The Taliban has set unacceptable circumstances for attending a United Nations-sponsored assembly about Afghanistan within the Qatari capital, Doha, UN Secretary-Common Antonio Guterres says.
“I obtained a letter [from the Taliban] with a set of circumstances to be current on this assembly that weren’t acceptable,” Guterres mentioned at a information convention on Monday.
“These circumstances denied us the best to speak to different representatives of Afghan society and demanded a remedy that may, to a big extent, be much like recognition,” the UN chief added.
The 2-day assembly which ended on Monday in Doha introduced collectively member states and worldwide envoys to Afghanistan to debate an array of points going through the nation. However the Taliban didn’t attend as a result of its calls for weren’t met.
The Taliban took over Kabul in August 2021 after United States and NATO forces withdrew following 20 years of struggle.
Nevertheless, no nation recognises it as Afghanistan’s authorities, and the UN has mentioned that recognition is nearly not possible whereas bans on feminine schooling and employment stay in place.
The largest level of competition between the worldwide group and the Taliban are the bans imposed on girls and ladies.
Because it retook energy, it has ordered girls to cowl up when leaving house, stopped women and girls from attending highschool and college, and banned them from parks, gyms and public baths.
The Taliban insists the bans are a home matter and reject criticism as outdoors interference.
Guterres mentioned it was important to revoke the restrictions.
In January, Taliban chief spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, said the UN preoccupation with Afghan girls was unwarranted and dismissed its considerations.
“Afghan girls put on hijab of their very own accord,” he mentioned on X. “They don’t should be compelled. The Vice and Advantage Ministry hasn’t compelled anybody [to wear hijab] both.”
One other level of competition is the appointment of a UN particular envoy within the nation, which the Taliban opposes.
On Monday, Guterres mentioned there wanted to be “clear consultations” with the Taliban to have clarification of the envoy’s function and who it may very well be to “make it engaging” from the Taliban’s standpoint.
He mentioned it was within the Taliban’s pursuits to be a part of the consultations.
Many governments, worldwide organisations and assist businesses have reduce off or severely scaled again their funding for Afghanistan in response to the Taliban insurance policies, inflicting a severe blow to the nation’s struggling financial system.
“One in all our predominant aims is to beat this impasse,” Guterres mentioned, explaining {that a} roadmap wanted to be created by which “the considerations of the worldwide group” and the considerations of the “de facto authorities of Afghanistan” are taken into consideration.
Lotfullah Najafizada, CEO of Amu TV, a world media outlet, instructed Al Jazeera the Taliban made a strategic mistake by not attending the talks.
“I believe it is vitally vital additionally for the Taliban to know the place the world stands. In the meanwhile the world has deliberate to go forward with out the Taliban, which isn’t one thing that they anticipated,” he mentioned.
“I believe it is vitally vital for the worldwide group to construct consensus and take care of the Taliban with one voice.”
The assembly in Doha additionally aimed toward a extra coordinated response to deal with points in Afghanistan.
Guterres mentioned there had been dialogue of a “contact group”, with a “restricted variety of states capable of have a extra coordinated strategy within the engagement with the de facto authorities”.
He mentioned this might embrace everlasting members of the UN Safety Council, neighbouring nations and related donors however it might be “as much as member states to resolve the way to create it”.
“I consider it might be a option to have coherence in the best way the worldwide group is partaking with the de facto authorities of Afghanistan,” he mentioned.
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