UN: Taliban not invited to Doha meeting on Afghanistan

UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres has not invited the Taliban administration to a meeting that he is convening with special envoys on Afghanistan from various countries in Doha next week, a UN spokesperson said yesterday.

"The secretary-general has not extended an invitation to the de facto authorities," said UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.

Last week, the UN had to stress that the meeting will not focus on the possible international recognition of the Taliban administration after comments by the deputy UN chief sparked concern and confusion.

The gathering in Qatar on Monday and Tuesday is instead intended to focus on reinvigorating "the international engagement around common objectives for a durable way forward on ... Afghanistan," Dujarric has said.

Guterres' deputy, Amina Mohammed, had suggested last week that the meeting in Doha "could find those baby steps to put us back on the pathway to recognition."

The Taliban seized power in August 2021 as US-led forces withdrew following 20 years of war.

In December, the 193-member UN General Assembly approved postponing, for the second time, a decision on whether to recognise the Afghan Taliban administration by allowing them to send a UN ambassador to New York.

The UN Security Council unanimously condemned on Thursday a Taliban administration ban on Afghan women working for the UN in Afghanistan and called on Taliban leaders to "swiftly reverse" a crackdown on the rights of women and girls.

The Taliban says it respects women's rights in accordance with its strict interpretation of Islamic law. Taliban officials said decisions on female aid workers are an "internal issue."

- Reuters