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Unacceptable Terms
The Taliban has set unacceptable conditions for attending a United Nations-sponsored meeting about Afghanistan in the Qatari capital, Doha, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says.
“I received a letter [from the Taliban] with a set of conditions to be present in this meeting that were not acceptable,” Guterres said at a news conference on Monday.
During a two-day meeting held in Doha, member states and international envoys to Afghanistan discussed various issues facing the country. However, the Taliban did not attend the meeting as their demands were not met. This has led to concerns that the Taliban’s demands for recognition are too high, as they are demanding treatment that is similar to recognition.
Taliban’s Policies in Afghanistan
The Taliban took control of Kabul in August 2021, following the withdrawal of United States and NATO forces after two decades of war. However, the Taliban has not been recognized as Afghanistan’s government by any country, and the United Nations has stated that it is almost impossible to recognize them while they uphold bans on female education and employment.
One of the main points of contention between the international community and the Taliban are the restrictions imposed on women and girls. These restrictions have been widely criticized, and the international community is pressuring the Taliban to lift them.
“These conditions denied us the right to talk to other representatives. Since it retook power, it has ordered women to cover up when leaving home, stopped girls and women from attending high school and university, and banned them from parks, gyms and public baths.
The Taliban insists the bans are a domestic matter and reject criticism as outside interference.
In January, Taliban chief spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, said the UN preoccupation with Afghan women was unwarranted and dismissed its concerns.
“Afghan women wear hijab of their own accord,” he said on X. “They don’t need to be forced. The Vice and Virtue Ministry hasn’t forced anyone [to wear hijab] either.”
Another point of contention is the appointment of a UN special envoy in the country, which the Taliban opposes.
On Monday, Guterres said there needed to be “clear consultations” with the Taliban to have clarification of the envoy’s role and who it could be to “make it attractive” from the Taliban’s point of view.
The World’s Perspective
Numerous governments, international organizations, and aid agencies have stopped or significantly reduced their financial support for Afghanistan in response to the Taliban’s policies, causing a severe blow to the country’s already struggling economy. The United Nations Secretary-General, Guterres, stated that one of their main goals is to resolve this impasse through the creation of a roadmap that considers the concerns of the international community and the de facto authorities of Afghanistan.
Lotfullah Najafizada, CEO of Amu TV, an international media outlet, told Al Jazeera that the Taliban made a strategic error by not participating in the talks. He stressed the importance of the Taliban understanding where the world stands, as the world intends to proceed without them, which is not something that they expected. Najafizada believes that it is crucial for the international community to build consensus and deal with the Taliban with one voice.
The meeting in Doha also aimed to coordinate a more unified response to address issues in Afghanistan. Guterres mentioned that a “contact group” was discussed, comprising a limited number of states that can have a more coordinated approach to engaging with the de facto authorities. Permanent members of the UN Security Council, neighboring countries, and relevant donors could be included, but it would be up to member states to decide how to establish it. Guterres considers this to be a way to ensure coherence in how the international community engages with the de facto authorities of Afghanistan.
