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Bahous Says UN Women Will Work With Rabab Fatima to Support Afghan Women and Girls

September 20, 2026
Fidai Rahmati
Khaama Press

UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous has welcomed the appointment of Rabab Fatima as the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and the new head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), pledging close cooperation to advance the rights and leadership of Afghan women and girls.

Bahous congratulated Fatima on her appointment in a statement on Saturday, saying UN Women would work with the incoming UNAMA chief “at this critical time” to support the rights, voices and leadership of Afghan women and girls as Afghanistan continues to face severe restrictions on women’s participation in public life.

Fatima, a veteran Bangladeshi diplomat with more than three decades of experience in multilateral diplomacy, was appointed by UN Secretary-General António Guterres in July to succeed Roza Otunbayeva as the UN’s top envoy in Afghanistan. She is expected to lead UNAMA’s political engagement and coordinate the UN’s humanitarian and development efforts in the country.

Before taking up the Afghanistan post, Fatima served as the UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States. She previously represented Bangladesh at the United Nations, where she chaired the Executive Boards of UNICEF and UN Women and became the first woman to lead the UN Peacebuilding Commission.

Her appointment comes at a pivotal moment for Afghanistan as the UN Security Council has extended UNAMA’s mandate through June 2027 and requested a strategic review of the mission’s future role in the country. The review is expected to examine how the UN can strengthen its political engagement, humanitarian coordination and human rights monitoring in Afghanistan.

UN Women has repeatedly warned that Taliban policies have created one of the world’s most severe institutional systems of discrimination against women and girls. Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban have barred girls from secondary schools and universities, restricted women’s employment, limited their participation in public life, and prohibited Afghan women from working for the United Nations inside Afghanistan.

The appointment also follows UNAMA’s recent reports documenting continued human rights concerns, including restrictions on women’s freedoms, shrinking civic space and barriers to humanitarian operations. UN officials have consistently argued that meaningful international engagement with Afghanistan depends on measurable progress in protecting the rights of women and girls.

UN Women said it looks forward to working closely with Fatima and UNAMA to ensure Afghan women and girls remain at the center of the UN’s engagement with Afghanistan, describing their participation and leadership as essential for the country’s long-term peace, stability and development.

Bahous Says UN Women Will Work With Rabab Fatima to Support Afghan Women and Girls
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UN Experts Urge Protection of Afghans from Forced Return

September 20, 2026
TOLOnews
19 Sept. 2026
In a statement, they stressed that the return of Afghan nationals must be carried out in accordance with the principle of non-refoulement.
United Nations experts have expressed concern over the forced return of Afghans from Pakistan.

The UN experts called on Islamabad to assess the circumstances of Afghan nationals before deporting them and to prevent the deportation of vulnerable Afghans, particularly women and unaccompanied children.

In a statement, they stressed that the return of Afghan nationals must be carried out in accordance with the principle of non-refoulement.

Part of the UN experts’ statement reads: “Pakistan is not the only country deporting Afghans.” The experts called on all countries to uphold their obligations under the principle of non-refoulement, which is part of customary international law and is binding on all states.

Alireza Karimi, a migrant rights activist, said: “Human rights organizations and United Nations offices have a responsibility to support the rights and security of vulnerable individuals.”

Meanwhile, authorities in Punjab say that 213 Afghan nationals are currently being held at 39 migrant detention centers and are expected to be returned to Afghanistan through Torkham.

Alongside concerns over the deportation of Afghan migrants, the situation of Afghan medical students in Pakistan also remains under attention.

The Lahore High Court on Friday, September 18, extended the suspension of an order by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council concerning the return of Afghan medical students.

Sediq Kakar, a lawyer representing Afghan migrants in Pakistan, said: “The students were told to continue their studies and take their exams, while Pakistani authorities were instructed to allow them to do so. This is a short-term decision.”

This comes as the spokesman for the Islamic Emirate previously said that nearly two million Afghan migrants had returned to the country from Pakistan, Iran and Türkiye over the past year.

UN Experts Urge Protection of Afghans from Forced Return
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Germany Presses Ahead With Legal Action Against Taliban Over Women’s Rights

September 19, 2026
18 September 2026

A source at Germany’s Foreign Ministry told Afghanistan International that Berlin, together with international partners, is pursuing efforts to hold the Taliban accountable for violations of women’s rights.

