US officials to engage in talks with Taliban on economy, rights in Doha

U.S. officials from the State Department will be meeting with Taliban representatives and professionals from key Afghan ministries in Doha this week. The discussions will focus on economic issues, security, and women’s rights, according to a statement from the State Department on Wednesday.

Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas West and Special Envoy for Afghan Women, Girls, and Human Rights Rina Amiri are scheduled to travel to Astana, Kazakhstan, and Doha, Qatar, from July 26 to July 31, the statement revealed. During their visit to Astana, they will meet with officials from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan to discuss matters concerning Afghanistan. The U.S. officials will also have meetings with members of civil society who are focused on women’s rights.

In Doha, the U.S. officials will meet with the Taliban delegation to discuss humanitarian support for Afghanistan, security issues, women’s rights, stabilizing the Afghan economy, and efforts to combat narcotics production and trafficking, the State Department confirmed.

State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel emphasized that the meetings do not indicate recognition, normalization, or legitimacy of the Taliban. He reiterated the United States’ concerns regarding human rights abuses and the marginalization of women and girls in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. Patel stated, “This does not indicate any change in the policy of the United States. We have been very clear that we will engage with the Taliban appropriately when it is in our interest to do so.”

Following the withdrawal of NATO and U.S. forces after a 20-year conflict, the Taliban regained power in 2021. The chaotic evacuation of Kabul airport resulted in thousands of desperate Afghans attempting to enter and individuals clinging to aircraft as they taxied down the runways. A suicide bombing conducted by the Islamic State outside an airport gate claimed the lives of 13 U.S. servicemembers and over 150 Afghans.

A recent State Department report criticized both Democratic President Joe Biden and his Republican predecessor Donald Trump for the manner in which the pullout was executed, as it was negotiated by Trump and carried out under Biden.

Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Additional reporting by Daphne Psaledakis and Simon Lewis; Editing by Paul Grant and Daniel Wallis