Afghanistan’s isolation is not the solution: Qatar

Majed Al Ansari, an advisor to Qatar’s deputy prime minister, says Afghanistan’s isolation is not the solution and the world should rather engage with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA).

Speaking in an interview with Al-Monitor, Ansari said that since the collapse of the previous government and IEA’s takeover, Qatar has told the world that Afghanistan’s isolation was not the solution and that the only way forward was engagement.

“Since the collapse of government in Afghanistan and the Taliban (IEA) forming the interim government over there, our main concern was that to tell the rest of the world that we have tried isolating the Taliban, we have tried waging a war on the Taliban, it has not changed [anything], it didn’t make the situation of women better in Afghanistan, it didn’t make the situation when it comes to radicalization better in Afghanistan, the only way forward is engagement,” said Ansari.

He stated that Afghanistan is important for Qatar and Doha mediates between Afghanistan and other countries.

“We fully understand that the situation in Afghanistan today is not easy for the international community to engage with the current government, but complete isolation is not the solution, it didn’t work, it will not work, it will push the government right now over there into the hands of other states which would not be very much interested in human rights and rights of women and children in Afghanistan; therefore, we have maintained our position as mediator,” he said.

He also said that many countries want to interact with the Islamic Emirate, but they do not want to interact for political reasons.

Meanwhile, IEA officials have repeatedly appreciated the government of Qatar for mediating to open the door of interaction with other countries.

“America does not allow some countries to act in this direction (recognition) and there are political interests between countries and America. Well, they don’t want to involve themselves diplomatically and face problems; this is the reason; otherwise, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has fulfilled all the conditions to be recognized,” said Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the IEA.

Currently, the diplomatic missions of more than 14 countries of the region, including Qatar, are present in Afghanistan, and the Islamic Emirate has a reciprocal diplomatic presence in these countries.