The German Foreign Ministry official said initial legal steps had been taken under Article 29 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

According to the source, Germany supports international mechanisms, including the UN-led Doha process, aimed at improving the human rights situation in Afghanistan.

The German official stressed that the country would continue its efforts to ensure Afghanistan fulfils its obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

Germany’s Foreign Ministry added that, together with Australia, Canada and the Netherlands, it had taken the first necessary steps under Article 29 of the convention and had contacted the Taliban administration.

Legal Process at the International Court of Justice

Australia had previously also announced that it was pursuing the legal process.

A spokesman for Australia’s Foreign Ministry told Afghanistan International that Canberra, in cooperation with Germany, Canada and the Netherlands, was pursuing legal action to hold the Taliban accountable for widespread violations of the rights of women and girls.

Under Article 29 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, disputes between member states over the interpretation or application of the convention can, after specified procedures, be referred to arbitration and ultimately to the International Court of Justice.

In September 2024, Germany, Australia, Canada and the Netherlands jointly announced that they had initiated legal proceedings under Article 29 of the convention and called on the Taliban administration to enter into dialogue over the matter.

The Rawadari human rights organisation and several other civil society groups have also recently launched campaigns urging the countries that initiated the process to continue with their commitments and legal action.

More than 20 countries have backed the move by Germany, Australia, Canada and the Netherlands to use the mechanism provided under Article 29 of the convention. They include Spain, Sweden, Belgium and South Korea.

Since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, sweeping restrictions have been imposed on the rights and freedoms of women and girls in Afghanistan.

Girls are barred from education beyond sixth grade, while women and girls are also prohibited from attending universities.

Women have also been excluded from many areas of public and social life, with broad restrictions imposed on their employment and freedom of movement.

In several cases, women and girls have been detained or questioned for failing to comply with Taliban dress requirements.

Human rights organisations have described the Taliban’s policies as a clear example of gender apartheid.

The Taliban has previously rejected allegations of human rights violations and discrimination against women, saying citizens’ rights in Afghanistan are protected within the framework of Sharia law and that no one is discriminated against.

 

Germany Presses Ahead With Legal Action Against Taliban Over Women’s Rights
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Mohib Accuses Khalilzad of “Great Betrayal” in New Book on Afghanistan’s Republic Collapse

September 19, 2026
Khaama Press

Former Afghan National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib has accused former U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad of a “great betrayal” in a new book examining the collapse of Afghanistan’s republic, arguing that Washington’s direct negotiations with the Taliban sidelined Kabul’s elected government and accelerated its fall in 2021.

The book, Shadows Over Kabul: An Insider’s Account of the Fall of the Afghanistan Republic, co-authored with investigative journalist Tam Hussein, was published in English by Bloomsbury on September 17. It presents Mohib’s account of the peace process and the final years of the Afghanistan republic from inside the former government.

The book argues that Khalilzad’s appointment as the United States’ chief negotiator fundamentally changed the balance of power during the peace process. Mohib writes that then-President Ashraf Ghani viewed Khalilzad’s appointment with deep skepticism from the outset, fearing it would sideline Afghanistan’s government in favor of direct talks between Washington and the Taliban.

Mohib claims Khalilzad established contacts with Taliban representatives without informing the Afghaistan government and conducted negotiations that excluded Kabul’s officials. According to Mohib, the Taliban’s confidence increased significantly once they realized they could negotiate directly with the United States rather than through Afghanistan’s elected administration.

He further alleges that Khalilzad returned from meetings in Pakistan without briefing President Ghani or senior Afghan officials on the substance of those discussions. Mohib writes that the government later learned Khalilzad had met Taliban representatives in Pakistan, describing the move as “a great betrayal.”

Mohib also recounts traveling to Washington to warn U.S. officials that Khalilzad’s diplomacy was weakening the Afghanistan government while empowering the Taliban politically. He says he questioned whether Khalilzad’s approach reflected official U.S. policy or his own initiative, but received conflicting answers. Mohib writes that several planned meetings with U.S. State Department officials were subsequently canceled.

