According to the UN secretary-general’s spokesman, a global summit on Afghanistan will be held May 1-2 in Doha. At the summit, envoys will look for a “durable way forward” for the country that has been devastated by conflict.
According to spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, Antonio Guterres will preside over the private meeting of special representatives for Afghanistan from several nations who are there to “clarify expectations” on issues including the Taliban’s treatment of women.
“The purpose of this kind of small group meeting is for us to reinvigorate the international engagement around the common objectives for a durable way forward on the situation in Afghanistan,” Dujarric told reporters at UN headquarters.
Guterres “continues to believe that it’s an urgent priority to advance an approach based on pragmatism and principles, combined with strategic patience, and to identify parameters for creative, flexible, principled and constructive engagement.”
The Taliban leadership’s participation in the negotiations was not yet certain.
Following a restriction on Afghan women working for the international organization, the United Nations mission in Afghanistan has started an evaluation of its activities.
The UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed mentioned the possibility of the envoys meeting to discuss the “baby steps” that could put the Taliban government back on the path to recognition by the international community, though with restrictions attached, in her remarks on Monday, which were followed by the announcement of the meeting in the capital of Qatar.
