Doha
\nAn Afghan Taliban delegation on Sunday will participate in the third round of the United Nations-hosted meeting of Special Envoys and Special Representatives on Afghanistan in Doha, Qatar.
\nThis will mark the first time the de facto Afghan rulers will attend a gathering of international envoys on Afghanistan since UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres started the process in May 2023, aimed at developing a coherent and unified world approach to engagement with the Taliban.
\nThe Taliban government has not been officially recognised by any state and the international community has wrestled with its approach to Afghanistan\u2019s new rulers, with women\u2019s rights issues a sticking point for many countries.
\nTaliban authorities were not invited to the first talks in Doha last year and refused to attend the second conference, demanding that they be the sole Afghan representatives to the exclusion of invited civil society groups. That condition has been met for the third round.
\nThe meeting will begin at 8:45pm with opening remarks by UN Undersecretary General Rosemary DiCarlo, followed by welcoming remarks from Qatari officials. The talks will conclude on July 1.
\nAfghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, who is the head of the five-member Taliban delegation, told reporters in Kabul on Saturday that he would \u201cseek understanding and resolve issues\u201d, according to state news agency Bakhtar.
\nPakistan will also be attending the talks, with the delegation being led by Asif Khan Durrani, the country\u2019s special representative on Afghanistan. Ubaidur Rehman Nizamani, Islamabad\u2019s envoy in Kabul, is also part of the delegation.
\nThere are two items on the official agenda, which has been seen by Dawn.com: enabling the private sector, and countering narcotics and sustaining progress.
\nAlthough the official agenda consists of only two points, participants from nearly 30 countries and international bodies will be free to raise any issue.
\nIt should be mentioned that the UN has been under fire for the exclusion of civil society groups, including women\u2019s rights activists, from the talks.
\nHowever, civil society representatives, including from women\u2019s rights groups, will attend meetings with the international envoys and UN officials on Tuesday (July 2), after the official talks.
\nOn Sunday, an Afghan foreign ministry official said that the July 2 meeting was not part of the Doha format.
\n\u201cIf several special envoys meet with someone after the meeting of the participants, it has nothing to do with the Doha-III [meeting],\u201d Zakir Jalali wrote on social media X, in an apparent reference to Tuesday\u2019s gathering.
\n\u201cThe Doha meeting officially concludes on the second day and the UN spokesperson has also said the event is two days. Most of the participants will leave Doha after the formal conclusion of the meeting,\u201d he added.
\nWhat do the Taliban expect?
\nPrior to his departure for Doha, Mujahid spoke to the media in Kabul and urged the participating countries to \u201cengage constructively with Afghanistan\u201d, the official Bakhtar news agency reported.
\nHe also defended the government\u2019s demand for the Taliban to be the sole Afghan representatives.
\n\u201cThe stance of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is that if Afghans participate in international gatherings from different addresses, it would give the impression that we are divided. This will also pave the way for foreign intervention,\u201d he observed.
\nHe urged all participating countries to not abandon the Afghan people during difficult times, fulfil their obligations where the rights of the Afghan people were concerned, actively participate in the country\u2019s reconstruction and economic strengthening, and remove any obstacles in the way.
\nMeanwhile, experts view the participation of the Taliban as a major development but insist that others will have to press the Afghan delegation on several issues.
\nFormer Pakistan ambassador to Afghanistan Mansoor Ahmad Khan said an overwhelming demand by the international community was to take steps toward the formation of an inclusive government instead of the incumbent regime.
\n\u201cAnother area of concern for the world has been the ban imposed by the Afghans on girls\u2019 education and women\u2019s access to working in various walks of life. In addition, the Taliban\u2019s regressive curbs on the functioning of independent media in Afghanistan remains a major divergence,\u201d the former Pakistani envoy told media on Sunday.
\nHe said Afghanistan\u2019s neighbours, regional countries and the world had also continued to raise objections over the presence of networks supporting militant groups.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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