Criticism of the Doha peace process

Mohib’s account adds to longstanding criticism by former Afghan officials of the 2020 Doha Agreement between the United States and the Taliban. The agreement, negotiated without the Afghanistan government as a signatory, provided a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops in exchange for Taliban counterterrorism commitments and intra-Afghan negotiations.

Former members of the Afghan republic have repeatedly argued that excluding Kabul from the agreement weakened the government’s legitimacy and provided the Taliban with international political recognition before a comprehensive settlement was reached. U.S. officials, however, have maintained that the Doha deal was intended to end America’s longest war and create a pathway for peace negotiations.

Khalilzad’s role remains disputed

Khalilzad has consistently defended his role in the peace process and has rejected accusations that he was responsible for the republic’s collapse. He has argued that corruption, political divisions within the Afghanistan government, and the rapid collapse of Afghan security forces were decisive factors in the Taliban’s takeover.

The publisher’s synopsis says Mohib’s book challenges Western narratives that primarily blamed Afghan leaders for the events of August 2021, describing the collapse as the result of “Western and Afghan leaders’ betrayal.”

Mohib Accuses Khalilzad of “Great Betrayal” in New Book on Afghanistan’s Republic Collapse
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Gagnon: No Progress on Issues of Concern to Afghans, Int’l Community

September 19, 2026
 Ebadullah Ebadi
Journalist (Web Editor)
Tolo News
17 SEPTEMBER 2026

Gagnon also described the Doha Process as essential for continued and sustained international engagement with Afghanistan.

Georgette Gagnon, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan, referring to the fifth anniversary of the Islamic Emirate’s return to power, described some of the developments and achievements of the current government during this period as “encouraging,” but added that there has been no progress “on issues that are of profound concern to the Afghan people and the international community.”

Gagnon made the remarks on Wednesday (September 16) during a UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan, where she addressed various issues, including restrictions on women and girls in the country.

Referring to developments over the past five years, she said: “They are occurring, however, in a context of no progress on issues that are of profound concern to the Afghan people and the international community: the severe restrictions on women and girls, exclusionary governance, a human rights crisis, and the continued presence of terrorist groups that threaten Afghanistan, the region, and international peace and security.”

The UN official also renewed calls for restrictions on women and girls in Afghanistan to be lifted. The Islamic Emirate has repeatedly described issues related to women’s rights as an internal matter and maintained that the rights of women and girls are protected in accordance with “Sharia.”

Gagnon also described the Doha Process as essential for continued and sustained international engagement with Afghanistan.

She said: “Sustained international engagement, including through the Doha Process, remains essential. Currently, the Doha Process is the multilateral framework through which such engagement is occurring aimed at Afghanistan’s reintegration into the international community based on compliance with international obligations and commitments.”

At the end of her remarks, Gagnon emphasized the value of principled and pragmatic engagement, saying that such engagement sustains dialogue on key issues and concerns, maintains influence, reduces risks, creates opportunities for progress and, “critically, supports the needs and aspirations of the Afghan people.”

The Islamic Emirate has not yet responded to these remarks.

Gagnon: No Progress on Issues of Concern to Afghans, Int’l Community
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UNICEF: Over 2.6M Afghan Girls Denied Secondary Education Since 2021

September 19, 2026
Mohammad Bashir Soltani
Reporter, Political Writer
Tolo News
18 Sept. 2026

UNICEF emphasized that Afghanistan is the only country in the world where secondary and higher education remain closed to girls.

As Afghanistan marks five years since girls were banned from education beyond the sixth grade, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has announced that more than 2.6 million girls have been deprived of their right to secondary education since 2021.

UNICEF emphasized that Afghanistan is the only country in the world where secondary and higher education remain closed to girls.

Catherine Russell, UNICEF’s Executive Director, said: “Five years ago today, adolescent girls in Afghanistan were barred from attending secondary and high schools. Every girl has the right to learn and reach her potential. UNICEF calls on the de facto authorities in Afghanistan to reopen schools to all girls.”

The organization has called on the current authorities to immediately lift restrictions on girls’ education and allow all girls and women to return to schools and universities.

Daniel Timme, UNICEF’s Chief of Communication, said: “This ban must end because it is taking away the future of millions of girls. Moreover, we are already witnessing its devastating consequences for the country’s development, as half of the population is being denied secondary education.”

