In Doha, the Taliban at the UN table, but without Afghan women and civil society

In Doha the Taliban at the UN table but without

Starting June 30, in Doha, Qatar, two days of discussions on Afghanistan will be held, in the presence, for the first time, of a Taliban delegation invited to the UN table. The international community is still looking for the right formula to maintain a political dialogue with the Afghan Islamists, but the United Nations is already suffering an avalanche of criticism because, in order to come, the Taliban demanded and obtained that Afghan women and civil society be excluded from the round tables.

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It is their economy and their private sector that worries the talibans. And in Doha, they come precisely for help. First, help for their farmers since since April 2022opium poppy cultivation is banned in Afghanistan. The purchasing power of Afghan farmers has collapsed. The Taliban delegation, very proud of its anti-drug policy, hopes to obtain compensation from the international community.

Then, financial transactions have been almost impossible since the fall of Kabul. The head of the Taliban political office in Doha is demanding nothing less than the lifting of international sanctions.

And when asked what his government is prepared to offer in exchange, on the key issue of women’s rights for example, he once again gives the same ready answer: ” Women’s education is a problem that we want to solve. But in our own way, in accordance with our values ​​and the traditions of Afghan society. We take it into consideration, but given our values, the solution may not be the same depending on whether we treat this problem according to your Western criteria or according to our societies and traditions. »

On this central issue, the Taliban have made no concessions, on the contrary. THE womens rights continue to decline and at this stage there is no indication that the UN can reverse the trend.

Read alsoAfghanistan: the international community “is not moving towards recognition of the Taliban” despite the wishes of the UN

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