Taliban to Attend Doha Meeting on Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities will attend the third round of United Nations-hosted talks in the Qatari capital, a government spokesman said on Sunday.

The Taliban government’s participation in the conference of foreign special envoys to Afghanistan had been in doubt after it was not included in the first round and then refused an invitation to the second round in February.

“A delegation of the Islamic Emirate will participate in the coming Doha conference. They will represent Afghanistan there and express Afghanistan’s position,” said Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, according to AFP.

The talks in Doha are scheduled for June 30 and July 1.

The Taliban spokesperson told Afghan media on Sunday that a delegation — yet to be announced — would attend because the talks’ agenda appeared “beneficial to Afghanistan.”

The agenda includes “topics such as aid for Afghanistan and creating opportunities for investors in Afghanistan, which are important”, he said.

Civil society groups that included women were invited to the February talks, but the Taliban government refused to participate unless its members could be the sole representatives of Afghanistan.

In recent weeks, multiple UN representatives and international envoys have held meetings with the Taliban government on the next Doha talks, which UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will not attend.

Following talks held last February, Guterres said the Taliban set unacceptable conditions for attending a UN-sponsored meeting about Afghanistan.

Several representatives to the UN expressed hope that the Taliban will participate in the next one.

Meanwhile, diplomatic sources told AFP there were plans to consult with Afghan civil society groups before and after the next talks, but that they would not take part in meetings that include the Taliban authorities.

Sources said the official meetings were due to cover economic issues, as well as counter-narcotics efforts.

Several civil society groups have urged the UN to prioritize women’s rights and include Afghan women.

The Taliban government has imposed a strict interpretation of Islam, with women subjected to laws characterized by the UN as “gender apartheid.”