Meanwhile, Amnesty International has also called on the international community to take action to ensure that higher education is reopened to girls.

Amnesty International wrote: “Stand with the women and girls of Afghanistan and call on the international community to pressure the Taliban to immediately reopen girls’ schools.”

Five years ago, education for girls beyond the sixth grade was suspended across Afghanistan.

The issue remains unresolved, and officials of the Islamic Emirate have not recently commented on the matter.

UNICEF: Over 2.6M Afghan Girls Denied Secondary Education Since 2021
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Pak court blocks expulsion of Afghan medical college students

September 18, 2026
Agence France-Presse
Karachi, Pakistan
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A Pakistan court blocked on Friday an order by the country’s medical board for dozens of Afghans studying to be doctors to be expelled from colleges and universities and sent home.

‘The Lahore High Court has extended the stay order preventing the expulsion of over a hundred Afghan medical students from medical colleges until the next hearing,’ a Lahore court decision seen by AFP said.

The judge, Justice Khalid Ishaq, did not fix a date for the next hearing.

A similar petition has already been rejected by a court in Balochistan province, while another is underway in Sindh.

Earlier this month, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council said in a letter to academic institutes that no ‘form of facilitation of Afghan nationals is permitted for the current academic session’.

The order sparked dismay among Afghan students, one who said: ‘It was like the death of my hopes to become a doctor.’

The PMDC letter to college deans said: ‘Afghans previously enrolled in medical or dental programs in Pakistan are required to return to Afghanistan.’

The letter, a copy of which was seen by AFP, did not say on whose authority the medical council was acting, but said: ‘The matter is of highest priority and relates to national policy directions.’

Relations between neighbours Pakistan and Afghanistan have plummeted since the Taliban government’s return to power in Kabul in 2021, and escalated into weeks of war earlier this year.

More than 2.5 million Afghans — many who spent decades living as refugees in Pakistan — have been expelled or left voluntarily over the past three years, according to UN data, as part of a deportation drive by Islamabad.

Human Rights Watch urged authorities to reverse the PMDC order, highlighting the plight of women who are banned from studying in Afghanistan.

Amnesty International slammed the move as ‘discriminatory and arbitrary’.

Among the Lahore petitioners is a 23-year-old who was just days away from finishing her second-year studies when she was told she must ‘go back and leave everything’.

A judge suspended the expulsion order at the provincial level on September 11, but the student said her records have already been expunged from the university’s online platform.

The undergraduate was forced to end her medical studies in Afghanistan after Taliban authorities banned women from universities.

She said she was one of about 20 Afghan women, out of 30,000 applicants, to win a scholarship in Pakistan.

‘I will never give up. I learned from this journey that sadness doesn’t bring anything,’ she told an AFP journalist in Kabul by phone.

Asad Jamal, one of several lawyers representing the students in Lahore, criticised the PMDC orders which he said failed to provide medics with ‘any opportunity to be heard’.

Jamal said even if the students lose their Lahore petition, the case could still be taken to Pakistan’s Federal Constitutional Court.

Mubin Ulfati, a final-year student in Lahore, had just returned from a hospital shift when he was given 24 hours to leave the country.

‘We are medical students; we know how to manage shocking news. But this wasn’t something very manageable,’ the 24-year-old said.

‘We are clearly victims’ of a political situation.

Some Afghan medics had been deported even before the PMDC order, such as a fourth-year student who tried unsuccessfully for more than a year to renew his visa.

‘We are only students. We are not political people,’ said the medic, who was specialising in ophthalmology.

The 33-year-old was pulled out of the operating theatre and expelled within two days.

‘Please, let us finish our studies,’ he said. ‘We will finish, and we will go back to our country.’

Pak court blocks expulsion of Afghan medical college students
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Taliban warns Pakistan of ‘crushing response’ to any military operation in Afghanistan

September 18, 2026
FirstPost
FP News Desk
Sep 18, 2026
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said Kabul will defend its territory against any Pakistani strikes, while rejecting allegations that Afghanistan shelters militants targeting Pakistan

Taliban has warned Pakistan against carrying out military operations inside Afghanistan while rejecting Islamabad’s accusations that Afghan territory is being used by militant groups to launch attacks across the border.

