UN, EU diplomats discuss Afghanistan with Central Asian officials

The UN secretary-general’s envoy for Afghanistan met on February 14 in Bishkek with EU and Central Asian officials to discuss joint efforts to assist people in Taliban-led Afghanistan ahead of a more formal international meeting scheduled to take place on February 18-19 in Doha, Qatar, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported.

UN Special Representative for Afghanistan Roza Otunbaeva held talks with two European Union officials — Special Representative for Central Asia Teri Hakala and Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas Niklasson — as well as officials from the five Central Asian states.

It was their fifth meeting to discuss relief efforts for Afghanistan, which has experienced a sharp drop in foreign aid since the Taliban regained power in 2021.

The Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry said in a statement that participants discussed current developments in the South Asian country and the UN-led process ahead of the Doha meeting that Taliban representatives have been invited to attend.

“An online exchange of views also took place with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and the diplomatic missions of Central Asian countries based in Kabul,” the ministry’s statement said.

Niklasson told RFE/RL that the meeting was “rather informal,” mostly to exchange opinions and analyses on the situation in Afghanistan to check “how we see development, challenges, and opportunities” there.

“This meeting came just a few days ahead of a meeting [on Afghanistan] in Doha [Qatar.] The purpose of this meeting was to compare notes and see that we have a lot in common,” Niklasson said.

“We see a need to continue to engage Afghanistan, we see a need to continue to support the people of Afghanistan. At the same time, we see a number of challenges that makes it difficult to move beyond where we currently are,” Niklasson added, citing security concerns, economic problems, and a poor human rights situation in Afghanistan under what he called “de facto” leadership.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will host the meeting in Doha, which is starting on February 18. Earlier this month, the Taliban confirmed that it had received an invitation to the meeting and was considering “meaningful participation” in it.

Photo: Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Ministry