Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, Taliban Deputy Prime Minister, in a meeting with Roza Isakovna Otunbayeva, the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan and Head of the UNAMA, on Monday in Kabul, called the international community to engage with the group.
In a series of tweets by the office of the Taliban’s prime minister, the Taliban deputy pointed out to the UNAMA head that an Islamic system has been established in the country and people are living in “peace”.
“We hope that you convey this message to the world.” Kabir further noted.
Kabir was also quoted saying that the international community should effectively engage with the Taliban given the group’s string of achievements since returning to power.
During the meeting, Otunbayeva updated the Taliban deputy on the recent Doha meetings convened by the UN Secretary-General António Guterres and said that important issues were discussed and special envoys of several countries showed interest in future aid assistance to the country.
The UNAMA head further said that the next Doha meetings will focus on constructive engagement with Afghanistan regarding counter-narcotics, fighting climate change, and strengthening Amu River shores.
Taliban’s Minister of Information and Culture Khairullah Khairkhwa, who was also present at the meeting, emphasized that the UN should invite the Taliban authorities to the Doha gatherings if they want to engage with the group on concerned issues in meaningful ways.
UNAMA has not issued any statement regarding the Monday meeting.
After comments by the UN deputy on possible Taliban recognition, the U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who led the closed-door Doha meetings on May 1 and 2 in Qatar, had stressed that the meeting did not focus on the international recognition of the Taliban’s de facto authorities. Taliban were not invited to the Doha meeting.
