Afghanistan's Taliban Officials Attend Annual Peace Summit In Norway

Officials from Afghanistan's Taliban administration travelled to Norway this week for meetings with civil society and diplomats at a peace forum, the Norwegian foreign minister said on Thursday.

The visit took place amidst a severe humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan following 20 years of war and as many countries have pulled back on aid after orders from the Taliban that stopped many Afghan female humanitarian staff from working.

"Norway invited three civil servant-level individuals working for the Afghan de facto authorities in Kabul to this year's Oslo Forum. They met Afghan civil society and representatives from other countries to discuss the situation in Afghanistan," Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt told Reuters.

The two-day meeting near Oslo is an annual summit on conflict and peace diplomacy that ended Wednesday.

The Taliban administration has not been formally recognised by any foreign government since taking over the country in 2021 as foreign troops withdrew.

A UN official said the United Nation's Secretary General's Special Representative to Afghansitan Roza Otunbayeva attended the closed door meeting.

Though some senior Taliban leaders are normally prevented from leaving the country due to UN travel bans, other officials are able to travel or receive exemptions to do so and have held meetings with officials abroad including in Qatar, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.

In 2022, the Taliban's acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi attended a meeting in Oslo.

"Isolating Afghanistan now will be unfortunate, both for the Afghan people and for the international community. It could worsen the situation in Afghanistan, and it could let groups such as the ISKP get a stronger foothold in the country. This would also pose a security risk for Europe," Huitfeldt said, referring to Islamic State.

A spokesperson for the Taliban-run foreign ministry did not respond to request for comment. Afghan broadcaster Tolo News reported officials from the foreign, defence and interior ministries had travelled to Norway.



from NDTV News Search Records Found 1000 https://ift.tt/xt3Sea0

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"Modi Does What He Promises": PM On Why People Trust His 'Guarantees'

Highlighting his recent state election slogan, "Modi ki Guarantee," Prime Minister Modi asserted that the country trusts his guarantee because he diligently works to fulfill them. During a one-day visit to Ayodhya, he inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for 46 projects worth Rs 15,700 crore. The events included the inauguration of Ayodhya Dham Junction, Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, and the flagging off of 6 Vande Bharat and 2 Amrit Bharat trains. "The strength of Modi's guarantee lies in the fact that Modi does what he promises. Today, the country has faith in Modi's guarantee because he puts in all his efforts to fulfill the guarantees he gives. This city of Ayodhya is also a witness to this," he stated. Expressing eagerness for the upcoming consecration at the Ram Temple, PM Modi proclaimed himself a devotee of every particle and person in India. PM Modi reached Ayodhya on a one-day visit, where he inaugurated and laid the foundation
Read more

'800-Strong Mob Intended To Cause Death': Probe Agency On Bengal Attack

Giving chilling details about the attack on its officials, allegedly by supporters of a Trinamool Congress leader, the Enforcement Directorate has said the mob consisted of 800-1,000 people and that there was an "intention to cause death". The agency said three of its officials were severely injured and that people in the mob robbed its personnel of their belongings, including mobile phones, wallets and laptops.  The attack occurred in Sandeshkhali in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on Friday, when an Enforcement Directorate team - accompanied by personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) - was carrying out searches at three premises belonging to Trinamool leader Sahajahan Sheikh in connection with the alleged Public Distribution Scam.  While the Trinamool Congress called the incident "a BJP conspiracy" and claimed "unruly elements attached with the central agencies provoked locals", the BJP has dubbed the continuance of the rul
Read more