UN and International Representatives Meet in Doha to Discuss Afghanistan’s Future

The third Doha meeting in Qatar is set to take place on Monday and Tuesday, with representatives from the United Nations, European Union, and Pakistan in attendance. The meeting will be hosted by Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN Deputy Secretary-General.

Roza Otunbayeva, head of the UN body for Afghanistan, and Mark Poots, deputy political head of UNAMA, have already arrived in Doha. Special envoys from the European Union and Pakistan, including Thomas Nicholson and Asif Durrani, are also present.

Representatives from over 20 countries and several international organizations will participate, including a delegation from the Taliban. The Taliban-led government will engage in talks with special representatives from various countries and institutions.

On Tuesday, Ms. DiCarlo and the Special Envoys will meet with representatives of Afghan civil society, including human rights and women’s organizations. The discussions will focus on the rights of women and girls, human rights in general, and political inclusion.

However, the exclusion of Afghan civil society and women’s groups from the third Doha meeting has sparked widespread criticism. Critics argue that this exclusion will have significant negative consequences.

Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo emphasized that the Doha discussions are part of an ongoing process aimed at achieving peace and international integration for Afghanistan, with a particular focus on human rights.

Since the Taliban regained power in August 2021, they have imposed severe restrictions on women’s rights, including barring most girls from high school and women from universities, and restricting women’s employment and freedom of movement.