In an interview with Al Arabiya, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said Afghanistan would defend its sovereignty if Pakistan carried out strikes inside the country.

“If Pakistan invokes Article 51 to violate the sanctity of Afghan territory, Afghanistan has the right to defend its country, and we will do so,” Al Arabiya quoted Mujahid as saying, warning of a “crushing response” to any violation of Afghan sovereignty.

Mujahid said Pakistan should address its security challenges internally instead of blaming Afghanistan, arguing that unrest involving the TTP and Baloch groups predates the Taliban’s return to power.

Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Taliban of sheltering members of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan in Afghanistan and allowing them to use Afghan territory to plan and carry out attacks in Pakistan. The Taliban rejects the allegation.

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have deteriorated since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021 and escalated into weeks of war earlier this year.

More than 2.5 million Afghans, many of whom spent decades living as refugees in Pakistan, have been expelled or left voluntarily over the past three years, according to UN data, as part of a deportation drive by Islamabad.

Despite the tensions, Mujahid said Afghanistan wants dialogue with Pakistan and called for stronger mechanisms for intelligence-sharing and cooperation.

He also welcomed a larger Saudi role in mediating between Kabul and Islamabad, saying the Kingdom is a friend of both countries and can play a “positive role” in resolving their differences.

With inputs from agencies

Taliban warns Pakistan of ‘crushing response’ to any military operation in Afghanistan
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Security Council LIVE: ‘Being a woman is a crime in Afghanistan,’ civil society briefer declares

September 16, 2026
Peace and Security

Since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, the continuing presence of terrorist groups as well as rights violations against women and girls are a growing concern as the Security Council meets Wednesday to hear the latest updates, including from a civil society representative who said being born as a woman in the country “is a crime”.

What you need to know

  • Since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, the plight of Afghans has only deteriorated, with millions impoverished while authorities violate basic human rights daily, according to the UN Human Rights Office
  • Women, in particular, are facing the brunt of the Taliban rule, and since 2021, over two million Afghan girls and women have been denied access to secondary and higher education
  • Both women and men are being arrested by the Taliban’s Office for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, primarily for alleged violations of strict dress codes, beard length, and the playing of, or listening to, music
  • Censorship of the media, temporary closures of media outlets and arrests of journalists also continue. 
  • At least 449 men and women were subjected to corporal punishment by the de facto authorities in the first half of the year, according to the UN.

In brief – Afghanistan

Facts:  UNAMA said Taliban authorities highlight security and economic gains after five years in power, but Afghanistan continues to face severe restrictions on women and girls, human rights abuses, exclusionary governance and terrorist threats.  Speakers also warned of worsening humanitarian needs, refugee returns, media restrictions and growing regional security concerns.

Impact:  Council members broadly agreed that restrictions on women and girls remain the main obstacle to Afghanistan’s recovery and international reintegration.  Terrorist threats, economic fragility, mass returns and humanitarian shortfalls continue to undermine stability.  Divisions persist, however, over whether engagement or greater pressure offers the best path forward.

Call to Action:  Speakers urged the Taliban to restore women’s rights, permit female UN staff to work, build inclusive governance structures and meet counter-terrorism commitments.  Donors were encouraged to sustain humanitarian funding, while the UN and Security Council were called on to maintain principled engagement, accountability efforts and support for political dialogue.

Relative calm must not be mistaken for peace

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©UN Web TV

Afghanistan’s delegate said that five years is “long enough to judge the situation by actions”.

There is still no inclusive political system, no accepted constitutional framework and no accountable institutions through which Afghans can influence decisions affecting their lives.

“The absence of large-scale war should not be mistaken for sustainable peace,” he said.

The repression of women and girls is “not only a women’s rights crisis” but also a national crisis affecting Afghanistan’s economy, health, education and development and long-term stability.  Afghanistan remains the only country in the world where women and girls are formally denied education beyond the primary level.

The international community must abandon the false choice between isolation and normalization, he said, calling for principled and outcome-oriented engagement aiming towards legitimate and accountable governance.  UNAMA should work to create conditions for a political solution, he stressed.

