Human Rights & Women's Representation Excluded From Doha Meeting Agenda

Ahmed Kurbanov, Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan, and Yue Xiaoyong, China's special representative for Afghanistan, discussed the upcoming meeting.

In a statement released on Friday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan stated that the discussions during the meeting focused on preparations for the fifth meeting of foreign ministers of Afghanistan's neighbouring countries.

Officials from both countries emphasised on their continued full support for Afghanistan's economic improvement, adhering to the principles of friendship and good neighbourliness.

The Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan noted that Ashgabat considers international meetings an important factor for Afghanistan's stability.

The fourth meeting of foreign ministers of Afghanistan's neighbouring countries was held in April 2023, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The foreign ministers of China, Iran, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan attended this meeting.

In a statement, the ministry expressed its support for constructive dialogues aimed at making progress on resolving Afghanistan's issues while considering the rights and legitimate interests of the Afghan people.

The statement, released on Friday, June 28, mentioned that the goal of the Doha meeting is "to discuss the directions for developing coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan”.

According to the statement, the discussions at the Doha meeting will cover political, economic, financial, and humanitarian areas.

The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that representatives from Russia, China, Iran, Pakistan, the United States, the United Kingdom, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Turkey, India, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Germany, France, Italy, Norway, and Canada will be present at the third Doha meeting.

Additionally, representatives from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and the European Union will also attend the meeting.

Zamir Kabulov, the special representative of the Russian President for Afghanistan, will lead the Russian delegation.

The third Doha meeting is scheduled to be hosted by the United Nations on June 30 and July 1. Special representatives of various countries for Afghanistan will attend the meeting.

Zabihullah Mujahid, Taliban’s spokesperson, is set to lead a delegation representing the Taliban at this meeting.

On Saturday, the Taliban spokesperson announced in a press conference that the group will participate in the third Doha meeting to "engage with all parties and resolve issues”.

Zabihullah Mujahid also urged countries not to leave Afghanistan alone.

Mujahid also urged countries not to leave Afghanistan alone.

The third Doha meeting is scheduled to be hosted by the United Nations on June 30 and July 1. Special representatives of various countries for Afghanistan will attend the meeting.

Mujahid is set to lead a delegation representing the Taliban at this meeting.

Regarding the Taliban's policies and stance, Mujahid stated, "We want to resolve issues related to positive and constructive engagement with the United Nations, involved countries, and all countries of the world to find a unified path for improving the economic situation and achieving comprehensive stability."

The Doha meeting on Afghanistan is being held amidst criticism that the United Nations and the stakeholders involved in this meeting have succumbed to the Taliban's conditions regarding protocols, agenda, and participants.

Nasir Ahmad Andisha, Afghanistan's representative to the UN Human Rights Council, criticised the arrangement and organisation of the third Doha meeting according to the Taliban's wishes, stating that all actors are present except for the Afghan people, Taliban opponents, women, civil society, and young forces.

Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights for Afghanistan, wrote in an article in the New York Times that the Taliban should not be allowed to use the threat of non-participation in negotiations to dictate their terms.

Bennett warned that if women were excluded from the Doha meeting due to the Taliban's presence, the cost would be very high.

Recently, the Taliban selected Zabihullah Mujahid, the main spokesperson for their government, to attend the third Doha meeting instead of Muttaqi.

Despite the extensive structure of the Taliban's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which includes not only the minister, but also political and administrative deputies and numerous directors, Mujahid's delegation to Doha is significant.

According to these sources, Mujahid's power is increasing over time, and his office has been relocated to Kandahar.

The sources say that Zabihullah Mujahid is one of Hibatullah’s closest and most loyal associates. He is the only official who moved to Kandahar after the "Taliban's political capital" was changed.

The United Nations delegation is led by the Under-Secretary-General, and many within the organisation do not see Mujahid's assignment as any less significant than Muttaqi’s.

Mujahid holds a position more important than just being the spokesperson in the Taliban regime. Sources indicate that his authority and influence within the Taliban regime exceed those of many of the group's cabinet ministers.

His introduction as the head of the Taliban's negotiating team in the third Doha meeting also signifies Hibatullah's trust in him.

By bypassing the Taliban's diplomatic apparatus, Hibatullah has appointed Mujahid to negotiate with the United Nations and representatives of world countries in Doha.

Taliban spokesperson’s recent statements on the group’s foreign issues demonstrate that he is playing the role of the Taliban’s foreign minister, far beyond that of a spokesperson.

Additionally, in recent days, Mujahid has spoken about the group's foreign relations in his role as the head of the Taliban’s diplomatic apparatus. Recently, in an interview with Tolo News, he expressed appreciation for the Chinese president's remarks on relations with Afghanistan and said that the group's relationship with China is in a very good position.

He also spoke on behalf of the Taliban's diplomatic apparatus regarding elections in Iran, stating that the Taliban and Iran are seeking to expand relations in diplomatic and economic fields and hope that Iran’s future government will continue on the previously outlined path.

However, it remains unclear how far the strained relations between Hibatullah and Muttaqi will go and how much more political and administrative significance Mujahid will gain.

The commission urged the UN to support Afghanistan's democratic institutions instead of the "unelected" Taliban regime.

This body expressed concern over the UN's decision to engage with the Taliban in the third round of the Doha meetings.

On Friday, June 28, the Express Tribune reported that Munizae Jahangir, co-chairperson of the Pakistan Human Rights Commission, in a letter to the UN Security Council, requested a review of the UN's decision to engage with the Taliban.

Jahangir urged the UN to reconsider its decision to engage with the Taliban until they end gender apartheid in Afghanistan and commit to upholding human rights.

The official from the Pakistan Human Rights Commission stated that instead of moving towards legitimising the "unelected Taliban regime," the UN should support democratic elements in Afghanistan.

She declared that after the Taliban came to power and institutionalised policies of discrimination and violence against women in Afghanistan, the Pakistani Taliban and extremist clerics in the country have been emboldened to violate women's rights.