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China’s envoy meets with EU officials to discuss Afghanistan
Yue said both sides stressed the need for “continuous engagement” and called for increased international attention to Afghanistan’s rebuilding efforts
China’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong, met with European Union officials this week to discuss the evolving situation in Afghanistan, highlighting efforts for the country’s reconstruction amid ongoing political, economic, and humanitarian crises.
Yue met with Tomas Niklasson, the EU’s special envoy for Afghanistan, and the bloc’s Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific.
Following the meeting, Yue posted on X, that both sides stressed the need for “continuous engagement” and called for increased international attention to Afghanistan’s rebuilding efforts.
Beijing has emerged as a critical partner of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan over the past three years and China’s growing influence in Afghanistan has the potential to foster increased cooperation, promote regional integration, and effectively tackle various obstacles, including security challenges.
Since the rise of the Islamic Emirate, China has actively sought engagement with Afghanistan, demonstrating its commitment to supporting the country’s reconstruction and development, The Diplomat reported recently, adding that Chinese enterprises have displayed a keen interest in investing in Afghanistan.
Last week however, China’s Premier Li Qiang called on the Islamic Emirate to adopt “moderate policies” and form an inclusive government.
According to a joint statement issued by Li and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the two officials also emphasized the need to prevent the use of Afghanistan’s soil against its neighbors and called for an effective and measurable fight against terrorism in Afghanistan.
At the time, Li had been in Islamabad for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting.
Li and Sharif also called for the strengthening of anti-terrorism cooperation on a bilateral and multilateral level and called on the Islamic Emirate government to take concrete and verifiable measures to eliminate terrorist groups active in this country.
The two leaders also emphasized the importance of strengthening communication and coordination regarding the situation in Afghanistan and called for “coordinated efforts of the international community to encourage the Islamic Emirate to establish an inclusive political framework and implement moderate policies.”
The two countries agreed to play a constructive role in supporting the sustainable development of Afghanistan and its integration into the international community.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan announced on Tuesday the release of American citizen Dennis Coyle from prison.
According to the ministry, Coyle’s mother had written to the leader of the Islamic Emirate demanding amnesty and the release of her son on the occasion of Eid. The Supreme Court considered time served sufficient and decided to release him.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that this action was carried out on the basis of humanitarianism and good faith, and it believes that such measures can strengthen trust between countries. The ministry also expressed hope that both countries, in the future, can find solutions to remaining issues through mutual understanding and constructive dialogue.
The Islamic Emirate also expressed appreciation for the cooperation of the United Arab Emirates in this matter.
Separately, for Coyle’s release, an American delegation, including Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan, met on Tuesday with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate.
The meeting was also attended by Saif Mohammed Al-Ketbi, Ambassador of the UAE in Kabul, and a member of the prisoner’s family.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Muttaqi stated that the Islamic Emirate has not detained any citizen of any country to achieve political objectives; rather, detentions were the result of legal violations, and individuals were released after completing judicial procedures.
At the meeting, Khalilzad praised the action of the Islamic Emirate and emphasized the importance of continuing discussions on all issues between the two countries, expressing hope for further progress in the future.
Muttaqi also stressed that Kabul and the UAE should provide standard consular services to their citizens, and that the Afghan government is fully prepared in this regard.
He thanked Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, for their constructive role in facilitating the release of the prisoner and referred to the UAE as a close friend of Afghanistan.
Earlier, Muttaqi had also praised the role of the State of Qatar in facilitating information exchange between the Islamic Emirate and the prisoner’s family.
Additionally, the UAE ambassador expressed his country’s readiness to play a role in humanitarian institutions and called such developments beneficial for everyone.
The United Kingdom has announced an additional £3 million (AFN 257 million) in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, aimed at supporting people affected by natural disasters and other shocks.
Richard Lindsay, in a post on X, said the funding will be used to provide essential nutrition supplies and related support to vulnerable populations.
The new allocation brings the UK’s total bilateral assistance to Afghanistan for the current financial year to £154 million (AFN 13.18 billion).
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