Taliban Leader Orders Reactivation of Afghanistan-Saudi Arabia Joint Economic Commission

Afghanistan’s Taliban-led Ministry of Finance has announced that, under the directive of Hibatullah Akhundzada, the leader of the Taliban administration, the Afghanistan-Saudi Arabia Joint Economic Commission is being reactivated. According to the ministry, initial steps have been taken to resume the commission’s work.

A Thursday statement, dated 12 February, indicated that representatives from several ministries, Taliban-affiliated companies, and the private sector have been appointed as members of the commission. The statement further noted that the first internal meeting of Taliban representatives concerning the commission has already been held.

During this meeting, the history of economic cooperation between Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia was reviewed, and the importance of developing and strengthening bilateral economic relations was emphasized. However, no details were provided regarding the specific agenda, projects under discussion, or the timeline for future activities.

So far, Saudi Arabian officials have not issued any official comments on the reactivation of the commission. Previously, Afghanistan’s economic relations with regional countries have unfolded under challenging circumstances, as the Taliban administration remains unrecognized by the international community—a factor that has affected the scope and nature of formal interactions.