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US reviewing possibility to reopen its consulate in Afghanistan
The United States is reviewing the possibility of reopening its consulate in Afghanistan under the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) rule without formally recognizing the acting government, according to a report.
According to a newly released strategy document from the State Department, the US is “cautiously” and without officially recognizing the Islamic Emirate, reviewing the possibility of reopening its consulate in Afghanistan under the IEA’s control, as reported by the Voice of America on Thursday.
This move indicates a possible change in U.S. policy, moving towards limited engagement with the isolated IEA government to achieve various security, political, and economic objectives.
According to Voice of America, the State Department’s guidance in this report states: “We support transparency and accountability, along with access for American citizens to consular services, in coordination with the Taliban [Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan].”
In this State Department report, it is stated: “Even as the United States does not officially recognize the Taliban [Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan] as the legitimate government of Afghanistan, we must establish effective working relationships with them to advance our goals and increase our understanding of the Taliban’s readiness and ability to fulfil their commitments to [Washington].”
According to the report, the US’s new strategy encompasses four areas, including counterterrorism efforts, economic assistance, local engagement, and the provision of consular services to American citizens, as well as aiding Afghan migration to the United States.
The document also emphasizes support for the work of the U.S. Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs in securing the release of American hostages detained in Afghanistan.
Voice of America also reports that the document underscores the United States’ commitment to discussing the fundamental rights of the Afghan people, particularly the rights of women and girls.
Following the fall of the Republic and the IEA’s takeover, the United States closed its embassy in Afghanistan, and this institution currently operates under its staff in Doha.
At the same time, the spokesperson of the US Foreign Secretary said in a press conference in Washington that whenever the rulers of Afghanistan want to achieve global legitimacy, they must stop the violence and fulfill their international obligations.
“As we have said on behalf of the United States to the Taliban [Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan] in public and in private, their relationship with the international community depends entirely on their actions, and we will be looking to see them take a different course of action than they have to date,” said Matthew Miller, spokesman for the US State Department.
Meanwhile, IEA’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that any country, including America, who wants to resume its diplomatic activities in Afghanistan, welcomes it and is ready to cooperate in this direction.
“If we are contacted, we will take our measures, security is ensured, every country that activates its embassy and consulate in Afghanistan has a favorable environment for it, and we do not have any problems, and it is still getting better that both countries have a close understanding and contact through diplomatic channels, and it will end in the benefit of both countries,” said Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman of the Islamic Emirate.
This strategic document of the US Ministry of Foreign Affairs reveals the reopening of that country’s consulate in Afghanistan, while no country has recognized the current government of Afghanistan.
However, the Islamic Emirate has repeatedly emphasized that it has completed all the conditions for recognition, but countries and the international community are looking for excuses.
A tripartite meeting between the delegations of Afghanistan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan was held in Kabul with the aim of connecting North Asia to South Asia and reducing transit and transportation costs among these three countries, the Ministry of Trade and Commerce said in a statement.
In this meeting, an agreement was reached on the creation of a joint technical committee to continue the talks.
This tripartite meeting was held under the leadership of Nooruddin Azizi, the Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce, Vice President of Turkmenistan and Srik Zhumangarin, the Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan.
Earlier, a bilateral meeting was held between the delegation of the Islamic Emirate and Turkmenistan. The ministry of commerce said the participants of the meeting discussed the construction of a large joint logistics center in Torghondi, the trilateral transit agreement between the IEA, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan, the expansion of Afghanistan’s railway, solving issues related to Afghan transit and export goods, and a number of other commercial issues.
Acting Minister of National Defense Mohammad Yaqub Mujahid has said that no destructive groups including Daesh have physical presence in Afghanistan, adding the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) will not allow anyone to pose threat to any country in the region from the Afghan soil.
Mujahid made the remarks in a meeting with a delegation from Malaysia in Kabul on Thursday.
According to a statement released by the Ministry of Defense, Mujahid highlighted Malaysia’s “good treatment” of Afghan refugees and its long-standing relations with Afghanistan, and said that Malaysia is a powerful Islamic country and visits should increase.
He added that with the establishment of the Islamic Emirate, occupation and war ended in Afghanistan, and the country is fully secure.
Based on the statement, the Malaysian delegation called Afghanistan a friendly country and while emphasizing on comprehensive cooperation, it assured that what they have seen in Afghanistan will be shared with the authorities of their country.
The European Union signed an agreement worth 17 million euros with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to improve access to basic services, increased economic opportunities and protection for Afghans on the move and their host communities in Afghanistan.
The needs of women and girls are a particular focus of the programme, EU said in a statement released on Thursday.
The statement noted that from January 2023 until April 2024, over 1.5 million Afghans returned from Pakistan and Iran.
“I am deeply moved by the hardship returnees face when being deported to Afghanistan. In a country suffering from poverty and climate change, and in a city that just saw devastating earthquakes, this truly is a crisis within a crisis.”, said Peteris Ustubs, Director for the Middle East, Asia and Pacific of the European Commission’s Department for International Partnerships during the signing ceremony at the IOM transit centre in Herat.
Raffaella Iodice, EU Chargée d’Affaires a.i. to Afghanistan, added “The solidarity of the Afghan people towards their brothers and sisters is an inspiration. We must assure that communities hosting and helping new arrivals are supported. The partnership with IOM ensures access to essential services and provides protection for Afghan returnees and their host communities. As women and girls can be particularly affected, we make sure that all members of society can benefit”.
“IOM’s continued partnership with the EU has been critical in enabling our teams to reach hundreds of thousands of Afghan returnees and other vulnerable communities in the country”, said IOM Afghanistan Chief of Mission, Maria Moita. “Thanks to this renewed commitment, we will be able to focus on addressing the immense challenges in the areas of return and contribute to reintegration, social cohesion, and longer-term solutions for those communities.”
This additional contribution is part of a 5-year programme that is being implemented across Afghanistan and in four countries in the region. It builds on the EU’s previous support to IOM to improve the wellbeing of Afghans forced to return to the country, EU said.
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