ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN – The US special envoy for Afghanistan, Thomas West, described the UN-chaired Doha meeting on Afghanistan as productive, highlighting a strong consensus on the collective interest in Afghanistan, particularly the desire to see women and girls return to school, university, and work.
In a series of social media posts about the meeting, West said that no country wants to see the emergence of terrorism threat from Afghanistan, emphasizing that all want to see women and girls return to secondary school, university, work, and public life.
The UN Secretary General chaired the second meeting of special envoys on Afghanistan in Doha on February 18 and 19. The Taliban rejected the UN invitation to participate, criticizing the UN’s decision to invite several members of Afghanistan’s civil society. Additionally, the group expressed frustration over the UN Secretary General’s refusal to meet with them.
During a press conference following the two-day closed-door meeting, the UN chief described the gathering as “extremely productive,” noting that participating countries reached a consensus on the path forward, including the appointment of a UN special envoy for the country.
Earlier, the European Union envoy for Afghanistan, Tomas Niklasson, also offered a positive perspective on the meeting, underlining the importance of continuing such formats in the future.
Mr. Niklasson noted that he found a strong commitment to Afghanistan and its people, as well as widespread support for a future Afghanistan at peace with itself, the region, and the international community.
Expressing his observation from the meeting, Mr. Niklasson said that a vast majority, including Muslim-majority countries and the EU, echoed the demands of Afghans. They, according to him, stressed the rights of women and girls, including access to education and employment, as key priorities from the perspectives of human rights, Islam, and economic and social development.
In contrast to the positions of the US, EU, and the UN, both Russia and the ruling regime in Afghanistan criticized the meeting, with Russia deeming it “unsuccessful” and a “failure.”
In a meeting with the head of the UN mission in Afghanistan, Roza Otunbayeva, on Thursday, the Taliban foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, said that although they didn’t participate, they closely monitored the meeting, noting that it failed to produce any “tangible outcome.”
The US special envoy appreciated the participation of Afghan civil society representatives in the meeting, highlighting their discussions on economic and basic needs, the importance of respecting human rights, and the imperative to continue engagement with Afghans, including the Taliban.
Concerning future steps, West expressed his support for maintaining the current meeting format and advocated for an UN-led process to develop a roadmap for Afghanistan’s full integration into the international community. “The Afghan people’s well-being, and the international community’s shared interests, must guide this work,” he emphasized.
