including the United States, have pledged to assist Afghanistan and not support any military side.”
Russia’s Engagement with Afghanistan
Kazan and Moscow Meetings
Russia also held two meetings on Afghanistan. The Islamic Emirate delegation participated in one meeting held in Kazan, while political opponents of the Afghan Interim Government attended another meeting in Moscow.
On September 28, 2023, representatives from over ten countries, including the Afghan Interim Government delegation, attended the fifth Moscow Format meeting on Afghanistan in Kazan, Russia.
The meeting discussed Afghanistan’s current situation and intra-Afghan talks. It also addressed the reconstruction of Afghanistan after years of war and the need to ensure the security of regional countries.
On November 23, 2023, the Russian Justice Party hosted a meeting titled “Afghanistan Between the Past and the Future” in Moscow. The meeting included Afghan Interim Government opponents and representatives from several countries.
Participants discussed various topics, including the formation of an inclusive government, the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan, and the United Nations’ approach to the country. Other issues were also addressed during the meeting.
Opposition-Led Meetings
The Afghanistan Future Thought Forum meeting titled “Afghanistan in the Past and Future” took place on August 19, 2023. The 11th Herat Security Dialogue was held on November 27, 2023. The Vienna meeting occurred on December 5, 2023. Finally, the Oslo meeting was held on May 16, 2024.
All these meetings were organized by opponents of the Islamic Emirate. The Afghan Interim Government considered these meetings to be fruitless.
United Nations and Afghanistan
The United Nations, the UN Security Council, and the UN Human Rights Council have held over thirteen meetings regarding Afghanistan. Most of these meetings involved constructive engagement with the Afghan Interim Government.
The discussions focused on several key issues, including human rights, particularly the rights of women and girls. They also addressed the formation of an inclusive government and the non-use of Afghan territory against other countries.
Key UN Security Council Discussions
The UN Security Council meetings covered several key topics. They discussed extending UNAMA’s mandate in Afghanistan and reviewed the situation through the UN’s special coordinator. The Council also hosted a meeting led by Switzerland focusing on Afghanistan.
Another meeting addressed the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan. The Council consulted on a draft resolution for an independent UN assessment of Afghanistan’s situation and explored ways to enhance global approaches more coherently and structurally.
Discussions included appointing a special UN representative for Afghanistan and consulting on UNAMA’s mandate extension. Roza Otunbayeva presented her quarterly report at the UN Security Council.
Additionally, the UN held a meeting on Afghan women’s issues during “Women, Peace, and Security” week. The delegations of Canada, Qatar, and the UK hosted a meeting to assess the situation in Afghanistan. The UN Human Rights Council also held a meeting on Afghanistan.
This news is sourced from [Tolo News] and is for informational purposes only.