Context:  What’s the UN doing in Afghanistan?
Uploaded imageUNICEF

The UN established the Special Trust Fund for Afghanistan, an inter-agency mechanism to support joint programming in the provision of basic human needs in Afghanistan.  Here’s a snapshot of ongoing UN initiatives:

  • In Kandahar, UN agencies are helping farmers build sustainable livelihoods through agricultural inputs and technical assistance, creating new opportunities for families previously dependent on opium poppy cultivation
  • World Health Organization (WHO):  Supporting the expansion of efforts to expand women’s access to specialized treatment for obstetric fistula, including surgery, counseling and follow-up care
  • UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF):  Supported the delivery of essential health services for over 6 million people, including women and children

Find out more about UN efforts in Afghanistan here.

United States demands results from Taliban
Uploaded image©UN Web TV

The representative of the United States said Washington will not tolerate the Taliban using American citizens as “bargaining chips”.

Condemning the group’s record, he said:  “I’ve seen them hang children, terrorize families, pillage whole villages and prey on the very people they claim to represent.”

He also lamented that Afghanistan remains the only country where girls and women are barred from higher education, saying that after 20 years of progress, “that door is now closed on them”.

Stressing the need for accountability, he added:  “This Council must demand results from the Taliban regime.”

Context: Winter is coming
Afghans returning from Pakistan are trying to rebuild their lives from scratch, said the UN emergency relief agency, OCHA.They need a safe place to sleep, education for their children and opportunities to earn a living.

With a harsh winter approaching, they also need urgent support now.

Security Council LIVE: ‘Being a woman is a crime in Afghanistan,’ civil society briefer declares
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France Urges Kabul to Remove Barriers to Afghanistan’s Return to Global Community

September 16, 2026
Khaama Press

France has urged the Taliban to remove the political, human rights and security obstacles preventing Afghanistan’s reintegration into the international community, telling the UN Security Council that the next steps in the Doha process depend on the group responding to longstanding international demands.

Speaking during a UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan on Wednesday, Jérôme Bonnafont, France’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, said the international community had listened to the Taliban’s concerns through the UN-led Doha engagement process and now expected the Taliban to address the concerns of the Security Council and the wider international community.

Bonnafont said France supports continued diplomatic engagement with Afghanistan but stressed that meaningful progress requires concrete action by the Taliban rather than further demands for international recognition.

The French envoy identified several priorities that the Security Council has repeatedly raised with the Taliban, including the formation of an inclusive government representing Afghanistan’s ethnic and political diversity, unrestricted humanitarian access, stronger action against terrorism and drug trafficking, and respect for fundamental human rights.

France says women’s rights remain the central obstacle

Bonnafont said restrictions imposed on Afghan women and girls continue to undermine Afghanistan’s future and remain one of the principal reasons the country remains internationally isolated.

He said barring women from education, employment and public life deprives Afghanistan’s economy of half of its potential workforce while weakening the country’s long-term development prospects. He also warned that restrictions on women’s access to healthcare have serious humanitarian and public health consequences.

France described the Taliban’s continued ban on Afghan women working for UN agencies inside Afghanistan as “unacceptable,” saying it hampers humanitarian operations and limits the United Nations’ ability to deliver assistance to millions of vulnerable Afghans.

The envoy called on the Taliban to reverse policies restricting women’s participation in society and allow them to return to schools, universities, workplaces and public institutions.

Inclusive political dialogue and security concerns

Bonnafont said lasting peace in Afghanistan cannot be achieved without inclusive political dialogue involving opposition groups, civil society representatives, women and ethnic and religious minorities.

He also urged the Taliban to demonstrate credible action against terrorist groups operating in Afghanistan and strengthen efforts to combat narcotics trafficking, issues that remain major concerns for neighboring countries and the broader international community.

France’s remarks come as the UN continues its Doha process, a diplomatic framework aimed at increasing engagement with Afghanistan while pressing the Taliban to meet international commitments on governance, human rights and security.

International recognition still out of reach

Nearly five years after the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, no country except Russia has formally recognized the Taliban government. Western governments have maintained that normalization of relations depends on measurable improvements in women’s rights, inclusive governance and counterterrorism commitments.

Bonnafont said Afghanistan’s return to the international community remains possible, but only if the Taliban take concrete steps to remove the barriers that continue to isolate the country diplomatically, politically and economically.

France Urges Kabul to Remove Barriers to Afghanistan’s Return to Global Community
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