Closure of Afghan Embassy in Canberra Seen as Retreat to Taliban Demands, Says Susan Hutchinson

Australia’s Strategic Policy Institute has described the decision to close the Afghan embassy in Canberra as misguided, warning it will have far-reaching consequences for the Afghan community residing in Australia. According to the report, the embassy is scheduled to cease operations on June 30 of this year.

The article explains that in recent years, the Afghan embassy has not only served as a diplomatic mission but also provided intangible services. The author believes the embassy has acted as a symbolic space for Afghan Australians to preserve their identity, cultural representation, and sense of security.

Susan Hutchinson, the article’s author, views the embassy’s closure as a form of retreat in response to the Taliban administration’s demands. She writes that this decision contradicts the hopes and efforts of thousands of Afghans in Australia, who despite being far from their homeland, have invested socially and intellectually for a better future in Afghanistan.

Following the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan, many of the country’s diplomatic missions abroad have faced legal and political challenges. Critics argue that handing over or closing these missions without considering the concerns and wishes of Afghan citizens abroad could further weaken their ties to their homeland and effectively pave the way for the Taliban administration’s influence to expand within diplomatic structures.