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EU holds landmark migration talks with Islamic Emirate delegation
Belgium issued one-day visas to the delegation, led by Afghan foreign ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi.
The European Union has held its highest-level talks with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan since 2021, hosting a five-member Afghan delegation in Brussels to discuss migration and the return of Afghan nationals.
The June meeting followed earlier talks in Austria and came as several EU member states push for faster deportations of rejected asylum seekers and Afghans convicted of crimes.
Belgium issued one-day visas to the delegation, led by Afghan foreign ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi.
While the European Commission insisted the talks do not constitute formal recognition of the Islamic Emirate, the meeting marked the first official engagement between EU officials and an Afghan delegation on European soil since the change of government in Kabul in 2021.
Afghan officials described the visit as historic, saying it was aimed at building confi dence, expanding diplomatic engagement and improving arrangements for the return of Afghan nationals. Kabul also renewed its call for IEA-appointed diplomats to be accepted at Afghan embassies across Europe.
Migration has become a key political issue across Europe, with many governments seeking stricter asylum policies and increased deportations. According to EU data, around one million Afghans applied for asylum in EU countries between 2013 and 2024, with roughly half of the applications approved.
European officials increasingly acknowledge that cooperation with the authorities in Kabul is necessary to manage deportations, consular services and humanitarian coordination. Germany and Austria have already held discussions with Afghan officials and have deported Afghan nationals convicted of criminal offences.
Despite the practical need for engagement, the talks remain politically sensitive. EU officials stressed the discussions were technical and should not be viewed as a step toward formal recognition.
Human rights groups and some European lawmakers warned that increased cooperation could be seen as legitimising the Islamic Emirate without securing commitments on human rights or governance.
The meeting highlights the EU’s effort to balance its migration priorities with its foreign policy principles, while the Islamic Emirate continues seeking greater international engagement despite the absence of formal diplomatic recognition.
Shahabuddin Delawar, president of the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS), met with Richard Lindsay, the UK’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, to discuss the country’s humanitarian situation and ways to expand assistance for vulnerable communities.
According to ARCS, the meeting focused on support for people affected by natural disasters, Afghan returnees and other vulnerable groups, particularly their urgent humanitarian and healthcare needs.
Delawar thanked the United Kingdom for its humanitarian assistance to people affected by natural disasters and briefed Lindsay on the ARCS’s humanitarian and healthcare activities.
He highlighted the society’s services for children with congenital heart defects at its cardiac hospital, vocational training and skills development programs for vulnerable women and children across seven regional zones, mental healthcare services, and assistance to communities affected by natural disasters.
Delawar said decades of hardship had left many Afghans facing mental health challenges, while vulnerable families continued to struggle with difficult living conditions. He stressed the need for expanded humanitarian assistance and healthcare support.
Referring to the return of Afghan refugees from neighboring countries, Delawar said many families urgently need shelter, food, non-food items and medical services. He called for greater UK cooperation to help meet returnees’ basic needs.
Lindsay praised the ARCS’s humanitarian work and pledged continued cooperation in supporting returnees and other humanitarian initiatives in the coming year. He also said he would seek to facilitate effective cooperation with the society in the healthcare sector.
Both sides underscored the importance of strengthening cooperation to expand humanitarian assistance, support vulnerable communities and improve healthcare services in Afghanistan.
Amir Khan Muttaqi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, met with Yatin Patel, India’s chargé d’affaires in Kabul, on Wednesday.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Muttaqi emphasized that, in line with its balanced foreign policy, the Islamic Emirate attaches importance to relations with India.
Referring to the growing volume of trade between the two countries, he stressed the need to strengthen communication and cooperation between Afghanistan’s and India’s public and private sectors, adding that cooperation should be expanded to make better use of existing capacities.
Meanwhile, Yatin Patel said India seeks to expand its relations and engagement with Afghanistan in the economic, political and humanitarian fields.
Muttaqi also wished Patel success in his new assignment.
Mohammad Naeem, Deputy Minister for Finance and Administration at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, met on Wednesday with Richard Lindsay, the UK’s Special Representative for Afghanistan.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the two sides discussed Afghanistan’s political, economic and security situation, regional stability, humanitarian assistance and consular services.
Naeem expressed appreciation for the UK’s humanitarian assistance and cooperation with Afghanistan and stressed the importance of continuing cooperation between the two sides.
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