Doha, 18 Feb. 2024

State of Qatar is hosting second meeting in Doha of the United Nations (UN) and Special Envoys on Afghanistan from 18-19 February 2024. The meeting is expected to be participated first time by Afghan delegation along with 25 countries and regional organizations including Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC); European Union (EU) and Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as well as members of the Afghan social society.

UN Secretary-General, António Guterres to head the conference aims to sustain dialogues among special envoys and regional organizations concerning Afghanistan’s evolving situation since the Taliban took control in 2021.  Two separate sessions are scheduled for special envoys from 25 countries to meet with the Taliban authorities and Afghan civil society participants, including women, with Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo moderating.

The two-day occasion signifies the second assembly within a year, subsequent to a meeting held in May 2023, during which the Afghan authorities’ delegation was excluded. A distinct divergence of perspectives and division emerged between Asian and Western representatives regarding the involvement of the Afghan delegation in the initial May 2023 session. Representatives from China and other Asian countries emphasized the importance of including the Afghan delegation in the discussions to have a fruitful result.

The inaugural meeting in May 2023 sought consensus on engaging with the Taliban, focusing on human rights, inclusive governance, counterterrorism, and drug trafficking. The upcoming meeting aligns with Security Council resolution 2721 (2023), urging Member States to intensify international involvement for a peaceful Afghanistan, fully reintegrated into the global community.

In Doha Second meeting, participants will deliberate on enhancing international engagement with Afghanistan in a coherent and coordinated manner. The discussions will incorporate recommendations from an independent assessment presented to the Security Council on November 9, 2023, by Special Coordinator Feridun Sinirlioğlu. Topics include the potential appointment of a UN Special Envoy to facilitate diplomatic efforts and advance intra-Afghan dialogue.

In addition, the meeting will address the challenges confronting Afghanistan and explore strategies for engaging with Taliban authorities to benefit the Afghan people.

Reflecting on the UN’s role, Guterres emphasized its commitment to a people-centric approach during the first meeting in 2023. As the second meeting unfolds, participants seek a structured, international approach to aid Afghanistan in regaining stability.

However, talking with www.asiantelegraphqatar.com, reliable sources of Afghan authorities have told that Afghan delegation will join the conference on the conditions if it’s delegation is received as official delegation of Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan (IEA) and the delegation meets with the UN Secretary General António Guterres.