UN Under-Secretary-General Meets Muttaqi In Kabul
Sources told Afghanistan International that Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, met Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban's foreign minister, on Thursday.
Sources told Afghanistan International that Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, met Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban's foreign minister, on Thursday.
However, Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban leader, has so far avoided a meet with Lacroix, who is visiting Kabul.
It is unclear whether the Taliban leader will meet this senior UN official in the coming days.
Sources say that the Taliban leader has indicated that he will receive the views and suggestions of the Under-Secretary-General through Muttaqi.
Reports of the Taliban leader meeting with foreign officials have been rare.
Hibatullah Akhundzada has only met with two foreign leaders: Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam leader Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman in 2023.
Sources say that in his meeting with Muttaqi, Lacroix urged the Taliban to refrain from violent treatment of non-Pashtuns. He also called for an end to arbitrary arrests and the detention of former government officials.
The Under-Secretary-General also emphasised on reopening schools and universities for all girls. However, sources said that Muttaqi responded by saying that the Taliban is not yet ready to open educational institutions to all girls.
Quoting the Taliban leader, Muttaqi stated that the UN should not interfere in the matter of girls' education as it is related to the traditions and beliefs of the Afghan people. Muttaqi promised that the Taliban would reopen schools and universities for girls and women under better conditions but did not provide a timeline for lifting the education ban on women.
Additionally, the UN Under-Secretary-General expressed concern over Taliban interference in aid organisations’ activities, noting that it negatively impacts the UN's cooperation with the Taliban.
He stated that the UN wants aid to reach those in need transparently, but Taliban interference hinders this. He specifically mentioned obstacles created by the Taliban's Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in providing health services, which impede women's access to aid.
