KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced the visit of Gilles Bertrand, the European Union’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, to Kabul.
According to a statement from the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he met today (Wednesday, April 22) with Mohammad Naeem Wardak, the ministry’s Deputy for Financial and Administrative Affairs.
The ministry said that during the meeting, the development of bilateral political, economic, and trade relations, as well as continued cooperation, were discussed.
The Taliban’s deputy foreign minister expressed gratitude for the European Union’s humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan and called for directing this aid toward sustainable development programs in order to create job opportunities and help address the fundamental problems of the population.
He also emphasized relations based on mutual respect and said that the Taliban prioritize dialogue and diplomacy to resolve issues.
According to the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Union’s Special Representative also described dialogue as a reasonable solution to existing challenges.
The statement further noted that he said European markets remain open to Afghan commercial goods, particularly dried fruits, and that efforts to expand Afghan exports to European markets have increased.
Meanwhile, the European Union Delegation to Afghanistan announced that the five-day visit of Gilles Bertrand to Kabul ended today (Wednesday, April 22).
According to the delegation’s statement, Bertrand held discussions with Taliban officials on countering ISIS and “expressed the European Union’s concern regarding the continued presence and cross-border activities of several terrorist groups with regional and potentially global reach.”
In addition, the EU Special Representative discussed tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban, calling on both sides to exercise restraint and to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.
He stated that the European Union urges both parties to resume dialogue on their security concerns, including specific measures to prevent the use of border areas for planning and carrying out terrorist attacks inside Pakistan.
Furthermore, the European Union Delegation said that human rights held a prominent place in all discussions during the visit.
The statement added that the Special Representative once again reiterated the European Union’s serious concerns over restrictions imposed on women and girls, including access to education, employment, and participation in public life.
According to the statement, these restrictions constitute serious violations of international human rights standards and Afghanistan’s international obligations, and have long-term and devastating consequences for Afghan society and economy, the recovery from which may take generations.
The delegation also noted that the Special Representative reminded the Taliban that the ban on girls’ education remains a major obstacle to the normalization of relations with the group.
He further stated that the European Union supports the UN-led Doha process and considers UNAMA as the primary platform for coordination with Afghanistan.
He also emphasized continued support for the Afghan people, returnees, and the private sector, noting that EU assistance is delivered through a principled approach in which women are both key beneficiaries and active participants in implementation.
This was the third visit of Gilles Bertrand to Kabul since his appointment as the European Union’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, following earlier trips in the months of October and December of the previous solar year, during which he also held talks with Taliban officials on political and human rights issues.
This visit highlights the European Union’s continued engagement with Afghanistan through diplomatic channels, balancing humanitarian support and security concerns with sustained pressure on human rights issues, particularly the rights of women and girls, as a central condition for deeper international cooperation.
