Taliban’s Acting Envoy Claims No Obstacles Remain to Recognition
Suhail Shaheen, the acting head of the Taliban’s embassy in Doha, has declared that, according to him, there are no longer any obstacles to the recognition of the Taliban administration, urging countries to take practical steps in this regard. He emphasized that Kabul is ready to expand political and economic relations with countries around the world.
Shaheen claimed that over the past five years, the Taliban administration has been able to ensure nationwide security, defend Afghanistan’s territorial integrity, and work towards economic growth. According to him, these achievements demonstrate that the necessary conditions for gaining international legitimacy have been met.
At the same time, Abdul Latif Nazari, deputy minister of the Taliban’s Ministry of Economy, described the lack of recognition as one of the fundamental challenges to developing economic cooperation and attracting foreign investment. He told ToloNews that the continuation of this situation has created restrictions on investment and sustainable economic growth in Afghanistan.
However, the international community has so far outlined specific conditions for recognizing the Taliban administration, including the formation of an inclusive government with participation from various ethnic groups and factions, respect for human rights especially those of women and girls, practical action against terrorist groups, and prevention of Afghanistan’s territory being used against other countries. This comes amid ongoing criticisms focused on widespread restrictions on women’s education and employment and the absence of an inclusive political structure.
In contrast, the Taliban administration considers the release of Afghanistan’s frozen assets and normalization of political and economic relations with the world as its main demands. To date, only Russia recognized the Taliban administration in July last year, while other countries have continued to adopt a cautious approach.
