Taliban FM Rejects Intra-Afghan Dialogue, Calls Past Talks ‘Bitter Experience’

In a statement released on Wednesday, 30 April, the ministry said the agreements aim to strengthen bilateral ties while promoting environmental sustainability and cooperative management of shared water resources in Central Asia.

Although the ministry did not disclose specific terms, Uzbek media reported on Thursday that the agreements include a framework for joint oversight of the Amu Darya river basin and equitable distribution of its water, one of the most critical transboundary water sources in the region.

The deals were formalised during a visit to northern Afghanistan by an Uzbek delegation led by Deputy Minister of Agriculture Jamshid Abduzukhurov. The delegation met with senior Taliban officials, including Yousuf Wafa, the Taliban-appointed governor of Balkh province.

According to the ministry, the discussions centred on enhancing agricultural trade, harmonising plant quarantine regulations, and developing joint strategies for water resource management. The agreements also reflect Uzbekistan’s ongoing efforts to foster regional stability, sustainable development, and environmental security, the statement noted.

The Taliban governor’s office in Balkh confirmed the visit, stating that the primary focus was to expand cooperation in agriculture, economic development, and the use of shared water resources. During the visit, the Uzbek delegation also toured key areas along the Amu Darya river to assess conditions on the ground.

The Amu Darya, which flows through Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, is a vital water source for agriculture and livelihoods. Effective coordination between riparian states has long been a challenge, particularly amid growing concerns over climate change, water scarcity, and regional political dynamics.

In a statement issued on Thursday, 1 May, the court said the punishment was administered publicly by the primary court of Qarabagh district the previous day. The man’s identity has not been disclosed.

The incident marks another instance of the Taliban’s enforcement of its strict interpretation of Sharia law, which includes corporal punishment for certain crimes. Public floggings, executions, and amputations have drawn international condemnation since the group’s return to power in August 2021.

While the Taliban claims such punishments serve as a deterrent and are carried out following legal procedures, human rights organisations continue to criticise the lack of transparency, due process, and the use of punishments deemed inhumane under international law.

According to a statement released on Thursday, 3206 Afghans were expelled from Pakistan, while 1515 were deported from Iran. The commission said the deportees entered Afghanistan through various official border crossings, including Torkham, Spin Boldak, Bahramcha, Angoor Ada, Islam Qala, and Pul-e-Abrisham.

Of those returned, 1551 individuals have been relocated to different provinces, including Ghazni, Logar, Khost, Paktia, Paktika, Baghlan, Takhar, Balkh, Jowzjan, and Kunduz.

The commission also noted that 7.7 million Afghanis in cash assistance was distributed among the returnees to help them resettle. It did not provide details on how the funds were allocated or the criteria used for distribution.

The Taliban authority, which provides daily updates on migration, said that 3868 Afghans were deported from Iran and Pakistan the previous day, reflecting a sharp rise in expulsions this week.

The recent wave of deportations comes amid heightened pressure from neighbouring countries to repatriate undocumented Afghan migrants, many of whom have fled conflict, persecution, or economic hardship. Human rights organisations have repeatedly raised concerns over the forced returns, citing risks of abuse, instability, and lack of support infrastructure inside Afghanistan.

The request was made during a meeting with the Chinese ambassador in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif.

Wafa emphasised the need for greater reciprocity in trade, urging that containers bringing Chinese imports into Afghanistan should not return empty. He pointed to the imbalance in trade, driven by Afghanistan’s heavy dependence on imports and limited domestic production capacity.

A statement from the governor’s office indicated that the Chinese ambassador reaffirmed Beijing’s commitment to a number of infrastructure projects across Afghanistan. These include solar energy initiatives and the construction of dams in Kandahar province, with implementation set to begin later this year.

The ambassador also highlighted the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan–Afghanistan transport corridor as a critical development for improving regional connectivity. He suggested the corridor could help transform Afghanistan into a more robust trading economy, boosting both exports and imports. Additionally, he stated that China does not levy tariffs on Afghan exports, a move designed to stimulate trade.

Wafa reiterated his request for the establishment of direct flights between Balkh and China to further ease commercial exchange. He also called for immediate investment in cold storage and standardised packing centres in the Nayeb Abad area, which he said would enable Afghan fruit and vegetable producers to meet export standards and better access Chinese markets.

He extended an open invitation to Chinese investors to explore business opportunities in Afghanistan, particularly in the agricultural and infrastructure sectors.

China remains one of the few major powers engaging economically with Afghanistan under Taliban rule, though its involvement is largely focused on short-term, high-yield projects. Despite signing an agreement for the large-scale Aynak copper mine project years ago, progress has stalled due to the project’s long timelines and substantial capital demands.

Analysts suggest that China continues to view Afghanistan as a high-risk environment for investment. Russian researcher Alexander Knyazev recently commented that Chinese firms prefer small-scale ventures with quicker returns. While major undertakings like Aynak remain dormant, smaller oil companies are actively operating in northern Afghanistan, drawn by the relatively fast turnaround in the petroleum sector.

In an interview with Agence France-Presse, Fletcher expressed grave concern over the decline in humanitarian aid to the country. He said during a visit on Wednesday to a mobile health clinic in Kunduz. that there are 17 crises around the world requiring urgent attention, and Afghanistan is at the top of that list.

The senior UN official’s visit comes amid a significant decrease in global humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan. The United States, which had provided the largest share of humanitarian aid amounting to USD 3.71 billion since the Taliban’s return to power, has now suspended its support.

Following a meeting with a group of women at the mobile health centre, Fletcher remarked that those who justifies the reduction in aid, should listen to a mother who cycled for three hours to reach a medical centre, only to lose her child upon arrival.

While critics of the Taliban have largely welcomed the suspension of international aid citing misuse of funds by the de facto authorities the United States has also justified its decision on the same grounds.

Fletcher described the decline in humanitarian assistance as “cruel” and added that the impact of aid cuts was not immediately visible, but “we now clearly see how devastating this decision has been for vulnerable communities.”

He identified the plight of Afghan women as one of the country’s “accumulated crises.” Following meetings with Taliban officials in Kabul and Kandahar, Fletcher emphasised the importance of “dialogue to shift perspectives” on women’s rights.

Fletcher also sounded the alarm on the effects of climate change, calling its impact on Afghanistan “deeply concerning” and warning that it would intensify the demand for humanitarian assistance potentially even more so than during periods of conflict.

He concluded by noting that this dire humanitarian context is exacerbated by widespread poverty, decades of instability, and protracted warfare.