UAE To Host Investor Conference In Kabul As Ties With Taliban Deepen

The United Arab Emirates will organise an investor conference in Kabul, bringing together Emirati businessmen to explore economic opportunities in Afghanistan, according to Saif Mohammed Al Ketbi, the UAE’s Special envoy for Afghanistan.

The announcement was made during Al Ketbi’s meeting on Tuesday with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs. A statement from Baradar’s office noted that the two sides discussed strengthening bilateral relations, with a particular focus on economic cooperation.

According to the Taliban, Al Ketbi also expressed the UAE’s interest in developing infrastructure projects in Afghanistan, including railways and roads, a key priority for the Taliban regime as it seeks foreign investment to boost the country’s struggling economy.

The Taliban have frequently reported expressions of interest from regional countries in Afghanistan’s infrastructure and investment sectors. However, concrete details or timelines for the launch of such projects have yet to be disclosed.