EU Envoy Meets Taliban Foreign Minister in Kabul
Gilles Bertrand, the European Union’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan, has held talks with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s acting foreign minister, during a recent visit to Kabul. According to the Taliban administration, Bertrand expressed appreciation for the Taliban’s acceptance of returning refugees and their recent activities, and assured that EU assistance to Afghanistan would continue.
The Taliban’s statement said the EU representative emphasized expanding economic cooperation, particularly in the private sector, and voiced his intention to encourage major international companies to invest in Afghanistan. Muttaqi, in turn, called on the EU to take ‘positive steps’ towards advancing various sectors and to enhance its engagement with Afghanistan.
The statement noted that both sides underscored the importance of maintaining communication and continuing such meetings. However, the EU delegation in Afghanistan has yet to comment on the meeting’s specifics.
This marks Bertrand’s second visit to Kabul since his appointment as the EU’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan. Although the EU continues its humanitarian and educational support, official meetings between the bloc and the Taliban are typically sensitive, as the EU has not formally recognized the Taliban administration. In recent years, the EU has focused much of its aid on education, healthcare, and support for returning refugees. Recently, it launched a €4.5 million program aimed at supporting education and returnees in Afghanistan.
