The Kabul Tribune (KT) — Afghanistan’s Taliban interior minister, Sirajuddin Haqqani, met separately with a special envoy of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the European Union’s special envoy to Afghanistan to discuss bilateral engagement, security, humanitarian issues and regional stability, according to statements from the Interior Ministry.
In a meeting with Tariq Ali Bakheet, special envoy of the
OIC secretary-general, discussions focused on strengthening relations between
Afghanistan and the 57-member organization, as well as humanitarian and social
issues and ways to expand cooperation in those areas, the ministry said.
In a separate meeting with Thomas Frellessen, the EU special
envoy to Afghanistan, Haqqani and the accompanying delegations discussed
relations between Afghanistan and the European Union, the country’s security
situation, regional stability and efforts to combat narcotics, according to the
ministry.
The two sides also discussed Afghan refugees and their
return, humanitarian concerns and the importance of regional efforts to resolve
outstanding issues between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The ministry did not provide further details about the
discussions or announce any specific agreements.
The meetings come as Afghanistan continues to face
humanitarian challenges and strained relations with neighboring Pakistan.
Islamabad has repeatedly accused Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities of allowing militant
groups to operate from Afghan territory and carry out attacks in Pakistan. The
Taliban authorities have rejected allegations that Afghanistan is being used to
threaten other countries.
The European Union and the OIC have maintained engagement with Afghanistan on humanitarian and other issues since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. However, the Taliban administration has not received formal recognition as Afghanistan’s government from most countries.
