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EU special envoy visits Afghanistan in ‘preparation’ for upcoming Doha meeting
Wrapping up a four-day visit to Kabul, the European Union’s special representative for Afghanistan, Tomas Niklasson, said on Thursday he met with a range of Afghans, including Islamic Emirate officials and diplomats, in order to prepare for the upcoming Doha meeting.
He said it was important to be well-prepared for the meeting but noted that the focus will not be on international recognition of the IEA government.
Niklasson said he met with UN representatives, Afghan government officials, civil society members, including women, former president Hamid Karzai, and NGO colleagues.
“The main focus of my visit this time was to compare notes with the de facto authorities (IEA), other Afghans and representatives of the diplomatic community to help us set realistic expectations and prepare better for a constructive Doha meeting,” he said.
“My visit to Kabul follows extensive outreach to countries invited to the Doha meeting on Feb. 18-19, convened by the UN and hosted by Qatar.”
“I engaged with Afghan authorities and diplomats to set realistic goals for the forthcoming Doha meeting,” he added.
According to him he underscored the Doha meeting’s significance for meaningful dialogue, emphasizing readiness for a UN-led process.
In line with preparations for the Doha meeting, he said he participated in a G7+ meeting in London two weeks ago, and had talks with various officials from a number of countries including Türkiye, Japan and US. In addition he “held bilateral conversations with several others, including Indonesia, Pakistan and the OIC.
Niklasson said he will meet with officials from the five Central Asian countries at the EU-Central Asia meeting on Afghanistan hosted by Kyrgyzstan.
He pointed out that unlike last year’s Doha meeting, IEA representatives have been invited to attend this gathering.
According to him, discussions have been held on the UN’s independent assessment and its recommendations, on the aspirations of the IEA, who want good relations with the international community.
“I shared my assessment that the Doha meeting is a significant opportunity to meet to hold meaningful discussions about Afghanistan, and to show, on all sides, readiness to engage on a way forward, based on the [UN assessment] report,” which he said appeared to have been well received among all interlocutors.
He noted that the Islamic Emirate’s acting ministers shared with him their positive outlook on the Doha meeting “and their participation and informed me that the composition of the delegation was currently being discussed and would be decided, taking into account also some expected clarifications regarding meeting formats and proceedings in Doha.”
Earlier this week the IEA confirmed they had been invited to attend the Doha meeting but stated they would make a decision on whether to attend once they had more information on the proceedings.
The Islamic Emirate’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has held talks with Bjørn Johansen, Norway’s newly appointed Special Representative for Afghanistan, focusing on political and regional developments.
In the meeting, Johansen said Norway maintains historic ties with Afghanistan and has consistently sought to play a constructive role in supporting stability in the country, Afghan foreign ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
He noted what he described as noticeable progress in Afghanistan in areas including security, counter-narcotics efforts, and other sectors, adding that further cooperation should be expanded through the normalization of relations with the international community.
Muttaqi, welcomed Norway’s continued engagement and cooperation with the Islamic Emirate, saying that the current stability in Afghanistan should be utilized effectively. He also emphasized that progress made by the Afghan authorities could help broaden future cooperation.
The Government of Slovenia has contributed €200,000 to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to support humanitarian work in Afghanistan, focusing on reproductive health and protection services for women and girls.
According to UNFPA, the funding will help expand access to essential maternal and reproductive health care across the country, particularly in areas where services remain limited and humanitarian needs are high.
UNFPA said the support will be used to reach vulnerable women and girls with life-saving health assistance and protection services as part of its ongoing response in Afghanistan.
The contribution comes as international aid agencies continue efforts to sustain basic health services amid ongoing economic and humanitarian challenges in the country.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has rejected recent accusations by Pakistani officials claiming that attacks inside Pakistan were planned from Afghan territory, describing the allegations as “baseless.”
Hamdullah Fitrat, Deputy Spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate, said Afghanistan believes regional issues should be addressed through dialogue, mutual respect, and genuine cooperation rather than accusations, emotional rhetoric, or threats.
He reaffirmed that Afghan territory would not be used against any country and stressed that no group or individual would be allowed to carry out activities that threaten regional peace and stability.
The remarks came after Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry reportedly summoned Afghanistan’s Chargé d’Affaires in Islamabad on Monday and handed over a formal protest note regarding an attack on a police post in Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Pakistani authorities alleged that the attack had been planned from inside Afghanistan.
According to reports, the explosion occurred on Saturday evening in the Fathkhel area of Bannu, killing 15 police officers and injuring four others, including one civilian.
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