Qatar’s foreign minister visits Afghanistan for the first time at a high level | AsiaNews

Qatar’s Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani is the highest-level foreign official who has visited Afghanistan since the Taliban came to power.

Qatar’s Foreign Minister Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani visited Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, and met with the acting prime minister of the new Taliban government, Mohamed Hassan Ahund.

On Sunday, he also met with former President Hamid Karzai and Chairman of the National Reconciliation Commission Abdullah Abdullah. He encouraged Afghan political parties and groups to participate in national reconciliation.

This is the highest-level official visit since the United States withdrew its troops from Afghanistan. Al Thani met with some officials of the new government, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs and his deputies.

Officials discussed the current political situation and Qatar’s current efforts to support the Afghan people.

The Taliban posted photos of Al Thani meeting Akhund, and photos of him and former Karzai were also circulated on social media.

Qatar Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani (center) was escorted into the car after arriving at Kabul Airport [Karim Sahib/ AFP]

Qatar is considered to be one of the countries with the greatest influence on the Taliban. The Taliban took control of Afghanistan last month because the US military is preparing to finally withdraw from the country after 20 years.

It played a key role in the large-scale airlift of its citizens, other Western nationals, and Afghans who helped Western countries led by the United States.

It also supports tens of thousands of Afghans who were evacuated in the final weeks of the U.S.-led occupation because they were processed before heading to other countries.

Foreign donors led by the U.S. Provides more As the United States has withdrawn from the country for 20 years, more than 75% of the Afghan government’s public expenditure has collapsed.

President Joe Biden’s government has expressed its willingness to donate humanitarian aid, but said that any direct economic lifeline, including the unfreezing of central bank assets, will depend on the actions of the Taliban, including allowing people to leave safely.

The International Monetary Fund also prevented the Taliban from using about US$440 million in new emergency reserves.

“The Taliban seek international legitimacy and support. Our message is simple: any legitimacy and support must be won,” senior US diplomat Geoffrey de Laurentiis told the Security Council.

No country has officially recognized the new Taliban government-during the first rule of the organization from 1996 to 2001, only three countries recognized this.